Heathers the musical сценарий

[upbeat music playing]

[cheering]

[school bell rings]

[Veronica] September 1st, 1989.

Dear diary.

I think I’m a good person.

I believe
there’s good in everyone,

but here we are
first day of senior year.

I see these kids I’ve known
all my life and wondered,

what happened?

♪ Freak! Slut! Burnout! ♪

♪ Bug-Eyes! Poser! Lard-ass! ♪

♪ We were so tiny
Happy and shiny ♪

♪ Playing tag
And getting chased ♪

♪ Freak!
Slut! Loser! Shortbus! ♪

♪ Singing and clapping
Laughing and napping ♪

♪ Baking cookies, eating paste ♪

♪ Bull-dyke! Stuck-up!
Hunchback! ♪

♪ Then we got bigger ♪

♪ That was the trigger
Like the Huns invading Rome ♪

♪ Move ♪

♪ Welcome to my school
This ain’t no high school ♪

♪ This is the Thunderdome ♪

♪ Hold your breath
And count the days ♪

♪ We’re graduating soon ♪

♪ College will be paradise
If I’m not dead by June! ♪

♪ But I know ♪

♪ I know
Life can be beautiful ♪

♪ I pray
I pray for a better way ♪

♪ If we changed back then ♪

♪ We could change again ♪

♪ We can be beautiful ♪

Ow!

-Hey, are you okay?
-Get away, nerd.

♪ Freak! Slut!
Cripple! Homo! ♪

♪ Homo! Homo! ♪

♪ Things will get better soon
As my letter comes ♪

♪ From Harvard, Duke, or Brown ♪

♪ Wake from this coma
Take my diploma ♪

♪ Then I can blow this town ♪

♪ Dream of my ivy-covered walls
And smoky French cafes ♪

Watch this!

♪ Fight the urge
To strike a match ♪

♪ And send this dump ablaze! ♪

Oops.

Ram Sweeney.

Third year as linebacker.

And eighth year
of smacking lunch trays

and being a huge dick.

What did you say to me, skank?

Nothing.

♪ But I know, I know ♪

♪ I know life can be beautiful ♪

♪ I pray, I pray
I pray for a better way ♪

♪ We were kind before ♪

♪ We can be kind once more ♪

♪ We can be beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful! ♪

Agh! Hey, Martha.

Martha Dunnstock.
My best friend since diapers.

She’s got a huge heart.

Around here, that’s not enough.

Thanks.

Yeah, you’re on
Jiffy Pop detail.

I rented
The Princess Bride.

No, again?

Don’t you have
it memorized by now?

What can I say?
I’m a sucker for a happy ending.

Martha Dumptruck!

If you wanna slim down,

you need more protein
in your diet.

Kurt Kelly.

Quarterback.

He is the smartest guy
on the football team.

Which is kind of like
being the tallest dwarf.

[laughing]

I’m sorry,
are you actually talking to me?

My buddy Kurt
just asked you a question.

What gives you the right
to pick on my friend?

I mean, look at you.

You’re a high school
has-been waiting to happen.

A future gas station attendant.

You got a zit right there.

[laughing]

Dear Diary.

♪ Why ♪

♪ Why don’t I fight back? ♪

♪ Like such a creep? ♪

[Veronica] ♪ Why? ♪

♪ Why did I wear this? ♪

♪ Why do I cry myself
To sleep? ♪

♪ Why? ♪

♪ Somebody fix me!
Somebody save me! ♪

♪ Send me a sign, God! ♪

♪ Give me some hope here!
Something to live for! ♪

[dramatic music playing]

[cheering]

[all] ♪ Ah! Heather, Heather ♪

♪ And Heather! ♪

Then there’s the Heathers.
They float above it all.

[all] ♪ I love Heather ♪

♪ Heather, and Heather ♪

Heather McNamara.
Head cheerleader.

Her dad is loaded,
he sells engagement rings.

Heather Duke.
Runs the yearbook.

No discernible personality,

but her mom did pay
for implants.

And Heather Chandler.

The Almighty.

[all] ♪ Heather ♪

She is a mythic bitch.

The Heathers are solid Teflon,

never bothered, never harassed.

I would give anything
to be like that.

I’d like to be their boyfriend.

[all] ♪ That would be
Beautiful ♪

If I sat at their table,
guys would notice me.

[all] ♪ So beautiful ♪

I’d like them to be nicer.

[all] ♪ That would
Be beautiful ♪

I’d like to kidnap a Heather
and photograph her naked

in an abandoned warehouse and
leave her tied up for the rats!

[school bell rings]

[Heather Duke vomits]

Grow up, Heather.

Bulimia is so ’87.

Heather, I need a mint.

What you need,
Heather, is to see a doctor.

Ah, Heather and Heather.

[Heather Duke vomits]

Perhaps you didn’t hear
the bell over all the vomiting.

You’re late for class.

Heather wasn’t feeling well.

We’re helping her.

Not without
a hall pass you’re not.

A week’s detention.

My parents pay your salary!

all four of us
are out on a hall pass.

Yearbook committee.

[clears throat]

Well, I see you’re all listed.

Hurry up
and get where you’re going.

This is an excellent forgery.

Who are you?

I crave a boon.

Let me sit at your table
at lunch. Just once.

No talking necessary.

If people think you guys
tolerate me,

they’ll leave me alone.

Before you answer,
I also do report cards,

permission slips
and absence notes.

How about prescriptions?

Shut up, Heather.

For a greasy little nobody,
she does have

good bone structure.

And a symmetrical face.

If I took a meat cleaver
down the center of her skull,

I’d have matching halves.
That’s very important.

Of course, you could
stand to lose a few pounds.

♪ And ya know, ya know
Ya know? ♪

♪ This could be beautiful ♪

♪ Mascara, maybe some lip gloss
And we’re on our way ♪

♪ Get this girl some blush ♪

♪ And Heather
I need your brush ♪

-♪ Let’s make her beautiful ♪
-♪ Let’s make her beautiful ♪

♪ Let’s make her beautiful ♪

Okay?

[school bell rings]

♪ Out of my way, geek! ♪

♪ You’re gonna die
At 3:00 p.m. ♪

[both] ♪ Don’t you dare
Touch me! ♪

♪ Get away, pervert! ♪

[all] ♪ Who could survive this?
I can’t escape this! ♪

♪ I think I’m dying! ♪

[all] Whoa!

♪ Heather, Heather, Heather ♪

♪ And someone! ♪

[all] ♪ Heather, Heather
Heather ♪

♪ And a babe! ♪

[all] ♪ Heather, Heather
Heather ♪

Veronica?

[all] ♪ Veronica?
Veronica? Veronica? ♪

♪ And ya know, ya know
Ya know ♪

♪ Life can be beautiful ♪

♪ You hope, you dream
You pray ♪

♪ And you get your way! ♪

♪ Ask me how it feels ♪

♪ Looking like hell on wheels ♪

♪ My God, it’s beautiful! ♪

[all] ♪ Beautiful! ♪

[all] ♪ Beautiful! ♪

[Veronica]
♪ And when you’re beautiful ♪

♪ It’s a beautiful
Frickin’ day! ♪

[all] ♪ Heather, Heather
Heather, Veronica! ♪

♪ Heather! Heather!
Heather, Veronica! ♪

♪ Veronica! Veronica!
Veronica! ♪

♪ Veronica! ♪

[cheering and applauding]

Dear Diary,
it’s been three weeks

since I became friends
with the Heathers.

Friends isn’t the right
word exactly.

It’s more like the Heathers
are people I work with.

And our job
is being popular and shit.

[school bell rings]

Hey, Veronica.

You really look
beautiful these days.

Yeah, well, it’s still
the same me underneath.

Are you sure?

Look, I’m sorry I flaked
on movie night last week.

I’ve just had a lot going on.

You’re with the Heathers now.
It’s exciting.

It’s— whatever. [laughs]

But we’ll hang out soon,
I promise.

Veronica.

Heather requires
your presence. Now.

How very.

Veronica, I need
a forgery written

in Ram Sweeney’s handwriting.

You’ll need something
to lean on.

Heather, bend over.

[crowd laughs]

[Heather C] «Hi, beautiful.

I’ve been watching you
and thinking about us

in the old days.

I hope you can come to my
homecoming party this weekend.

I miss you, Ram.»

Put an «XO» after the signature.

What’s this for anyway?

You remember how Ram used
to hang with Martha Dumptruck?

Yeah, in kindergarten.
I mean, we all did.

We all didn’t
kiss on the kickball field.

Oh, my God.
That’s right, I totally forgot.

Ram kissed Martha Dumptruck.

[laughs]

It was disgusting.

Perfect. Boys?

Over here, please.

What do you think Heather wants?

My hot body?

Hell yeah!

Ram, be a sweetie and give this
note to Martha Dumptruck for me.

What? No!

Martha’s had a crush on Ram
for like 12 years.

This would kill her.

And come on, Heather,
you’re bigger than this.

Are we gonna have a problem?

You got a bone to pick?

You’ve come so far, why now
are you pulling on my dick?

I’d normally slap your face off,
and everyone here could watch.

But I’m feeling nice.
Here’s some advice.

Listen up, byatch!

-[rock music playing]
-[crowd cheering]

♪ I like ♪

♪ Looking hot
Buying stuff they cannot ♪

♪ I like ♪

♪ Maxing Dad’s credit card ♪

♪ I like ♪

♪ Scaring her, screwing him ♪

♪ I like ♪

♪ Kicking nerds in the nose! ♪

♪ If you lack the balls
You can go play dolls ♪

♪ Let your mommy fix you
A snack ♪

♪ Whoa! ♪

♪ Or you could come smoke
Pound some rum and coke ♪

♪ In my Porsche
With the quarterback ♪

♪ Oh, whoa
Oh, whoa, oh whoa! ♪

♪ Honey, what you waiting for? ♪

♪ Welcome to my candy store! ♪

♪ Time for you to prove
You’re not a loser anymore ♪

♪ Then step
Into my candy store! ♪

♪ Guys fall ♪

♪ Pay the check ♪

♪ All you ♪

♪ Say goodbye to Shamu ♪

♪ Not your friend
I can tell, in the end ♪

♪ If she ♪

♪ She would leave you to rot! ♪

♪ Of course if you don’t care
Fine, go braid her hair ♪

♪ Maybe Sesame Street is on ♪

♪ Whoa! ♪

♪ And get in my Jeep ♪

♪ Let’s go tear up
Someone’s lawn! ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Honey, what you waiting for? ♪

♪ Welcome to my candy store! ♪

♪ You just gotta prove
You’re not a pussy anymore ♪

♪ Then step
Into my candy store! ♪

♪ You can join the team ♪

♪ You can live the dream ♪

♪ Or you can die alone ♪

♪ Or if you prefer ♪

♪ And end up like her! ♪

Veronica, look! Ram invited me
to his homecoming party!

See? I told you there was
still something there.

This proves
he’s been thinking about me!

Color me stoked.

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Honey what you
Waiting for— ♪

Shut up, Heather!

♪ Step into my candy store! ♪

♪ Whoa, time for you to prove ♪

♪ You’re not
A lame-ass anymore! ♪

♪ Then step
Into my candy store! ♪

♪ It’s my candy store
It’s my candy ♪

♪ It’s my candy store
It’s my candy ♪

♪ It’s my candy store ♪

♪ It’s my candy store! ♪

[crowd cheering]

You shouldn’t have
bowed down to the swatch dogs

and diet-coke-heads.

They’re gonna crush that girl.

I’m sorry, what?

Well, you clearly have a soul.

You just need to work harder
keeping it clean.

We’re all born marked for evil.

Okay. Don’t just quote
Baudelaire at me

and then walk away.

Excuse me,
I didn’t catch your name.

I didn’t throw it.

Who does the guy in the jacket
think he is anyway,

he’s Bo Diddley?

Veronica’s into his act,
no doubt.

Let’s kick his ass!

We’re too old for this.

[Ram groans]

Hey, sweetheart!

What did your boyfriend say
when you told him

you were moving
to Sherwood, Ohio?

My buddy Kurt just asked you
a question.

[crowd laughs]

doesn’t this cafeteria
have a «no fags allowed» rule?

[Ram laughs]

I’m not sure
what your problem is.

But I bet it’s really hard
for you to pronounce.

Hold his arms!

[tense music playing]

[grunts]

[all] ♪ Holy shit! Holy shit! ♪

♪ Holy shit! Holy shit! ♪

♪ Holy shit! Holy shit!
Holy shit! ♪

♪ Holy shit! Holy shit! ♪

♪ Why when you see boys fight ♪

♪ Does it look so horrible yet ♪

♪ Feel so right? ♪

♪ I shouldn’t watch this crap ♪

♪ That’s not who I am ♪

♪ But with this kid ♪

♪ Damn ♪

♪ Hey, Mr. No-Name Kid ♪

♪ So, who might you be? ♪

♪ And could you fight for me? ♪

♪ And hey ♪

♪ Could you face the crowd? ♪

♪ Could you be seen with me ♪

♪ And still act proud? ♪

♪ Hey, would you hold my hand ♪

♪ And could you carry me ♪

♪ Through no man’s land? ♪

♪ It’s fine if you don’t agree ♪

♪ But I would fight for you ♪

♪ If you would fight for me ♪

♪ Let them drive us
Underground ♪

♪ I don’t care how far ♪

♪ You can set my broken bones ♪

♪ And I know CPR ♪

♪ Well, whoa ♪

♪ You can punch real good ♪

♪ You’ve lasted longer ♪

♪ Than I thought you would ♪

♪ So hey, Mr. No-Name-Kid ♪

♪ If some night you’re free ♪

[all vocalizing]

♪ Wanna fight for me? ♪

[all] ♪ Holy shit ♪

[Veronica]
♪ If you’re still alive ♪

[all] ♪ Holy shit ♪

♪ I would fight for you ♪

♪ If you would fight for me ♪

[all] ♪ Holy shit
Holy shit ♪

[cheering and applauding]

[Ram and Kurt grunt]

[Kurt] Oh, man, that sucked!

[Ram]
Those were some cheap shots.

Ah! I’m missing a ball!

No, you’re not.

I think he kicked it up
my butt or something.

It’s probably just impacted.

Plug your nose and push.

Okay.

[gasps]

Oh, there it is.

[crowd laughs]

[whimsical music playing]

Your mouth
was hanging wide open.

No, it wasn’t.

Veronica, drool much?

Come on, admit it.
You like the new kid.

I don’t even know his name.

You were totally throwing
your panties at him.

[laughs]

[gasps]

[crowd laughs]

I am talking to my friend.

Sorry, Heather.

[crowd laughs]

Oh, mom, dad, look out.

Ah. Here you go, girls.

Care for some pate?

This isn’t pate.

It’s liverwurst.

I’m aware of that, Heather.

It’s a family joke.

[laughs]

Oh, funny.

[Veronica’s dad grunts]
Doggone it.

Will somebody please tell me
why I read these spy novels?

‘Cause you’re an idiot, dad.

Oh, yeah. That’s it.

[laughter]

You two.

So, girls,
any plans for tonight?

Yeah, big homecoming party
at Ram Sweeney’s house.

I’m catching a ride
with Heather.

Speaking of which.

Right.

Great pate, mom.

But we better motor if we want
to be ready for that party.

[gasps] Oops.

Clean that right now.

Do I look like the maid?

Veronica, your mom is hilarious.

I forbid you to go anywhere
with that girl.

Mom—

for anything.

What they all are,
but they will get me safely

through high school.

I’m not going to change,
I promise.

So, can I go?

Go.

What the hell goes on
at that school?

[giggles] I do not wanna know.

[upbeat music playing]

♪ So step into my candy store! ♪

♪ It’s my candy store
It’s my candy ♪

♪ It’s my candy store
It’s my candy ♪

♪ It’s my candy store ♪

♪ It’s my candy store! ♪

[cheering and applauding]

[bell jingles]

[car horn honking]

[Heather C] Veronica!

Don’t forget to buy corn nuts!

It’s not a party
without corn nuts!

Yes, Heather, plain or BQ?

[Heather C] BQ!

[crowd laughs]

Greetings and salutations.

You want a Slurpee with that?

No.

But if you’re nice,
I’ll let you buy me a Big Gulp.

That’s like going to Micky D’s
to order a salad.

Slurpee’s the signature dish
of the house.

Now, did you say cherry or lime?

No, I said Big Gulp.

I’m Veronica, by the way.

Veronica Sawyer.

You ever gonna tell me
your name?

I’ll end the suspense.

Jason Dean, JD for short.

So, JD.

That thing you pulled
at the caf’ was pretty severe.

The extreme always seems to make
an impression.

What brings a Baudelaire-quoting
badass like you

to Sherwood, Ohio?

My dad’s work.

He owns
a deconstruction company.

Deconstruction?

Yup, the old man seems to enjoy
tearing things down.

You seen the commercial?

«I’m Big Bud Dean.

If it’s in the way,
I’ll make your day.»

Yeah, then he pushes the plunger
and the screen blows up.

[giggles]

Oh, that’s your dad?

In all his toxic glory.

Well, everybody’s lives
got static.

[car horn honking]

[Heather C] Veronica!

Example,
I don’t really like my friends.

I don’t like your friends
either.

Hey, bag the party, hang here.

At the 7-Eleven?

Swanky first date.

Hey! I love this place.

No offense, but why?

♪ I’ve been through
Ten high schools ♪

♪ They start to get blurry ♪

♪ No point in planting roots
‘Cause you’re gone in a hurry ♪

♪ My dad keeps two suitcases
Packed in the den ♪

♪ So it’s only a matter
Of when ♪

♪ I don’t learn the names
Don’t bother with faces ♪

♪ All I can trust
Is this concrete oasis ♪

♪ Seems every time
I’m about to despair ♪

♪ There’s a 7-Eleven
Right there ♪

♪ Each store is the same
From Las Vegas to Boston ♪

♪ Linoleum aisles that I love
To get lost in ♪

♪ I pray at my altar of slush ♪

♪ Yeah, I live
For that sweet frozen rush ♪

[slurping noise]

[grunts]

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

♪ Suck on that straw
Get lost in the pain ♪

♪ Happiness comes
When everything numbs ♪

♪ Who needs cocaine? ♪

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

Care for a hit?

Does your mommy know
you eat all that crap?

Not anymore.

♪ When mom was alive
We lived halfway normal ♪

♪ But now it’s just me
And my dad, we’re less formal ♪

♪ I learned to cook pasta
I learned to pay rent ♪

♪ Learned the world
Doesn’t owe you a cent ♪

♪ You’re planning your future
Veronica Sawyer ♪

♪ You’ll go to some college
And marry a lawyer ♪

♪ But the sky’s gonna hurt
When it falls ♪

♪ So you better start
Building some walls ♪

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

♪ Swim in the ice
Get lost in the pain ♪

♪ Shut your eyes tight
Till you vanish from sight ♪

♪ Let nothing remain ♪

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

♪ Shatter your skull
Fight pain with more pain ♪

♪ Forget who you are
Unburden your load ♪

♪ Forget in six weeks
You’ll be back on the road ♪

♪ When the voice in your head
Says you’re better off dead♪

♪ Don’t open a vein! ♪

♪ Just freeze your brain ♪

♪ Freeze your brain ♪

♪ Go on and freeze your brain ♪

Try it.

[cheering and applauding]

[slurping noises]

[crowd laughs]

I really don’t see
what the big deal—

son of a bitch?

Veronica!

Uh, I have to go.

So I see.

Uh, sorry, Heather.

Don’t you have a Marcy concert
to get to?

Come on, Veronica!

[JD humming]

[grunting]

Okay, Ram. Have fun tonight,

but I expect you to act
your age.

The Hendersons’ have
the phone number for the cabin.

If they call to complain,
I’m going to drive back here

and knock the sand
out of your diaper.

Dude, what am I, five?

I’m your dad, not your dude.

That goes double for you, Kurt.

You’re a guest in Bill’s house

and you will treat it
with respect.

Sure thing…

dude!

[Ram] All right, Kurt.

Hold his arms.

No! No, no, no!

Not me!

Who’s going to prom
in a bright pink dress?

Me! Me! I’m a sissy.

I am a big fat sissy!

Darn right!

Enjoy your party, son!

Punch it in!

[girly screams]

[both laugh]

[Mr. Dean] Oh, boy! Oh!

Man, that sucked!

Who cares?

The parents are gone
and I got my party slippers on!

[both] All right!

[all vocalizing]

♪ Dad said, «Act your age» ♪

♪ You heard the man
It’s time to rage! ♪

[all] ♪ Blast the bass
Turn down the light ♪

♪ Ain’t nobody home tonight! ♪

[Ram]
♪ Drink, smoke, it’s all cool ♪

♪ Let’s get naked in my pool! ♪

[all] ♪ Punch the wall
And start a fight! ♪

♪ Ain’t nobody home tonight! ♪

♪ His folks got a waterbed ♪

♪ Come upstairs
And rest your head ♪

♪ Let’s rub each other’s backs ♪

♪ While watching porn
On Cinemax! ♪

[all] ♪ The folks are gone
It’s time for big fun! ♪

♪ Big fun! We’re up till dawn ♪

♪ Having some big fun!
Big fun! ♪

♪ When mom and dad forget
To lock the liquor cabinet ♪

♪ It’s big fun, big fun!
Big fun! ♪

♪ Whoa! ♪

So it’s salt,

then shot, then lime.

Very important
to get the order right.

Ah, you’re a natural,
just like my mom.

[crowd laughs]

looking good tonight.

♪ A hot guy smiled at me ♪

♪ Without a trace of mockery! ♪

[all] ♪ Brainiac
Please up all night ♪

♪ Veronica is home tonight! ♪

♪ Freaked, tweaked
Head’s a blur ♪

♪ How did I get so popular? ♪

[all] ♪ Don’t get close
You might ignite ♪

♪ Veronica is home tonight! ♪

♪ Dreams are coming true ♪

♪ When people laugh
But not at you! ♪

♪ I’m not alone!
I’m not afraid! ♪

♪ I feel like Bono
At Live Aid! ♪

[all] ♪ Ah! ♪

♪ The house is ours ♪

♪ It’s time for big fun!
Big fun! ♪

♪ Let’s use their showers
That sounds like big fun! ♪

♪ Big fun!
Crack open one more case! ♪

♪ I think that’s what they call
Third base ♪

[all] ♪ Big fun! Big fun!
Big fun! ♪

♪ I’m actually having big fun! ♪

[all] ♪ Big fun! Big fun!
Big fun! Whoa! ♪

Yo, Rottweilers!

What is Westerberg gonna do to
the Razorbacks at Sunday’s game?

♪ Gonna make you go whee!
Whee! Whee! Whee! ♪

[all] ♪ Ah! The party is
Hot, hot, hot! ♪

♪ It’s time for big fun!
Big fun! ♪

You need another shot.

[all] ♪ We’re having big fun! ♪

♪ [all] Big fun! ♪

♪ Martha Dumptruck
In the flesh ♪

♪ Here comes the Cootie Squad
We should— ♪

♪ Shut up, Heather! ♪

♪ Look who’s with her
Oh, my God! ♪

♪ Dang! Dang!
Diggety-dang-a-dang! ♪

♪ Dang-dang!
Diggety-dang-a-dang! ♪

I can’t believe
you actually came.

It’s exciting, right?

Excuse me,
I want to say hello to Ram.

I brought sparkling cider.

♪ Showing up here
Took some guts ♪

♪ Time to rip them out ♪

♪ Well, who’s this pig
Remind you of? ♪

♪ Especially the snout ♪

♪ Dang, dang!
Diggety-dang-a-dang! ♪

♪ Dang, dang!
Diggety-dang-a-dang! ♪

Hi, Ram. I wasn’t gonna come,

but since you took the trouble
to write that sweet note.

What note?

Why do you gotta be so weird
all the time?

People wouldn’t hate you so much
if you just acted normal.

There’s no alcohol in this!

Were you trying to poison me?

[all] ♪ Dang, dang!
Diggety-dang-a-dang! ♪

♪ Dang, dang
Diggety-dang-a-dang ♪

♪ Dang, dang
Diggety-dang-a-dang ♪

♪ Diggety-dang-a-dang ♪

♪ The folks are gone
It’s time for big fun ♪

♪ Big fun ♪

♪ We’re up till dawn
Having some big fun ♪

♪ Big fun ♪

♪ So let the speakers blow
They’ll buy another stereo ♪

♪ Our folks got no clue ♪

♪ ‘Bout half the shit
Their Children do ♪

♪ Why are they surprised
Whenever we’re unsupervised? ♪

♪ It’s big fun ♪

♪ Big fun ♪

♪ Big fun ♪

Whoa!

[cheers and applause]

Okay, Westerburgers.

It’s time to celebrate
our upcoming victory

over the Razorbacks
by whacking apart their mascot.

[all cheering]

We need a volunteer to take
the first swing at the piñata.

[crowd chatters]

Martha Dunnstock.

I think you should do
the honors.

I don’t really know this game.

Well, let’s show this girl
some Westerburg spirit!

Wohoo!

Martha!

[all] Martha! Martha! Martha!
Martha! Martha! Martha! Martha!

Martha! Martha! Martha! Martha!

Bring out the piñata!

Whoa!

[all cheering]

Give it to me.

[indistinct] gotta get them all.

You want it, swim for it.

[suspenseful music playing]

What’s going on?

But—

Well, we gave it a shot, huh?

I’m resigning my commission
from the lip gloss Gestapo.

I’m going back to civilian life.

No!

I’m not feeling well!

Come Monday,
you’re an ex-somebody!

Not even the losers
will touch you now!

Transfer to Washington,
transfer to Jefferson.

No one at Westerburg’s
gonna let you play

their reindeer games!

[pukes]

[crowd laughs]

I raised you up from nothing!

And what’s my thanks?

I get paid in puke!

Lick it up, baby.

Lick… it… up.

[cheering and applauding]

I know who
I’m eating lunch with on Monday.

Do you?

Okay, party people!

Where’s the goddamn keg?

[cheering]

[upbeat music playing]

[dramatic music playing]

♪ The demon queen
Of high school has decreed it ♪

♪ She says Monday, 8:00 a.m.
I’ll be deleted ♪

♪ They’ll hunt me down
In study hall ♪

♪ Stuff and mount me
On the wall, 30 hours to live ♪

♪ How shall I spend them? ♪

♪ I don’t have to stay
And die like cattle ♪

♪ I could change my name
And ride up to Seattle ♪

♪ But I don’t own a motorbike ♪

Wait.

♪ Here’s an option that I like ♪

♪ Spend these 30 hours ♪

♪ Gettin’ freaky ♪

♪ Yeah, I need it hard ♪

♪ I’m a dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ I’m in your yard
I’m a dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ Before they punch my clock ♪

♪ I’m snappin’ off
Your window lock ♪

♪ Got no time to knock ♪

♪ I’m a dead girl walking ♪

Veronica?
What are you doing in my room?

Shh.

♪ I had to see you
I hope I didn’t wake you ♪

♪ See, I decided
I must ride you ♪

♪ Till I break you ♪

♪ ‘Cause Heather says
I got to go ♪

♪ You’re my last meal
On death row ♪

♪ Shut your mouth ♪

♪ And lose them tighty-whities ♪

♪ Come on! ♪

♪ Tonight I’m yours! ♪

♪ I’m your dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ Get on all fours
Kiss this dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ Let’s go, you know the drill ♪

♪ I’m hot and pissed
And on the pill ♪

♪ Bow down to the will
Of a dead girl walking ♪

♪ And you know
You know, you know ♪

♪ It’s ’cause you’re beautiful ♪

♪ You say you’re numb inside
But I can’t agree ♪

♪ So the world’s unfair ♪

♪ Keep it locked out there ♪

♪ In here it’s beautiful ♪

♪ Let’s make this beautiful ♪

That works for me.

[cheering and applauding]

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Full steam ahead ♪

♪ Take this dead girl walkin’ ♪

How’d you find my address?

♪ Rock this dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ I think you tore
My mattress ♪

♪ No sleep tonight for you ♪

♪ Better chug
That Mountain Dew ♪

♪ Okay, okay! ♪

♪ Make this whole town
Disappear ♪

♪ Okay, okay ♪

♪ Touch me there
And there and there ♪

♪ And no more talkin’ ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Love this dead girl walkin’ ♪

♪ Oh, oh, hey, hey, yeah, yeah,
Love this dead girl ♪

♪ Oh, hey, hey, wait, wait ♪

♪ Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! ♪

Ow!

[cheers and applause]

Hello, slut!

How did you get in here?

I’m like oxygen.

I’m everywhere.

I mean, seriously, Veronica?

You slept with that?

I will crucify you on Monday.

Everyone’s gonna know
the good, little Veronica Sawyer

is nothing but a dirty whore!

Why are you so determined
to hurt me?

[laughing]

Because I can!

It’ll be so very!

[all] ♪ Very, very, very ♪

♪ Very, very, very, very, very ♪

[Veronica screams]

Are you okay?
You’re soaking wet.

It was just a dream.

What’s the rush?

I have to get
to Heather’s house.

Why? You said you were done
with Heather?

[Veronica] Yeah.
Well, that was a sweet fantasy,

a world without Heather.

A world where everybody’s free.

Now, it’s morning and I got
to go kiss her aerobicized ass.

Oh, yeah?

Well, why don’t you let me
come with?

Really?

You know… for back up.

[chuckles]

Okay, then.

By the way…

you were my first.

[dramatic music playing]

Heather?!

Maybe she’s not here.

She skips the Sunday
morning trip to grandma’s

even when she’s not hangover.

Heather?!

Heather?!

What?!

It’s Veronica!

I’m here to apologize!

Hope you brought
kneepads, bitch!

Fix me a Prairie Oyster
and I’ll think about it.

[eggshell cracks]

Don’t forget the worcestershire.

Oh.
You know your hangover cures.

My dad thought me
all kinds of stuff.

[chuckles]

Hey.

Here’s my revenge.

I’m going to drop a phlegm
globber in her Prairie Oyster.

[chuckles]
She’ll never know.

[makes sound]

I’m more of a no-rust-buildup
man myself.

Oh, don’t be a dick.
That stuff would kill her.

Thus, ending her hangover.

I say, we go with big blue.

Hey, what are you doing?
You can’t just…

Besides, she would never drink
anything that looks like that.

Well, ceramic mug, dim light,

she won’t know
what she’s drinking.

[Veronica] Forget it.

Oh…

chicken.

Bawk, bawk,
bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk.

You’re not funny.

All right. I’m sorry.

[Heather C] Prairie Oyster!
Chop, chop!

[JD] Veronica, you, uh…

I what?

Good luck.

Good morning, Heather.

Ahh,

Veronica…

and Jesse James.

[speaks French]
Quelle surprise.

Let’s get to it.

Beg.

We both said things
we didn’t mean last night.

I actually prefer
if you did this on your knees

in front of your boy toy.

Okay. Look, I am really sorry.

Down.

Nice.

But you’re still dead to me.

[suspenseful music playing]

Corn…

nuts.

[speaks French]
Quelle surprise…

Well, don’t just stand there.
Call 911!

[JD] A little late for that.

Heather. Heather. Oh.

Oh, my—oh, my God,
I just killed my best friend!

Oh, and your worst enemy so…

The police are gonna think
I did this on purpose.

They’re gonna have to send
my SAT scores to San Quentin.

Unless, look,
she was reading The Bell Jar.

-Oh, no.
-Oh, yes.

You can fake her handwriting.

It will make her sound deep,
like this…

♪ I had pain in my path
Like Silvia Plath ♪

♪ My problems were myriad ♪

♪ I was having my period ♪

[laughs]

Oh, my God.

You could go to jail.
Get your head straight now.

Heather would never use
the word myriad.

She missed it in her vocab quiz.

So, it’s a badge
for her failures at school.

Work with me.

Okay.

What is her final statement
to a cold, uncaring planet?

♪ Dear World
Believe it or not ♪

♪ I knew about fear ♪

♪ I knew the way
Loneliness stung ♪

♪ I hid behind smiles
And crazy hot clothes ♪

♪ I learned to kiss boys
With my tongue ♪

That’s good.

♪ But, oh ♪

♪ The world, it held me down♪

♪ It weighed like a concrete
Prom queen crown ♪

♪ No one thinks
A pretty girl has feelings ♪

♪ No one gets her insecurity ♪

♪ I am more than shoulder pads
And makeup ♪

♪ No one sees ♪

♪ The me inside of me ♪

Jesus, you’re making me sound
like Air Supply.

Hey, keep going.

This has to be good enough
to fool the cops.

Is it murder?

No, look.
There’s a suicide note.

[all] ♪ They couldn’t see past ♪

♪ My rock star mystique ♪

♪ They wouldn’t dare
Look in my eyes ♪

♪ But just underneath
Was a terrified girl ♪

♪ Who clings to her pillow
And cries ♪

♪ My looks were just like
Prison bars ♪

♪ They’ve left me
A myriad of scars ♪

Myriad. Nice.

[all] ♪ No one thinks
A pretty girl has substance ♪

♪ That’s the curse
Of popularity ♪

[backup singers]
♪ Popularity ♪

♪ I am more than just
A source of hand jobs ♪

[all] ♪ No one sees
The me inside of me ♪

[Coach Ripper]
Yeah, I’m telling you,

Principal Gowan.

Heather Chandler is not
your everyday suicide.

You should cancel classes.

I send the kids home
before lunch

and the switchboard will
light up like a Christmas tree.

Our children are dying.

What the school needs is a good
old-fashion rap session.

I suggest we get everyone
into the cafeteria

and just talk and feel together.

Thank you, Ms. Fleming.

Call me when the shuttle lands.

[laughter]

Go ahead, laugh at the hippie.

But we all misjudged
Heather Chandler.

Myself included.

I mean, have you read
this suicide note,

really read it?

♪ Box up my clothing
For Goodwill ♪

♪ Let’s give the poor
A helping hand ♪

♪ Donate my necklaces
And rings ♪

♪ To starving children
Needing set ♪

♪ Send them my hats and my CDs ♪

♪ My pumps
My flats, my three TVs! ♪

[all] ♪ No one thinks
A pretty girl has feelings ♪

♪ But I weep for all ♪

♪ I failed to be
I failed to be ♪

♪ Maybe I can help the world
By leaving ♪

♪ Maybe that’s the me ♪

♪ Inside of me ♪

Ugh, hell.

Long weekend for everybody!

[cheering]

While they’re refueling
the buses,

which gives us
a solid half hour of healing.

I want you all to study
this suicide note,

so you can really
feel Heather’s anguish.

♪ Her world seem
Like a perfect place ♪

[Ms. Fleming] Go on.

♪ Had no effects ♪

♪ That’s why she punched me
In the face ♪

[Ms. Fleming] Heal!

♪ Desperate to connect ♪

[Veronica] [makes sound]

Veronica,
something on your mind?

I’m sorry. It’s just
this classroom discussion

is stirring up emotions
I haven’t felt

since hands across America.

My God.

♪ Look what we’ve done
We’re breaking through ♪

♪ Heather would be
So proud of you! ♪

[All] ♪ And you! And you!
And you! And you! ♪

♪ No one thinks
A pretty girl can touch you ♪

Heather touching me…

[All] ♪ But she’s made us
Better than we were ♪

♪ Heather’s dead ♪

♪ But she will live inside me ♪

♪ And I’ll be the me
Inside of her ♪

Holy crap!

This is awesome!

[All] ♪ Heather cried, our sins
Fell on her shoulders! ♪

Jesus Christ!

♪ So we could all be free! ♪

I’m bigger than John Lennon!

[All] ♪ Heather’s gone
But she will live forever! ♪

♪ She’s the dove
That sings outside my window ♪

♪ She’s the twin
From whom I’m separated ♪

♪ She’s the horse
I never got for Christmas ♪

[All] ♪ Heather sees the me ♪

♪ Inside of me ♪

♪ Heather is the me ♪

♪ Inside of me ♪

♪ Inside of… ♪

♪ Me! ♪

[cheers and applause]

As anyone who saw
the Breakfast Club can tell you,

all teenagers
are essentially the same.

Heather was not alone
in feeling alone.

We have to identify the other
ticking bombs out there.

Identify and…

heal them.

But I gave Heather
a C-minus last week.

And now, I lie awake
at night wondering…

God, turn it off.

…if not, was what
pushed her over the edge?

[Veronica] Ugh, what crap.

Shows like this
make suicide look cool.

Hey, kids,
make your teacher cry,

get the respect
you didn’t get in life.

It’s gross.

Do you think Heather’s mother
keeps everything

in her room the same,
like, she’s alive.

Well, rugs gonna need
to get cleaning.

[laughter]

Why?

Well, I feel bad.

Heather was a human-being
and we killed her.

You feel bad, too, right?

Of course.

Hey, you wanna get some ice
cream? Let’s go hit Dairy Queen.

What’s wrong?

We need to leave now.

[Mr. Dean] Jason, are you here?!

That’s my dad.

Not a good idea.

It’s show time.

Veronica, this is my dad,
Big Bud Dean—

Get rid of her. Some friends
of ours need a hotel broke down.

Now, run over to Sears,

get 80 pounds of fertilizer

and some diesel fuel.

Uh, use the Nevada ID.

I’m going for ice cream,
with my girlfriend.

[scoffs]

You know how I blew up one of
these shit box suburban houses?

Packed the top floor
with thermals,

set it all off with a Norwegian
in the boiler room.

Where is your house, sweetheart?

Right.

Well, I should go.

My mom is cooking dinner.

Spaghetti with lots of oregano.

Nice.

Last time I saw my mom,
she was waving at me

out the window
of a library in Texas.

Right, dad?

Right, son.

Okay. Well, see you tomorrow.

Dear, Diary.

JD’s dad will not be speaking
at our wedding.

[phone ringing]

Hello?

Veronica?
It’s Heather Mc.

I need help.
I’m out at Layman’s Farm.

What’s wrong?

Just hurry, please.
It’s an emergency.

Is she coming?

She said she was,
but I kind of feel bad

for dragging
her all the way out here.

Nobody cares
about your feelings.

Oh, this mud
is gonna ruin my shoes.

Hmm, I’m not sure it’s mud.

Shit!

[Veronica] What are you two
doing in the middle

of a cow pasture?

We’re stranded.

We were headed
to the cemetery to pour

a jug of Thunderbird
on Heather’s grave.

You know, from her homies.

But Kurt and Ram saw cows
and stopped the car.

Why? There’s nothing
out here, but cows.

[Kurt] Get ready to push!
Put your back into it!

[Ram] At the count of three!

Cow tipping.

One, two, three.

[cow mooing]

[cow thuds]

So immature.

Come on.
I’ll drive you guys home.

Oh, that’s not
why we called you. [chuckles]

We made a deal with the guys.

A deal?

What kind of a deal?

If we got you to show up here,

Kurt promised
to give us his keys,

so Heather and I could go home.

Show up for…

what exactly?

Come on.

I’ve seen you looking at Kurt.

[chuckles] What?

You think he’s cute, right?

And Ram also very cute?

[Kurt] The cows
are down for the cows.

[Ram] And the chicks
are up for grabs.

-[Kurt] Yow!
-Veronica’s here,

so we’re leaving.
Car keys now.

[Kurt] All right.

Don’t do anything
we wouldn’t do.

[Ram] Bye.

[Kurt] Oh, look, more keys.

Give me my keys.
No. Stop screwing around.

I have to get home.

Not when you’re dressed
like that.

Dressed like what?
This is what I always wear.

I know. And it’s torture.

How do you expect us to control
ourselves when you look so hot?

♪ Dear Diary
Here we are in the dark ♪

♪ Fifty yards from my car
I could climb that tree ♪

♪ I never get that far ♪

♪ They’re a hundred pounds
Heavier ♪

♪ They have my keys
I’m a rat in a trap ♪

♪ Correction, I’m the cheese ♪

♪ Hey there, girl
Ignore this fool ♪

♪ He tries to play cool
While he’s dribbling drool ♪

♪ Just trying to say
In our friendly way ♪

♪ That you’ve gotten hotter
Like every day ♪

Ha!

♪ Avoid this punk ♪

♪ He’s hungry for a hunk
Of the junk in your trunk ♪

♪ There is no lie
That dog won’t try ♪

♪ When a tasty treat
Like you walks by ♪

[both] ♪ ‘Cause once
You were geeky and nerdy ♪

♪ Now, you’re flirty
Freaky, and dirty ♪

♪ You were nothing and nobody ♪

[both] ♪ But now you’re good
Enough to get with me ♪

♪ Huh, you’re welcome ♪

♪ Look where you are ♪

♪ You’re welcome
You’ve won the football star ♪

♪ You’re welcome ♪

♪ Baby, what’s that smell? ♪

♪ That’s the smell of me
Loving you well ♪

[both] ♪ You’re welcome ♪

[mimics beatboxing]

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ This is not a bad dream ♪

♪ In a cow pasture
No one can hear you scream ♪

♪ Never break their stare ♪

♪ Stay awake, stay aware ♪

♪ You’re not in real danger
‘Till they grab your hair ♪

♪ Come back, girl ♪

♪ Now, don’t play hurt ♪

♪ If you don’t want me staring
Why you’re wearing that skirt? ♪

♪ We can’t be tamed
And we can’t be blamed ♪

♪ It’s all your fault
That we’re inflamed ♪

[both] ♪ Because once
You were grody and grotty ♪

♪ Now, you got a body
Like a Maserati ♪

[both] ♪ Stroke my fur
Make me purr ♪

♪ Hey, you wanted
To be popular! ♪

Hit me!

[both] ♪ You’re welcome
Look where you are ♪

♪ You’re welcome ♪

♪ Come get your football star ♪

♪ You’re welcome
Come and join the pros ♪

♪ Because once we squeeze you
You’ll stay squoze ♪

♪ You’re welcome in my lap
Welcome on my knee ♪

♪ Well, come on and get grabby
In the grass with me ♪

♪ I got one last chance
To save my ass ♪

♪ What was that move
From my self-defense class? ♪

♪ I’ll steal your heart
Like a thief ♪

♪ Bring you sweet relief ♪

[both] ♪ Call me Wendy
‘Cause you’ll never wonder ♪

♪ «Where is the beef?» ♪

♪ They’re a powder keg
So don’t yell or beg ♪

♪ Stay friendly, then gently
Accidentally sweep the leg ♪

Whoa, what the hell?

Oh, gross.

♪ You’re welcome ♪

Back up fool, you reek.

♪ You’re welcome ♪

Well, you smell
like a sewage leak.

♪ You’re welcome ♪

♪ I’m pretty sure
This ain’t mud! ♪

♪ It’s cow manure! ♪

[Veronica] ♪ You’re welcome ♪

[Veronica] ♪ You’re welcome ♪

Oh, God, it’s in my head.

♪ You’re welcome ♪

♪ Now, let’s not dwell
I’mma smell ♪

[both] ♪ You can tell
I can still be loving you well ♪

Swell!

See you in hell!

♪ No, I’ll be, I’ll be, I’ll be
I’ll be loving ♪

♪ Loving, loving, loving
Loving you well ♪

[all] ♪ You’re welcome
You’re welcome ♪

♪ You’re welcome ♪

[cheers and applause]

[jazz music playing]

Dear Diary,

that was a close call.

My so-called friends
avoided date rape

by volunteering me
for date rape.

That sort of assholery never
happened when I was in charge.

Oh… you.

I kept Ram and Kurt
on a tight leash.

Look, I’m sorry you’re dead now,
but let’s not rewrite history.

You were a thug.

Maybe.

But I made the trains
run on time,

everyone knew their place,

the year book got done properly,

the prom
was consistently awesome,

and the spirit float always
won a goddamn blue ribbon.

Once you’ve scarfed down
a hot ball of chaos,

you’ll look back on my regime
as look at old days.

What are those
two pillowcases doing?

[Veronica] It looks like they’re
clearing out your locker.

Hey, that’s Heather’s scrunchie.

Heather Chandler is gone.

It’s up to me to take her place.

[laughs]

Is that a joke?

It is most definitely a joke.

Why would you say that, Heather?

[Heather C] See? Chaos.

Heather was our friend.

We can’t just swap her
out like a light bulb.

It’s because I’m not a
cheerleader like you, isn’t it?

You think you’re better than me.

What?

No. [laughs]

Shut up, Heather.

No, Heather! You shut up!

[upbeat music playing]

♪ I have a new favorite color ♪

♪ Heather choked
Bought the farm ♪

♪ She could not hack it ♪

♪ Now, we need a strong arm
To run this racket ♪

♪ Heather’s out
Who will rise? ♪

♪ Gotta fill that vacuum ♪

♪ It’s my turn, it’s my prize ♪

♪ I spit lightning
Crack, boom! ♪

♪ I bit my tongue so long ♪

♪ I learned to count to ten ♪

♪ My silence may be strong ♪

♪ I did my time and then ♪

♪ A house dropped on her head ♪

[all] ♪ The witch is dead
Ding dong! ♪

♪ Move, bitch, it’s my song ♪

[all] ♪ I will never
Shut up again ♪

♪ I will never shut up again ♪

♪ Brand new day
Watching dreams come true ♪

♪ Well for me, not you ♪

[all] ♪ ‘Cause I’ll never
Shut up again ♪

♪ Girls like me
Don’t climb high ♪

♪ Can’t crack that ceiling ♪

♪ But now I scrape the sky
It’s you who’s kneeling ♪

♪ Heather’s pet
You’re old news ♪

♪ Look at you, you’re busted ♪

♪ You think
You’ll fill her shoes ♪

♪ Too late, I just did ♪

[all] ♪ Now, I don’t need
To brag ♪

♪ Once I was one of you ♪

♪ But now I am the flag ♪

♪ You pledge allegiance to ♪

♪ I am the dream you chase ♪

♪ I’m your amazing grace ♪

♪ Yo, party’s at my place ♪

[all] ♪ I will never
Shut up again ♪

♪ I will never shut up again ♪

♪ Brand new day
Now we’re finally free ♪

♪ Free to worship me ♪

[all] ♪ ‘Cause
I’ll never shut up— ♪

♪ Shut up, don’t judge me
Little Ms. Innocence ♪

♪ Your hands ain’t clean
I see your fingerprints ♪

♪ You act so uptight
So virgin white ♪

♪ But I heard from the boys ♪

♪ What you are up
To last night ♪

♪ Veronica is my wet dream ♪

♪ Veronica likes to scream ♪

♪ Veronica took one
For the team ♪

♪ She took two for the team ♪

What?!

♪ That girl was big fun ♪

[all] ♪ Big fun ♪

[both] ♪ We smoked her crack♪

♪ That crack was big fun ♪

♪ And that’s when things
Went South ♪

♪ We had a swordfight
In her mouth ♪

[all] ♪ Whoa! Dang diggity
Dang-a-dang freak! ♪

♪ Dang diggity dang-a-dang
Slut! ♪

♪ Dang diggity dang-a-dang
Swordfight in her mouth, ha! ♪

♪ I will never shut up again ♪

♪ Swordfight in her mouth ♪

♪ Swordfight in her mouth ♪

♪ I’m on fire
And you’re my fuel ♪

♪ You should find a new school ♪

[all ] ♪ ‘Cause I’ll never
Shut up again ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, oh, oh ♪

[all] ♪ Never shut up again ♪

♪ Never shut up again ♪

♪ All hail the queen
I’ll wear the red ♪

♪ The scrunchie’s on my head ♪

♪ You can’t run
You can’t hide ♪

♪ I am a crimson tide ♪

♪ You better mind what you do ♪

♪ Big sister’s watching you ♪

♪ Can I get an amen? ♪

♪ Because I will never
Shut up again ♪

[all] Hah!

[indistinct chattering]

[JD] Veronica? What’s wrong?

What happened?

Oh, she cried
just like that last night,

when she saw how big I was.

[indistinct chattering]

[whistle blowing]

Back to class!
All of you, back to class!

Are you okay?

[groans] Sort of.

What about you?

No, I’m fine.

Listen…

sorry about the waterworks.

♪ They made you cry ♪

♪ But that will end tonight ♪

♪ You are the only thing ♪

♪ That’s right
About this broken world ♪

♪ Go on and cry ♪

♪ But when the morning comes ♪

♪ We’ll burn it down ♪

♪ And then, we’ll build
The world again ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

Are you okay?

♪ I was alone ♪

♪ I was a frozen lake ♪

♪ But then you melted me awake ♪

♪ See, now I’m crying, too ♪

♪ You’re not alone ♪

♪ You’re not alone ♪

♪ And when the morning comes ♪

♪ When the morning comes ♪

♪ We’ll burn away that tear ♪

♪ And raise our city here ♪

♪ Raise our city here ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

[phone ringing]

Hello!

Kurt?

Veronica?

I’m sorry about the other night.

I just couldn’t decide
which of you two hot gentleman

I wanted to be with.

And then,
I realized why decide at all?

Wait, what?

Meet me at the cemetery
at midnight.

Who?

Me or Ram?

Yes.

What does she want?

Us.

Hell, yeah, punch it in.

♪ We can start and finish wars ♪

♪ We’re what killed
The dinosaurs ♪

♪ We’re the asteroid
That’s overdue ♪

♪ The dinosaurs choked
On the dust ♪

♪ They died
Because God said they must ♪

♪ The new world needed room
For me and you ♪

♪ I worship you ♪

♪ I’d trade my life for yours ♪

♪ They all will disappear ♪

♪ We’ll plant our garden here ♪

♪ Plant our garden here ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

Whoa!

Are those real?

Yeah, but we’re filling it
with Ich Lüge bullets.

Ich Lüge?

My granddad scored them
in World War II.

They contain
a powerful tranquilizer.

The Nazis used them
to fake their own suicides

when the Russians
invaded Berlin.

We’ll use them to knock out
Ram and Kurt

long enough to make it look like
a suicide pact

complete with
a forged suicide note.

[both] «Ram and I died

because we had to hide
our gay forbidden love

from a disapproving world.»

[cheers and applause]

[JD]
♪ And when the morning comes ♪

♪ They’ll both be
Laughing stocks ♪

[both] ♪ So, let’s go hunt
Some jocks! ♪

[dramatic music playing]

Hi, Veronica.

So, do we just like
whip it out or what?

Take it slow, Ram.

Strip for me.

Oh, okay. Okay.

[audience wooing]

[indistinct chatter]

[Kurt] I got it.

You know, I like the tie.

Put the tie on.

[audience laughing]

My mom bought it for me.

[audience laughing]

What about you?

Oh, I was hoping you’d rip
my clothes off me, sport.

[gasps]

[audience wooing]

[both] Dude! Matching. Woo-hoo!

Nice.

Count of three.

One, two…

Three!

[Kurt] Holy crap!

[JD] Don’t move.
I’ll get him back!

Ram? You’re just unconscious,
right, Ram?

Ram.

[Kurt]
Look. Look, I was only joking

about calling your girlfriend
a whore!

Get off the damn fence!

I don’t understand!

♪ We can start and finish wars ♪

♪ We’re what killed
The dinosaurs ♪

♪ We’re the asteroid
That’s overdue ♪

Stop being a dick!

♪ The dinosaurs will turn
To dust ♪

What does that mean?

♪ They’ll die because
We say they must ♪

[gunshot]

No, no, no. Wait.

What the fuck have you done?

♪ I worship you ♪

♪ I’d trade my life for yours ♪

♪ We’ll make them disappear ♪

♪ We’ll plant our garden here ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God! ♪

♪ Our love is God! ♪

♪ Our love is God! ♪

[cheers and applause]

[indistinct chatter]

[dramatic music playing]

[cheers and applause]

[dramatic music playing]

♪ Dear Diary ♪

♪ I’m going steady ♪

♪ Mostly he’s awesome ♪

♪ If a bit too rock and roll ♪

♪ Lately he’s bumped off
Three of my classmates ♪

♪ God have mercy on my soul ♪

♪ They were just 17 ♪

♪ They still had room to grow ♪

♪ They could’ve
Turned out good ♪

♪ But now we’ll never know ♪

[JD] There’s been
a distinct lack of girls

climbing through
my bedroom window lately.

Take the hint.

Okay. You’re mad, I get it.

No, I don’t think you do.

Ich Lüge bullets?
You lied to me.

Come on. You lied to yourself.
You wanted them dead, too.

I did not.

Did not.

Did not.

Yes.

Can they make you cry now?

No, but you can.

Just wait ’till you see the good
that comes of this.

What good could possibly
come of this?

Call me an optimist.

[audience laughing]

[dramatic music playing]

Dear Diary,

my teenage angst bullshit
has a body count.

[audience laughing]

I don’t really know what
I’m supposed to say up here.

I’m ashamed, certainly.

My family has turned our town
into a laughing stock.

My boy Kurt wasn’t who
I thought he was.

When I think of the sick,

disgusting things Kurt and Ram
were doing—

You wait just a minute, Paul!

It is ignorant,
hateful talk like yours

that makes this world a place
our boys could not live in!

♪ They were not dirty ♪

♪ They were not wrong! ♪

♪ They were two lonely verses ♪

♪ In the Lord’s great song ♪

Our boys were pansies, Bill!

Yes!

♪ My boy’s a homosexual ♪

♪ And that don’t scare me none ♪

♪ I want the world to know ♪

♪ I love my dead gay son! ♪

[cheers and applause]

♪ And praying
And reading some magazines ♪

♪ And it’s time
We open our eyes ♪

♪ Well, the good Lord
Made gay penguins ♪

♪ And the noble chimpanzees ♪

♪ I’ve seen gay lions show
Their pride in documentaries ♪

♪ If nature gets her orders
Handed down from God above ♪

♪ Then animal or human ♪

♪ You can’t help
On who you love ♪

[all] ♪ Love ♪

♪ They were not dirty! ♪

[choir] ♪ No, oh ♪

♪ They were not fruits! ♪

♪ They were just two stray laces
In the Lord’s big boots ♪

♪ Well, I never cared for homos
Much until I reared me one ♪

[all] ♪ But now
I’ve learned to love ♪

♪ I love my dead gay son! ♪

[all] ♪ He loves his son
He loves his son ♪

♪ His dead gay son! ♪

♪ Now, I say
My boy’s in heaven ♪

♪ And he’s tanning
By the pool! ♪

♪ The cherubim walk with him
And him ♪

♪ And Jesus says «It’s cool!» ♪

♪ They don’t have crime
Or hatred ♪

♪ There’s no bigotry
Or cursing ♪

♪ Just friendly fellows
Dressed up ♪

♪ Like their favorite
Village person! ♪

♪ They were not dirty! ♪

♪ They just had flair! ♪

♪ They were two bright
Red ribbons ♪

♪ In the Lord’s long hair! ♪

♪ Now, I used to see a homo
And go reaching for my gun ♪

[all]
♪ But now I’ve learned to love ♪

♪ And furthermore! ♪

♪ These boys walked
Hand-in-hand ♪

♪ These boys
They took a stand! ♪

♪ They could not wait
One second longer to be free ♪

♪ They test out their disguise
No shame, no compromise! ♪

♪ Paul, I can’t believe that you
still refuse to get a clue ♪

♪ After all that
We’ve been through ♪

♪ I’m talking you and me! ♪

[all gasps]

[audience laughing]

In the summer of ’83.

[all gasps]

[audience laughing]

That…

was one hell of a fishing trip.

[dramatic music playing]

[all] ♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa! ♪

♪ They were not dirty, whoa!
And not perverse no, no! ♪

♪ They were just
Shiny rhinestones ♪

♪ On the Lord’s big purse! ♪

[both]
♪ Our job is now continuing ♪

♪ The work that they began! ♪

[all] ♪ ‘Cause now we love
Love, love ♪

♪ We love your dead ♪

[both] ♪ They’re up there
Disco dancing ♪

♪ To the thump of angel wings ♪

[both] ♪ They grab a mate
And roller skate ♪

♪ While Judy Garland sings! ♪

[both] ♪ They live
A playful afterlife ♪

♪ That’s fancy, free
And reckless! ♪

♪ They swing up
On the pearly gates ♪

[all]
♪ And wear a pearly necklace! ♪

Woo!

[both] ♪ They were not dirty! ♪

♪ They were good men ♪

♪ And now
They’re happy bear cubs ♪

♪ In the Lord’s big den! ♪

[audience wooing]

[both] ♪ Go forth
And love each other now ♪

♪ Like our boys
Would have done ♪

♪ We’ll teach the world
To love ♪

[all] ♪ The world to love ♪

♪ The world to love ♪

[both]
♪ I love my dead gay son! ♪

[all] ♪ Not half bad
Your dead gay son! ♪

♪ Wish I had
Your dead gay son! ♪

♪ Thank you, Dad
For your dead gay son! ♪

[cheers and applause]

[upbeat music playing]

[audience laughing]

Woo.

Hmm. What is that
I smell in the air?

[audience laughing]

Is that— is that tolerance?

Inclusion?

Love?

How often can you say
it’s a good day

to live in Sherwood, Ohio?

You’re welcome, town!

You don’t have to be so smug
about it.

Well, your love keeps me humble.

So…

who’s next?

[audience laughing]

Heather Duke?

Well, she started that rumor
about you.

We can underline
some meaningful passages

in her copy of Moby Dick,
if you know what I mean.

No!

[whimpering]

Three people are dead.
This ends right here.

Or what?

Well, any war has casualties.

Doesn’t mean
it’s not worth fighting.

What? You wanna get a free pass
to the cannibals?

To the assholes who make
this world so unbearable

you can’t stand to go on living.

JD, I—

how did your mother die?

You really wanna know?

I do.

He says it was an accident.

But she knew what she was doing.
I was nine.

My dad got hired to blow up
this condemned library in Texas.

Norwegian in the boiler room,
the usual.

This day,

this day my mom drives out
to the demolition site

with me in the backseat.

She gets out of the car,
and walks in to the building

two minutes before my dad
blows it up.

She waves at me
from the window,

and then…

kaboom.

She left me.

I am really sorry.

It’s okay.

The pain gives me clarity.

You know, you and I are special
and we have a lot of work to do.

No. What work?

Making the world a decent place
for people who are decent.

When does it end?

When every asshole is dead!

♪ Fine, we’re damaged ♪

♪ Really damaged ♪

♪ But that does not
Make us wise ♪

♪ We’re not special
We’re not different ♪

♪ We don’t choose
Who lives or dies ♪

♪ Let’s be normal ♪

♪ See bad movies ♪

♪ Sneak a beer and watch TV ♪

♪ We’ll bake brownies
Or go bowling ♪

♪ Don’t you want
A life with me? ♪

♪ Can’t we be 17? ♪

♪ That’s all I want to do ♪

♪ If you could let me in ♪

♪ I could be good with you ♪

♪ People will hurt us ♪

♪ Or they vanish ♪

♪ And you’re right
That really blows ♪

♪ But we let go ♪

♪ Take a deep breath ♪

♪ And go buy
Some summer clothes ♪

♪ We’ll go camping ♪

♪ Play some poker ♪

♪ And we’ll eat
Some chili fries ♪

♪ Maybe prom night? ♪

♪ Maybe dancing? ♪

♪ Don’t stop looking
In my eyes ♪

♪ Your eyes ♪

[both] ♪ Can’t we be 17? ♪

♪ Is that so hard to do? ♪

♪ If you could let me in ♪

♪ I could be good with you ♪

♪ Let us be 17 ♪

♪ If we’ve still got the right ♪

♪ So, what’s it gonna be? ♪

♪ I wanna be with you ♪

♪ I wanna be with you ♪

[both] ♪ Tonight ♪

[cheers and applause]

♪ Yeah, we’re damaged ♪

♪ Badly damaged ♪

[both] ♪ But your love’s
Too good to lose ♪

♪ Hold me tighter ♪

♪ Even closer ♪

♪ I’ll stay
If I’m what you choose ♪

♪ Can’t we be 17? ♪

♪ If I am what you choose ♪

♪ If we’ve still got the right ♪

♪ ‘Cause you’re the one
I choose ♪

♪ You’re the one I choose ♪

[both] ♪ You’re the one ♪

♪ I choose ♪

[cheers and applause]

And they lived
happily ever after.

You really believe all that?

You think it all just
goes back to normal?

Oh, don’t give me
that wounded look.

You know exactly what he is,
and you love it!

Just stop talking.

Only a true dead best friend
will give it to you straight.

Veronica, the special assembly
starts in 10 minutes.

Why aren’t you back stage?

I’m sorry.

We are saving lives here.

I wouldn’t trust her
to save coupons.

Come on, kids.
Pedal to the metal.

Show a little hustle.

Where’s the banner?

Denise!

Tell the news crews
they can set up the cameras,

there, there, and there.

Okay. Let’s review
your hand choreography.

Precision is key.

I’m kinda looking forward
to being on TV.

Did you have a brain tumor
for breakfast?

No, I had oatmeal.

Veronica,
can I talk to you in private?

Something doesn’t add up.

I think Ram and Kurt
were murdered.

Well, fuck me gently
with a chainsaw!

[cheers and applause]

Nancy Drew is onto you,
Veronica.

Why would you say that?

They found a suicide note!

I mean, you forged stuff
all the time, right?

I’m in love with this fat girl.

Who would wanna kill
Ram and Kurt?

I’m thinking your friend, JD.

Remember the way he went
after them in the lunchroom.

Right, right.
That’s like motive and shit.

Veronica’s going to lady prison.

I wanna look in JD’s locker.

I thought, maybe, you could
get me the combination.

I bet there’s all kinds
of interesting things

in that locker.

Maybe some Ich Lüge bullets.

Martha,
this is a pretty wild theory.

I don’t care what they said
at the funeral.

Ram was not gay.

Shut up, Kurt.

On the kickball field.

Oh, gross, I remember that.

My heart knows the truth.

You should totally get up
in that.

Shut up.

that note if he didn’t
still feel something.

She ain’t afraid of no ghost.

Why would he invite me
to his homecoming party?

You wanna stop her,
you know what to say.

I’m gonna confront JD.

[laughs]

You floor me, Martha.

You really do.

What do you mean?

Ram didn’t write that note,

I did.

No.

The Heathers put me up to it.

The whole school
was in on the joke,

and nobody laughed harder
than Ram.

He didn’t love you.
He was a dick.

He’s dead. Move on.

Shit.

I had to hurt her.

You understand that, right?

If JD ever found her
snooping around his stuff,

he’d—

That what’s you’re afraid of?

Well, I.

That’s what I thought.

Come on, assholes.

Oh, shit.

Dear diary,

what am I doing?

I’m sorry,
I can’t be in this assembly.

What?

No. No. No, no, no.

You’re my second soprano.

When you’re not in position,

it will unbalance
the stage picture.

I’m having a bad day
emotionally.

Veronica said that—

I get that,

but remember how much
your support means

to your classmates
who worked hard

to get this
very important message

out to the world.

And if that doesn’t put
a smile on your face,

remember how participation
in this assembly

counts the one-third
on your grade.

Feeling better?

Um—

Okay. Places. Microphone, Jason.

Thank you so much.

Okay, big smiles, everybody.

Lights, please.

Hello, Westerberg!

[cheers and applause]

Welcome.

Welcome to our special assembly.

Now, I want you to ignore
the television cameras

and the news crew.

They’re just here to document
this very significant moment.

Whether to kill yourself or not,

is one of the most
important decisions

a teenager can make.

So, you know
what I’m gonna do, right now?

Kill yourself on stage?

[audience laughing]

That’s not productive, Dwight.

My senior thesis at Berkeley…

[crowd cheering]

Whatever.

…was on the subject

of Pediatric Psychotherapeutic
Musicology.

[audience] Woo!

So, I speak with some authority.

When I tell you that
the way to eliminate suicide

is by first eliminating fear

by creating a safe zone

in which we are all equal.

♪ Deep inside of everyone
There’s a hot ball of shame ♪

♪ Guilt, regret, anxiety ♪

♪ Fears we dare not name ♪

♪ But if we show the ugly parts
That we hide away ♪

♪ They turn out
To be beautiful ♪

♪ By the light of day ♪

♪ Why not ♪

♪ On your deepest fear ♪

♪ Let in sunlight now ♪

♪ And your pain will disappear ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine ♪

[Ms. Fleming] ♪ And your scars
And your flaws ♪

[all] ♪ Will look lovely
Because you shine ♪

♪ You shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Every day’s a battlefield ♪

♪ When pride’s on the line ♪

♪ I attack your weaknesses ♪

♪ And pray you don’t see mine ♪

♪ But if I share my ugly parts ♪

♪ And you show me yours ♪

♪ Our love can knock
Our walls down ♪

♪ And unlock all our doors ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ On your deepest fears ♪

♪ Let it sunlight now ♪

♪ And your pain
Will disappear! ♪

Who wants to share
what’s in their heart?

♪ No volunteers?
Fine, I’ll start ♪

♪ My name’s Pauline
I live alone ♪

♪ My husband left
My kids are grown ♪

♪ In the ’60s, love was free ♪

♪ That did not work out
Well for me ♪

♪ The revolution came and went ♪

♪ Tried to change the world
Barely made a dent ♪

♪ I have struggled
With despair ♪

♪ I’ve joined a cult,
Chopped off my hair ♪

♪ I chant, I pray
But God’s not there ♪

♪ So, Steve
I’m ending our affair ♪

[cheers and applause]

Hello, Steve.

Oh, Steve,
my sweet, sweet, sweet Steve.

[laughter]

Would you stand up for me
so I can really see you?

[crowd cheering]

Everybody say, «Hello, Steve.»

[crowd] Hello, Steve.

[Ms. Fleming] That’s right.
This is a very free space.

Oh, honey, I wanna thank you

for all those magical times
we had.

But no, honey, I think it’s time
we go our separate ways.

But I’ve got one last thing
I have to say to you.

You’re gonna wanna sit down
for this, sweetie.

It’s gonna get real.

Steve,

I… faked it.

[crowd cheering]

Every single time.

[crowd cheering]

Whoa, that felt
fan-freaking-tastic!

One, two, take me home, kids!

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ And your pain will disappear ♪

♪ Let in sunlight now ♪

♪ And your pain will disappear ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine ♪

♪ And your scars
And your flaws ♪

♪ Will look lovely
Because you shine ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ You shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine, shine, shine a light ♪

♪ Shine a light, yeah! ♪

[cheers and applause]

Woo! Yeah!

Oh, yeah.

Um, come on, kids.

That worked with me.

I want you
to grab hold of your fear

and drag it out into the light
where everyone can look at it.

Anyone?

Anyone at all?

I thought about killing myself.

Heather McNamara?

Share that pain.

Not here. Let’s go, Heather.
Talk to—

Veronica, just so you know,

no one gave you permission
to speak.

You’re in a safe place, Heather.

It’s just you and me

and the classmates who love you.

Share.

It’s gonna be okay.

The guy I used to date…
killed himself

because he was gay
for his linebacker.

And my best friend seemed
to have it all together but…

she’s gone too.

Now, my stomach’s hurting
worse and worse,

and every morning on the bus
I feel my heart beating louder

and faster and I’m like,

«Jesus,
I’m on the freaking bus again

because all my rides to school
are dead.»

[crowd laughs]

♪ I float in a boat ♪

♪ On a raging black ocean ♪

♪ Low in the water
And nowhere to go ♪

♪ The tiniest lifeboat ♪

♪ With people I know ♪

♪ Cold, clammy, and crowded ♪

♪ The people smell desperate ♪

♪ We’ll sink any minute ♪

♪ So someone must go ♪

♪ The tiniest lifeboat ♪

♪ With people I know ♪

♪ Everyone’s pushing ♪

♪ Everyone’s fighting ♪

♪ Storms are approaching ♪

♪ There’s nowhere to hide ♪

♪ If I say the wrong thing ♪

♪ Or I wear the wrong outfit ♪

♪ They’ll throw me
Right over the side ♪

♪ I’m hugging my knees ♪

♪ And the captain is pointing ♪

♪ Well, who made her captain? ♪

♪ Still, the weakest must go ♪

♪ The tiniest lifeboat ♪

♪ Full of people I know ♪

♪ The tiniest lifeboat ♪

♪ Full of people I know ♪

[cheers and applause]

What’s your damage, Heather?

Are you saying
Westerburg is not a nice place?

Heather.

You don’t deserve
to wear Westerburg colors.

Why don’t you hop into
that little lifeboat of yours

and get your gnarly wave
over to Remington?

Heather, shut your cakehole.

All right, knock it off.
Come one people, settle down.

Oh, look Heather’s gonna cry.

God, what a baby.

That’s it. Young lady,
you are suspended.

Oh, turn the cameras off.
Turn them off, God damn it.

Is that all you care about?

TV cameras?

I care about saving lives.

Heather, you ruined
a valuable teaching—

Valuable?

None of us wanted the spectacle.

To be experimented on
like guinea pigs.

Patronized like bunny rabbits.

I don’t patronize bunny rabbits.

This is their big secret.

The adults are powerless.

Heather trusted you.

You said you’d protect her.

They can’t help us.
Nobody can help us.

You’re useless.

You’re all idiots.

Heather Chandler was a monster

just like Kurt and Ram.

They didn’t kill themselves.

I killed them.

[laughs]

[all laughing]

God, some people
will say anything

if they think
it’ll make them popular.

You’re worse than McNamara.

No, wait, Heather. No.

[rock music playing]

Oh, stupid child-proof caps.

Oh, look, Heather’s going to—

♪ Whine, whine, whine
All night ♪

♪ You don’t deserve to live ♪

♪ Why not kill yourself? ♪

♪ Here, have a sedative ♪

♪ Whine, whine, whine ♪

♪ Like there’s no Santa Claus ♪

♪ You’re pathetic
Because you whine ♪

♪ You whine all night ♪

♪ Your ass is off the team ♪

♪ Deep down we’ve always known ♪

♪ Whine ♪

♪ Whine ♪

♪ Die alone, die alone ♪

♪ Die alone, die alone ♪

Heather, no.

Suicide is a private thing.

Throwing your life away
so USA Today

can print your picture
under the headline

«Troubled teens.»

That is the least private thing
I can think of.

But what about Heather
and Kurt and Ram?

If everyone jumped off a bridge,
young lady, would you?

Probably.

Oh.

Well, if you were happy
all the time,

you wouldn’t be a human being.

You’d be a game show host.

[dramatic music playing]

Thanks for coming after me.

You’re welcome.

Come on.

Come on.

So I’m guessing you’re mad, huh.

I’m not mad.

Confused.

You said, you wanted us
to be normal teenagers.

I did that.

I joined the God damn AV Club
for you.

I know.

You know
what would have happened

if they’d actually believed
your confession?

Handcuffs,

separate cells,

cops trying to turn us
against each other

right before they ship us off
to different prisons,

is that what you want?

Well, what then?

Everybody’s cashing in
on these fake suicides,

making it about themselves.

It’s a sick trend
and we started it.

Turning ourselves in
won’t stop human nature.

Then what will?

Fleming’s little Kumbaya party

almost ended with Heather Mac
dead on a bathroom floor.

Fleming is not the problem.
Heather Duke is.

She’s the one
who made McNamara wanna die.

You wanna slay the dragon?

Cut off its head.

But no. You’d rather treat
bubonic plague with Band-Aids.

We had the power
to change things,

but we gave that up
to be normal teenagers.

Good luck at school tomorrow,
Heather Mac.

Hope you don’t die!

We are out if you get—

Look, if you wanna
keep it all up,

I’ll let you slide in
a fraction, fine.

You, you made me a promise
and I believed you.

Do you even—

You promised.

All right. I’m sorry.

Stop playing, grab ads.

Wait for me in the car.

I’m in the middle of something.

Yeah, I need backup.

Our friends
have another job for us.

Kaboom.

I said I’m busy!

Lot of pretty women
out there, sport.

I could make
another son any time I want.

Now, get in the car.

[Bud] Damn it, Jason.

No firearms in the house!

Well, it pissed off my dad.
It’s funny.

None of this is funny.

Why are you carrying
a loaded weapon?

Protection.

From what?

Reruns?

We have got to stop pretending.

This is who I am.

If you don’t like it,
take it up with him!

He made me!

Oh, Martha
was right about you.

Now let’s have
a real conversation.

She was right.

And I broke her heart.

Let’s talk about Heather Duke.

No.

Let’s talk about you.

♪ You are a drug ♪

♪ You are a poison pill ♪

♪ I’ve got to kick
This habit now ♪

♪ Or else I never will ♪

♪ I love the rush ♪

♪ When you would hold me close ♪

♪ But you will not
Be satisfied ♪

♪ Until I overdose ♪

♪ This is it ♪

♪ Hit the brake ♪

♪ I am finally awake ♪

♪ Let me be ♪

♪ Let me go ♪

♪ You need help ♪

♪ I can’t provide ♪

♪ I am not qualified ♪

♪ This troubled teen
Is getting clean ♪

♪ I say no ♪

Come on, Veronica, who else is—

No, no, no, no.

♪ Don’t say a word ♪

♪ You speak and I cave in ♪

♪ You’ll twist the truth again ♪

♪ And drill deep down
Beneath my skin ♪

♪ You said you’d change ♪

♪ And I believed in you ♪

♪ But you’re still using me ♪

♪ To justify the harm you do ♪

♪ This is it ♪

♪ Hit the brake ♪

♪ Call it all my mistake ♪

♪ Long as you let me go ♪

♪ You need help ♪

♪ I can’t provide ♪

♪ I’m not Bonnie
You’re not Clyde ♪

♪ It’s not too late
I’m getting straight ♪

♪ I say no ♪

♪ Blame your childhood ♪

♪ Blame your dad ♪

♪ Blame the life you never had ♪

♪ But hurting people
That’s your choice, my friend ♪

♪ ‘Cause I believe
That love will win ♪

♪ And hate will earn you
Nothing in the end ♪

♪ This is the end— ♪

But I love you.

Dude.

♪ This is it ♪

♪ I won’t cry starting now ♪

♪ I will try to pay back ♪

♪ All the karma I owe ♪

♪ Start again, somewhere new ♪

♪ Far from cool guys like you ♪

♪ So goodbye ’cause now I ♪

♪ I say no ♪

♪ Just in time, I say no ♪

♪ Somehow I’m saying no ♪

♪ Just say no ♪

♪ I say no ♪

♪ No! ♪

[cheers and applause]

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Girls ready for the big game ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Let’s get psyched! ♪

♪ Hey, yo, Westerburg ♪

♪ Tell me what’s that sound? ♪

♪ Here comes Westerburg ♪

♪ Comin’ to put you
In the ground! ♪

♪ Go, go, Westerburg ♪

♪ Give a great big yell ♪

♪ Westerburg
Will knock you out ♪

♪ And send you
Straight to hell! ♪

I now know thee,
thou clear spirit.

That’s from Moby Dick.

I appreciate a well-read woman.

What’s in the envelope?

Oh, shit.

And just a reminder that

at one time around age six,
I’m guessing,

you and Martha Dunnstock
were friends.

Where did you get these?

Did Veronica give them to you?

What do you want?

Money?

A favor.

[scoffs] No way.

Well, I love this one
of you and Martha

in the bathtub together.

These photos
are ancient history.

Nobody cares about the past.

Nobody cares
about Martha Dumptruck.

[dramatic music playing]

♪ There was a boy
I met in kindergarten ♪

♪ He was sweet
He said that I was smart ♪

♪ He was good at sports
And people liked him ♪

♪ And at nap time
Once we shared a mat ♪

♪ I didn’t sleep ♪

♪ I sat
And watched him breathing ♪

♪ Watched him dream
For nearly half an hour ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Then, he woke up ♪

♪ He pulled a scab off
One time playing kickball ♪

♪ Kissed me quick
Then pressed it in my hand ♪

♪ I took that scab
And put it in a locket ♪

♪ All year long
I wore it near my heart ♪

♪ He didn’t care
If I was thin or pretty ♪

♪ And he was mine
Until we hit first grade ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Then, he woke up ♪

♪ Last night
I dreamed a horse with wings ♪

♪ Flew down into my homeroom ♪

♪ On its back there he sat ♪

♪ And he held out his arms ♪

♪ So we sailed above the gym ♪

♪ Across the faculty
Parking lot ♪

♪ My kindergarten boyfriend ♪

♪ And I ♪

♪ And a horse with wings ♪

♪ Now we’re all grown up
And we know better ♪

♪ Now we recognize
The way things are ♪

♪ Certain boys
Are just for kindergarten ♪

♪ Certain girls
Are meant to be alone ♪

♪ But I believe
That any dream worth having ♪

♪ Is a dream
That should not have to end ♪

♪ So I’ll build
A dream that I can live in ♪

♪ And this time
I’m never waking up ♪

♪ And we’ll soar
Above the trees ♪

♪ Over cars and croquet lawns ♪

♪ Past the church and the lake ♪

♪ And the tri-county mall ♪

♪ We will fly through the dawn ♪

♪ To a new kindergarten ♪

♪ Where nap time ♪

♪ Is centuries long ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

[cheers and applause]

[upbeat music playing]

Martha wasn’t in her room today.

Well, did you try
calling her house?

Yeah. It just goes straight
to her answering machine.

Where the hell could she be?

Missed you off at third period.

Oh, we were avoiding you

because you’re
a terrible person.

Fine.

Skip the foreplay.

Sign this.

It’s a petition to have MTV
throw a spring break blowout

to help raise suicide awareness.

I got everybody to sign it.

People love me. [chuckles]

I’m gonna make
an inspirational speech about it

at the pep rally tonight.

Oh, count me out.

Don’t pop a tampon, Veronica.

It was your boyfriend’s idea.

Hmm, the plot thickens.

JD?

He made up the signature sheet
and everything.

Did you hurt your finger,
Veronica?

Because I noticed you still
haven’t dialed the cops.

Look, I don’t know
what JD is up to,

but if you know
what’s good for you,

throw that clipboard away.

Not a chance.

This is very important work
we’re doing.

I mean, now, Martha Dumptruck.

Where does it end?

What about Martha?

They haven’t announced it yet.

But I hear last night,

she did a belly flop off
the Mill Creek Bridge

holding a suicide note.

Oh, my God.

I wonder what was upsetting her!

Is she alive?

Just some broken bones.

Yet another geek trying
to imitate the popular people

and failing miserably.

♪ Yo, girl ♪

♪ Keep it together ♪

♪ I knew you would come far ♪

♪ Now you’re truly a Heather ♪

♪ Smell how gangsta you are ♪

Martha, I’m so sorry!

♪ Yo, girl ♪

♪ Feel a bit punchy? ♪

♪ What’s that
Fruit stone you sell? ♪

♪ Now, you’ve earned
That red scrunchie ♪

♪ Come join Heather in hell! ♪

Where have you been?

Your friend JD stopped by.

He told us everything.

Your depression.

Your thoughts of suicide.

He even showed us
your copy of Moby Dick.

This is not my handwriting.

I’ve been on
the phone all morning.

He’s one step ahead
of everybody.

There’s a doctor in Cleveland.

Your parents, the police.

We’d like you to talk with him.

He’s thought of everything,
Veronica.

What kind of doctor?

Leonard!

♪ Guess who’s
Right down the block ♪

You’re being manipulated!

♪ Guess who’s
Climbing the stairs ♪

There’s no shame
in getting help.

♪ Guess who’s picking the lock ♪

I am not the problem.

♪ Time’s up! ♪

♪ Go say your prayers! ♪

♪ Veronica’s running on
Running on fumes now ♪

♪ Veronica’s totally fried ♪

♪ Veronica’s gotta be
Tripping on shrooms now ♪

♪ Thinking that she can hide ♪

♪ Veronica’s done for
There’s no doubt now ♪

♪ Notify next of kin! ♪

♪ Veronica’s trying
To keep him out now ♪

♪ Too late! He got in! ♪

Knock! Knock!

Sorry for coming in
through the window!

Dreadful etiquette, I know!

Get out of my house!

Hiding in the closet.

Come on, unlock the door.

I’ll scream.

My parents will call the police.

All is forgiven, baby.

Come on and get dressed.

You’re my date
to the pep rally tonight.

What? Why?

Our classmates thought
they were signing a petition.

You got to come out here
and see what they really signed.

♪ You chucked me out
Like I was trash ♪

♪ For that you should be dead ♪

♪ But! But! But! ♪

♪ Then it hit me like a flash ♪

♪ What if high school
Went away instead? ♪

♪ Those assholes are the key! ♪

♪ They’re keeping you
Away from me! ♪

♪ They made you blind
Messed up your mind ♪

♪ But I can set you free! ♪

♪ You left me and I fell apart ♪

♪ I punched the wall and cried ♪

Bam! Bam! Bam!

♪ Then I found you changed
My heart ♪

♪ And set loose all this
Truthful shit inside! ♪

♪ And so I built a bomb ♪

♪ Tonight our school
Is Vietnam ♪

♪ Let’s guarantee they’ll
Never see their senior prom! ♪

♪ I was meant to be yours ♪

♪ We were meant to be one ♪

♪ Don’t give up on me now ♪

♪ Finish what we’ve begun ♪

♪ I was meant to be yours ♪

♪ So when the high school gym
Goes boom ♪

♪ With everyone inside
Pchw! Pchw! Pchw! ♪

♪ In the rubble of their tomb ♪

♪ We’ll plant this note
Explaining why they died! ♪

♪ We, the students
Of Westerburg High will die ♪

♪ Our burnt bodies may
Finally get through to you ♪

♪ Your society churns
Out slaves and blanks ♪

♪ No thanks ♪

♪ Signed the Students
Of Westerburg High ♪

♪ Goodbye ♪

♪ We’ll watch
The smoke poor out the doors ♪

♪ Bring marshmallows
We’ll make s’mores! ♪

♪ We can smile and cuddle
While the fire roars! ♪

♪ I was meant to be yours ♪

♪ We were meant to be one ♪

♪ I can’t make it alone ♪

♪ Finish what we’ve begun ♪

♪ You were meant to be mine ♪

♪ I am all that you need ♪

♪ You carved open my heart ♪

♪ Can’t just leave me to bleed ♪

♪ Veronica, open the—
Open the door, please ♪

♪ Veronica, open the door ♪

♪ Veronica, can we not fight
Anymore, please? ♪

♪ Can we not fight anymore? ♪

♪ Veronica, sure, you’re scared
I’ve been there ♪

♪ I can set you free! ♪

♪ Veronica, don’t make me
Come in there! ♪

♪ I’m gonna count to three! ♪

♪ One! Two! Fuck it! ♪

[vocalizing]

[JD] Veronica.

Oh, God.

No.

♪ Please don’t leave me alone ♪

♪ You were all I could trust ♪

♪ I can’t do this alone ♪

♪ Still I will if I must! ♪

[Mrs. Sawyer] Veronica,
I made you a snack.

Veronica. [screaming]

No, no. I’m fine. I’m fine.
It was just a joke. A joke.

It’s not funny.

I love you, Mom.

What’s with all the screaming?

[whimpering] It was Veronica.
I found her in the—

Veronica?
Where did she go? Veronica?

What? What?

♪ I wanted someone strong
Who could protect me ♪

♪ I let his anger fester
And infect me ♪

♪ His solution is a lie ♪

♪ No one here deserves
To die except for me ♪

♪ And the monster I created ♪

♪ Yeah! ♪

♪ Heads up, JD
I’m a dead girl walking! ♪

♪ Hey, yo, Westerburg! ♪

♪ Can’t hide from me
I’m a dead girl walkin’! ♪

[all] ♪ Hey, yo, Westerburg! ♪

♪ And there’s your final bell ♪

♪ It’s one more dance
And then farewell ♪

♪ Cheek to cheek in hell ♪

♪ With a dead girl walkin’! ♪

[vocalizing]

♪ Yo, Rottweilers! ♪

♪ Here we go
Here we go now! ♪

Veronica, Jason Dean told us
you just committed suicide!

No. He’s wrong
about a lot of things.

Well, I threw together
a lovely tribute,

especially given
the short notice.

Ms. Fleming,
what’s under the gym?

The boiler room.

[Ms. Fleming]
Veronica, what’s going on?

♪ Got no time to talk ♪

♪ I’m a dead girl walkin’! ♪

♪ Hey, yo, Westerburg! ♪

♪ Tell me what’s that sound? ♪

♪ Here comes Westerburg ♪

♪ Comin’ to put you
In the ground! ♪

♪ Go, go, Westerburg! ♪

♪ Give a great big yell! ♪

♪ Westerburg
Will knock you out ♪

♪ And send you
Straight to hell! ♪

[suspenseful music playing]

[timebomb beeping]

A Norwegian
in the boiler room?

Just like your dad.

Huh?

And here I thought you’d lost
your taste for faking suicides.

Step away from the bomb.

What? This little thing?

I can hardly call that a bomb.

No. This is to trigger
the packs, the thermals

upstairs in the gym.

Now, those are bombs.

People will look at the ashes
of Westerburg and say,

«Now there is a school
that self-destructed not because

society didn’t care, but
because that school was society.

You know the only
place at Heathers and Marthas

can truly get
along is in Heaven!

♪ I wish your mom
Had been a little stronger ♪

Don’t talk about my mom!

♪ I wish she stayed
Around a little longer ♪

Stop!

♪ I wish your dad were good! ♪

♪ And I wish
Grown-ups understood! ♪

♪ I wish we met before ♪

♪ They convinced your life
Is war! ♪

♪ I wish you’d come with me ♪

♪ I wish I had more TNT! ♪

[grunts]

[all] ♪ Hey, yo, Westerburg! ♪

♪ Tell me what’s that sound? ♪

♪ Here comes Westerburg ♪

♪ Comin’ to put you
In the ground! ♪

♪ Go, go, Westerburg! ♪

♪ Give a great big yell! ♪

♪ Westerburg
Will knock you out ♪

♪ And send you straight to— ♪

[gunshot]

[grunting]

[timebomb beeping]

Was it good for you?

[grunts]

Kind of sucked for me.

[dramatic music playing]

It’s over, JD.

Which wire do I pull?

Which wire?

Everybody get out.

There’s a bomb!
We got to evacuate.

Hello? [grunts]

Can anybody hear me?

I don’t know
how much time we’ve got left.

Move the trigger bomb
far enough away.

It can set out
the thermals, right?

Right?

[dramatic music playing]

[Veronica grunting]

Dear Diary [grunting]

I still believe there’s good
in everyone

[grunting] even the worst of us.

I believe we’re all worth saving
and I guess

that’s the belief
I’m willing to die for.

[grunting]

You’ll never make it in time,

not on that ankle.

[whimpering] How much further?

You know,
the football field should do it.

Here, let me take it
the rest of the way.

No. It’s a trick.

You flatter me. [grunting]

But no.

Look at me, I’m done for.

And I’m not gonna let you die
like my mom.

I am damaged.

But you’re different.

You are the one
we ought to spare.

God knows
why you wanna save them…

but you beat me fair and square.

Please stand back now.

A little further.

♪ Don’t know
What this thing will do ♪

♪ Hope you’ll miss me ♪

♪ Wish you kiss me ♪

♪ Then you’d know
I worship you ♪

♪ I’ll trade my life for yours ♪

♪ Oh, my God ♪

[Veronica] ♪ Wait, hold on ♪

♪ Not this way ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God ♪

♪ Our love is God! ♪

♪ Say hi to God! ♪

[explosion]

[students coughing]

Whoa, they’re saying a gas
line exploded.

[panting]

Hey, where have you been?

Fleming told us
you’ve killed yourself.

You look like hell.

Yeah. Well, I just got back.

Hey, what are you doing?

♪ Listen up, folks ♪

♪ War is over ♪

♪ Brand new sheriffs
Come to town ♪

♪ We are done with acting evil ♪

♪ We will lay our weapons down ♪

♪ We’re all damaged ♪

♪ We’re all frightened ♪

♪ We’re all freaks
But that’s all right ♪

♪ We’ll endure it
We’ll survive it ♪

♪ Martha
Are you free tonight? ♪

[crowd laughing]

What?

My date for the pep rally
kind of blew… me off.

I was wondering if you weren’t
doing anything tonight,

you might wanna pop
some Jiffy Pop,

rent some new releases,
something with a happy ending?

Are there any happy endings?

♪ I can’t promise
No more Heathers ♪

♪ High school may not ever end ♪

♪ Still, I miss you ♪

♪ I’d be honored
If you’d let me be your friend ♪

♪ My friend ♪

♪ We can be 17 ♪

♪ We can learn how to chill ♪

♪ If no one loves me now ♪

♪ Someday somebody will ♪

♪ We can be 17 ♪

♪ Help us to make things right ♪

♪ We want a better world ♪

♪ So why not start tonight! ♪

♪ Let’s go be 17 ♪

♪ Take off our shoes and dance ♪

♪ Act like we’re all
Still kids ♪

♪ ‘Cause this could be
Our final chance! ♪

♪ Always be 17 ♪

♪ Celebrate you and I ♪

♪ Maybe we won’t grow old ♪

♪ And maybe
Then we’ll never die ♪

♪ We’ll make it beautiful ♪

♪ We’ll make it beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful! Beautiful!
Beautiful! ♪

♪ Beautiful! Beautiful!
Beautiful! ♪

♪ Beautiful! Beautiful!
Beautiful! ♪

[cheers and applause]

[upbeat music playing]

Give it up
for the Heathers band.

[crowd cheering]

One, two, one, two, three, four.

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ We’ll make it beautiful ♪

♪ We’ll make it beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful, beautiful ♪

♪ Beautiful! ♪

[cheers and applause]

[upbeat music playing]

Heathers: The Musical is a rock musical with music, lyrics and book by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, based on the 1988 film of the same name written by Daniel Waters. After a sold-out Los Angeles tryout, the show moved Off-Broadway in 2014. After the run in 2014 the show had an Off-West End run in 2018 and then transferred to the West End in 2018 for a limited engagement.

While it is a high-energy black comedy, the show opens conversations about dark issues, including bullying, teen suicide, sexual assault, and violence in schools.

Act 1[]

In 1989, 17-year-old Veronica Sawyer despairs at Westerburg High School’s hellish social hierarchy, where students like Martha Dunnstock are tormented by jocks, Ram Sweeney and Kurt Kelly and the school is ruled by The Heathers, weak-willed Heather McNamara, bulimic Heather Duke and «mythic bitch» queen Heather Chandler. When Veronica’s talent for forgery gets The Heathers out of detention, they give her a makeover and elevate her to their inner circle («Beautiful»).

Heather C. discovers Martha’s crush on Ram and orders Veronica to forge a love letter from him to Martha, tempting Veronica with the promise of popularity («Candy Store»). The mysterious, poetry-quoting new kid, J.D. criticizes Veronica for betraying her friend. J.D. wins a fight against the jocks and Veronica finds herself unexpectedly attracted («Fight For Me»). Veronica’s parents confess to Veronica that they aren’t sure they like their daughter’s new friends and would prefer if she was friends with Martha again. («Candy Store (Playoff)»).

Veronica flirts with J.D. at a 7-Eleven and he extols the virtues of the slurpee for numbing his grief («Freeze Your Brain»). At Ram’s homecoming party, Veronica gets increasingly drunk and high («Big Fun»). When The Heathers cruelly prank Martha, Veronica angrily resigns from the clique and vomits on Heather C.’s shoes. Her reputation in ruins, Veronica breaks into J.D.’s bedroom and loses her virginity to him («Dead Girl Walking»).

After a tormented dream («Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare»), Veronica with J.D. in tow, apologizes to Heather C. Veronica and J.D. mix hangover cures for Heather C., J.D. adds a toxic drain cleaner to his mug as a joke, but the mugs get accidentally switched. Heather C. drinks from the poisoned mug and dies. Veronica panics, but J.D. convinces her to forge a suicide note, which paints a more complex, misunderstood Heather. This fictionalized Heather C. wins the school’s sympathy and is even more worshipped in death than she was in life («The Me Inside Of Me»).

Veronica tries to get on with her normal life but is berated and mocked by Heather C.’s ghost. Veronica tries to rescue The Heathers from a drunk Kurt and Ram, who aggressively beg her for sex, but she gives them more alcohol until they pass out («Blue»). Heather D. assumes Heather C.’s status and symbolic a red scrunchie and Ram and Kurt tell everyone they had sex with Veronica («Blue (Reprise)»). Veronica is branded a slut («Blue (Playoff)») and when J.D. attacks the jocks to defend her, they savagely beat him.

J.D. and Veronica comfort each other and plan a vengeful prank. Veronica will lure the jocks to the cemetery with the promise of making their fictional threesome real, then J.D. and Veronica will shoot them with tranquilizer «ich lüge» bullets to knock them out, leaving a forged suicide note confessing they were «gay lovers». When the jocks arrive, J.D. shoots Ram but Veronica misses Kurt. As she realizes Ram is dead and the bullets are real, J.D. shoots Kurt dead and proclaims his undying love to a horrified Veronica («Our Love Is God»).

Act 2[]

At Ram and Kurt’s funeral, a distraught Veronica reflects that they could have outgrown their immaturity («Prom Or Hell?»). Grief-stricken, Bill Sweeney chastises Paul Kelly for remaining homophobic, until Paul suddenly kisses Bill revealing their own secret love affair. Confession brings catharsis and all vow to make the world a more tolerant place («My Dead Gay Son»). Convinced the murders are for the greater good, J.D. urges Veronica to target Heather D. next. She refuses and as J.D. complains about doing nothing in the face of injustice, he reveals he witnessed his mother’s suicide. Veronica gives him an ultimatum, give up violence and live a normal life with her or lose her forever («Seventeen»). J.D. agrees and they reconcile. Martha tells Veronica she suspects J.D. of murdering the jocks, believing Ram’s «love note» is proof. Veronica, urged on by Heather C.’s ghost, confesses that she forged the note to humiliate Martha, who runs off in tears.

Guidance counsellor Ms. Fleming holds a televised therapy assembly («Shine A Light»). She urges everyone to reveal their fears and insecurities, but only Heather M. admits to suicidal thoughts («Lifeboat») and Heather D. mocks her and whips the students into a frenzy. Veronica lashes out and blurts a confession, «they didn’t kill themselves! I killed them!» but everyone laughs mockingly, thinking Veronica is only desperate for attention. Shortly after, Heather M. tries to kill herself by overdosing in the bathroom («Shine A Light (Reprise)») but Veronica stops her. J.D., carrying a gun, again tries to persuade Veronica to kill Heather D., realising how unstable he is, Veronica breaks up with him («Hey Yo, Westerburg»).

J.D. blackmails Heather D. into making the student body sign a petition. Martha, mourning Ram, jumps off a bridge («Kindergarten Boyfriend») but survives. Veronica rushes to the hospital, taunted by the ghosts of Heather C., Kurt and Ram, («Yo Girl»). She returns home, where J.D. breaks in. As she barricades herself in the closet, he reveals the petition, signed by every student, is actually a mass suicide note, his plan to blow up the pep rally will look like a mass suicide. He breaks open the closet to find Veronica dangling from a noose. Grief-stricken, he leaves to complete his plan («Meant To Be Yours»).

Veronica, having faked her suicide, races to stop J.D. («Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)») She confronts him in the boiler room, in their struggle, J.D. is shot. Unable to disarm the bomb, Veronica takes it to the empty football field. J.D. convinces her to let him take the bomb instead («I Am Damaged»), it explodes, killing him alone. Returning to school, Veronica takes the red scrunchie from Heather D. and ends the era of social ridicule. Veronica invites Martha and Heather M. to hang out, rent a movie and be kids before childhood is over («Seventeen (Reprise)»).

Music[]

Off-Broadway[]

Act I[]

• «Beautiful» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Fight For Me» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store (Playoff)» — Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M. †

• «Freeze Your Brain» – J.D.

• «Big Fun» – Ram, Kurt, Veronica, Heather C. Heather D., Heather M. and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare» – Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students †

• «Me Inside of Me» – Heather C., Veronica, J.D., Officer Milner, Officer McCord, Mr. Gowan, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper, Martha and Students

• «Blue» – Ram, Kurt, Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Blue (Reprise)» – Ram, Kurt, Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper, Mr. Gowan and Students †

• «Blue (Playoff)» — Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram and Students †

• «Our Love Is God» – J.D. and Veronica,

Act II[]

• «Prom Or Hell?» – Veronica †

• «My Dead Gay Son» – Bill, Paul, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming and Students

• «Seventeen» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Shine A Light» – Ms. Fleming, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Lifeboat» – Heather M.

• «Shine A Light (Reprise)» – Heather D., Mr. Gowan and Students

• «Hey Yo, Westerburg» – Heather M., Heather D. and Students †

• «Kindergarten Boyfriend» – Martha

• «Yo Girl» – Heather C., Kurt and Ram

• «Meant To Be Yours» – J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)» – Veronica, J.D., Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «I Am Damaged» – J.D. and Veronica

• «Seventeen (Reprise)» – Veronica, Martha, Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

West End[]

Act I[]

• «Beautiful» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Fight For Me» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store (Playoff)» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M. †

• «Freeze Your Brain» – J.D.

• «Big Fun» – Ram, Kurt, Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M. and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare» – Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students †

• «The Me Inside Of Me» – Heather C., Veronica, J.D., Officer Milner, Officer McCord, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper, Ms. Fleming, Martha and Students

• «You’re Welcome» – Ram, Kurt and Veronica

• «Never Shut Up Again» – Heather D., Heather M., Ram, Kurt and Students

• «Our Love is God» – J.D. and Veronica

Act II[]

• «Prom or Hell?» – Veronica †

• «My Dead Gay Son» – Bill, Paul, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming and Students

• «Seventeen» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Shine A Light» – Ms. Fleming, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Lifeboat» – Heather M.

• «Shine A Light (Reprise)» – Heather D. and Students

• «I Say No» — Veronica

• «He Yo, Westerburg» – Heather M., Mr. Gowan and Students †

• «Kindergarten Boyfriend» – Martha

• «Yo Girl» – Heather C., Kurt and Ram

• «Meant To Be Yours» – J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Ripper And Students

• «Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)» – Veronica, J.D., Heather M., Heather D. and Students

• «I Am Damaged» – J.D. and Veronica

• «Seventeen (Reprise)» – Veronica, Martha, Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

«You’re Welcome» replaces «Blue», a song on the World Premiere Cast Recording. «You’re Welcome» was originally written by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy for the High School Edition but was added to the official show beginning with the 2018 West End production. Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy preferred «You’re Welcome» as they had come to feel that «Blue» was a bit lazy and had inadvertently trivialized the lead character’s fears, given that Veronica is cornered by two drunk, entitled high school football stars who refused to hear the word «no». While «Blue» contained no dialogue for Veronica, by contrast «You’re Welcome» allows Veronica to express her fears and solve her problem, defeating her assailants decisively. As well as providing a more empowering alternative for Veronica, the new song remedies the way that «Blue» was often considered as “treating date rape as a laughing matter” and presenting sexual assault or harassment as “boyish antics”, due to the comical nature of the song.

A new song for Heather D., «Never Shut Up Again», was also added for the West End run, replacing «Blue (Reprise)». For the 2017 workshop, there was a different song to replace «Blue (Reprise)», which became «Big Fun (Reprise)», part of which is now included in «Never Shut Up Again». In the last week at The Other Palace, the authors added a new song after «Shine A Light (Reprise)» called «I Say No», in which Veronica finally dumps J.D. when he proposes a return to murdering, telling him «you need help I can’t provide» and walking out on him. The song remained in the show for the Theater Royal Haymarket run and was released on February 15th, 2019 as the first single on the West End cast album.

History[]

Background[]

The show’s director, Andy Fickman had been working with Daniel Waters, the screenwriter of the film, on the musical. After seeing Laurence O’Keefe’s work with Legally Blonde and how he transitioned film to theatre, he decided to pair him with Reefer Madness collaborator Kevin Murphy. Andy Fickman said of the experience, «we found that Heathers gave a great deal of opportunity for 80s commentary and a great chance for music and storytelling».

Productions[]

2009 Reading[]

Three private readings of the work in progress were held in Los Angeles in 2009, each starring Kristen Bell as Veronica Sawyer. The first was in March at the Endeavor Talent Agency in Beverly Hills starring Christian Campbell as J.D., the second in June at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, starring Scott Porter as J.D. and the third in December at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood, starring James Snyder as J.D. In each reading, Jenna Leigh Green, Corri English and Christine Lakin played Heather Chandler, Heather McNamara and Heather Duke respectively.

2010 Reading[]

On September 13th — 14th 2010, Heathers was presented as a concert reading at Joe’s Pub in New York. The show was directed by Andy Fickman and it starred Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica Sawyer, Jeremy Jordan as J.D., Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler, Corri English as Heather McNamara, Christine Lakin as Heather Duke, James Snyder as Kurt Kelly, PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney, Julie Garnyé as Martha Dunnstock, Eric Leviton as Bill Sweeney, Kevin Pariseau as Paul Kelly and Mr. Gowan, Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer, Tom Compton as Hipster Dork and Preppy Kid, Alex Ellis as Goth Girl, English Teacher and Young Republicanette and Kelly Karbacz as Stoner Chick and School Psychologist.

2013 Workshop[]

The show played at The Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles for a limited engagement on the weekends from September 21st — October 6th, 2013. The cast included Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica, Ryan McCartan as J.D., Sarah Halford as Heather C., Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather D. and Elle McLemore as Heather M. Elle McLemore was the only Heather to remain with the cast when the show transferred to Off-Broadway, but after Alice Lee left the production, Kristolyn Lloyd reprised her role as Heather D.

Off-Broadway[]

In 2013, it was announced that Heathers: The Musical would be brought to Off-Broadway, previews begin in March at New World Stages in New York, directed by Andy Fickman. Coincidentally, New World was also the name of the original film’s distributor. In February 2014, the cast was announced, including Barrett Wilbert Weed, Ryan McCartan, and Elle McLemore reprising their roles as Veronica, J.D. and Heather M., respectively, with new additions to the cast being Jessica Keenan Wynn as Heather C., Alice Lee as Heather D. and Tony Award winner, Anthony Crivello as Bill Sweeney and Big Bud Dean. The show began previews on March 15th, 2014 and opened on March 31st, 2014. A cast album was recorded on April 15th and 16th, 2014 with an in-store and digital release of June 17th, 2014. It was released a week early on June 10th, 2014. Heathers: The Musical played its final performance at New World Stages on August 4th, 2014.

Australia[]

The Australian premiere of Heathers: The Musical at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney was staged in July 22nd – August 9th, 2015. Directed by Trevor Ashley with choreography by Cameron Mitchell, it starred Jaz Flowers as Veronica Sawyer, Stephen Madsen as J.D., Lucy Maunder as Heather Chandler, Erin Clare as Heather McNamara and Libby Asciak as Heather Duke. The well-received production transferred the following year, with mostly the same cast, for seasons in Brisbane on January 9th — 17th, 2016 at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Melbourne on May 11th — 22nd, 2016 at the Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney on June 8th — 26th, 2016 at the Sydney Opera House.

New York[]

In October 14th — 23th, 2016 White Plains Performing Arts Center presented the NY Regional Premiere of Heathers: The Musical to sold out audiences.

2017 Workshop[]

A workshop of the musical opened at The Other Palace in London, which held 5 presentations in the studio from May 30th — June 3th, 2017. The workshop featured Charlotte Wakefield as Veronica Sawyer.

Off-West End[]

Following the workshop, the musical had its official London premiere in the theatre at The Other Palace in London, from June 9th — August 4th, 2018, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer, Jamie Muscato as J.D., Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney, Edward Baruwa as Bill Sweeney and Jon Boydon as Paul Kelly. The production was produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, directed again by Andy Fickman and with choreographer and associate director Gary Lloyd. For the Off-West End production «Blue» has been changed to the new song «You’re Welcome» and Heather Duke has received her own song «Never Shut Up Again» as well as a few script changes.

West End[]

Heathers: The Musical transferred to West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, running from September 3th — November 24th, 2018. A new song for Veronica, «I Say No,» as well as a few script changes to Act 2 were added for the transfer. A West End cast recording was released on Ghostlight Records on March 1st. The album premiered at #1 on the iTunes UK Soundtracks Charts and at #2 on the iTunes UK Album charts. The album premiered at #24 on the Official Albums Chart. On March 3th, 2019, Heathers The Musical won the Best New Musical award at London’s Whatsonstage.com Awards. Carrie Hope Fletcher also won for Best Actress In A Musical.

UK Tour[]

On October 3th, 2019 it was announced on the Bill Kenwright LTD twitter account that Heathers: The Musical would be embarking on a UK Tour in 2020 starting in June with casting and the tour locations to be announced soon.

Cast[]

2009 Reading[]

• Kristen Bell as Veronica Sawyer

• Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler

• Christine Lakin as Heather Duke

• Corri English as Heather McNamara

• Christian Campbell and Scott Porter as J.D.

• Julie Garnye as Martha Dunnstock

• James Snyder as Kurt Kelly and J.D.

• PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney

• Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Zachary Ford as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Eric Leviton as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

2010 Reading[]

• Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica Sawyer

• Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler

• Christine Lakin as Heather Duke

• Corri English as Heather McNamara

• Jeremy Jordan as J.D.

• Julie Garnye as Martha Dunnstock

• James Snyder as Kurt Kelly

• PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney

• Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Zachary Ford as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Eric Leviton as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

2013 Workshop[]

• Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica Sawyer

• Sarah Halford as Heather Chandler

• Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather Duke

• Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara

• Ryan McCartan as J.D.

• Katie Ladner as Martha Dunnstock

• Evan Todd as Kurt Kelly

• Jon Eidson as Ram Sweeney

• Rena Strober as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Daniel Cooney as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Rex Smith as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• AJ Meijer as Officer Milner

• Trevor Shor as Officer McCord

Off-Broadway[]

• Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica Sawyer

• Jessica Keenan Wynn and Charissa Hogeland as Heather Chandler

• Alice Lee and Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather Duke

• Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara

• Ryan McCartan as J.D.

• Katie Ladner as Martha Dunnstock

• Evan Todd as Kurt Kelly

• Jon Eidson as Ram Sweeney

• Michelle Duffy as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Daniel Cooney as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Anthony Crivello as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• AJ Meijer as Officer Milner

• Dan Domenech as Officer McCord

Australia[]

• Jaz Flowers as Veronica Sawyer

• Lucy Maunder and Kirby Burgess as Heather Chandler

• Libby Asciak as Heather Duke

• Erin Clare and Rebecca Hetherington as Heather McNamara

• Stephen Madsen as J.D.

• Lauren McKenna as Martha Dunnstock and Ms. Fleming

• Vincent Hooper as Kurt Kelly and Paul Kelly

• Jakob Ambrose as Ram Sweeney and Bill Sweeney

• Michelle Barr as Mrs. Sawyer

• Stephen McDowell as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Officer Milner

• Leigh Sleightholme as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Officer McCord

New York[]

• Kerri George as Veronica Sawyer

• Melody Wilson as Heather Chandler

• Deanna Giulietti as Heather Duke

• Mary Mondlock as Heather McNamara

• Nathan Cockroft as J.D.

• Kristen Kane as Martha Dunnstock

• Ethan Kirschbaum as Kurt Kelly

• Jack Plozay as Ram Sweeney

• Madison Washer as Ms. Fleming

• Jay Howard as Paul Kelly

• Jack Boice as Bill Sweeney

2017 Workshop[]

• Charlotte Wakefield as Veronica Sawyer

• Amy Ross as Heather Chandler

• Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Lizzie Bea as Martha Dunnstock

• Liam Doyle as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Andy Brady as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Simon Bailey as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

Off-West End[]

• Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer

• Jodie Steele as Heather Chandler

• T’Shan Williams as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Jenny O’Leary as Martha Dunnstock

• Christopher Chung as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Jon Boydon as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Edward Baruwa as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• Sergio Pasquariello as Officer Milner

• Alex James Hatton as Officer McCord

West End[]

• Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer

• Jodie Steele as Heather Chandler

• T’Shan Williams as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Jenny O’Leary as Martha Dunnstock

• Christopher Chung as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Jon Boydon as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Nathan Amzi as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• Sergio Pasquariello as Officer Milner

• John Lumsden as Officer McCord

Heathers: The Musical is a rock musical with music, lyrics and book by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, based on the 1988 film of the same name written by Daniel Waters. After a sold-out Los Angeles tryout, the show moved Off-Broadway in 2014. After the run in 2014 the show had an Off-West End run in 2018 and then transferred to the West End in 2018 for a limited engagement.

While it is a high-energy black comedy, the show opens conversations about dark issues, including bullying, teen suicide, sexual assault, and violence in schools.

Act 1[]

In 1989, 17-year-old Veronica Sawyer despairs at Westerburg High School’s hellish social hierarchy, where students like Martha Dunnstock are tormented by jocks, Ram Sweeney and Kurt Kelly and the school is ruled by The Heathers, weak-willed Heather McNamara, bulimic Heather Duke and «mythic bitch» queen Heather Chandler. When Veronica’s talent for forgery gets The Heathers out of detention, they give her a makeover and elevate her to their inner circle («Beautiful»).

Heather C. discovers Martha’s crush on Ram and orders Veronica to forge a love letter from him to Martha, tempting Veronica with the promise of popularity («Candy Store»). The mysterious, poetry-quoting new kid, J.D. criticizes Veronica for betraying her friend. J.D. wins a fight against the jocks and Veronica finds herself unexpectedly attracted («Fight For Me»). Veronica’s parents confess to Veronica that they aren’t sure they like their daughter’s new friends and would prefer if she was friends with Martha again. («Candy Store (Playoff)»).

Veronica flirts with J.D. at a 7-Eleven and he extols the virtues of the slurpee for numbing his grief («Freeze Your Brain»). At Ram’s homecoming party, Veronica gets increasingly drunk and high («Big Fun»). When The Heathers cruelly prank Martha, Veronica angrily resigns from the clique and vomits on Heather C.’s shoes. Her reputation in ruins, Veronica breaks into J.D.’s bedroom and loses her virginity to him («Dead Girl Walking»).

After a tormented dream («Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare»), Veronica with J.D. in tow, apologizes to Heather C. Veronica and J.D. mix hangover cures for Heather C., J.D. adds a toxic drain cleaner to his mug as a joke, but the mugs get accidentally switched. Heather C. drinks from the poisoned mug and dies. Veronica panics, but J.D. convinces her to forge a suicide note, which paints a more complex, misunderstood Heather. This fictionalized Heather C. wins the school’s sympathy and is even more worshipped in death than she was in life («The Me Inside Of Me»).

Veronica tries to get on with her normal life but is berated and mocked by Heather C.’s ghost. Veronica tries to rescue The Heathers from a drunk Kurt and Ram, who aggressively beg her for sex, but she gives them more alcohol until they pass out («Blue»). Heather D. assumes Heather C.’s status and symbolic a red scrunchie and Ram and Kurt tell everyone they had sex with Veronica («Blue (Reprise)»). Veronica is branded a slut («Blue (Playoff)») and when J.D. attacks the jocks to defend her, they savagely beat him.

J.D. and Veronica comfort each other and plan a vengeful prank. Veronica will lure the jocks to the cemetery with the promise of making their fictional threesome real, then J.D. and Veronica will shoot them with tranquilizer «ich lüge» bullets to knock them out, leaving a forged suicide note confessing they were «gay lovers». When the jocks arrive, J.D. shoots Ram but Veronica misses Kurt. As she realizes Ram is dead and the bullets are real, J.D. shoots Kurt dead and proclaims his undying love to a horrified Veronica («Our Love Is God»).

Act 2[]

At Ram and Kurt’s funeral, a distraught Veronica reflects that they could have outgrown their immaturity («Prom Or Hell?»). Grief-stricken, Bill Sweeney chastises Paul Kelly for remaining homophobic, until Paul suddenly kisses Bill revealing their own secret love affair. Confession brings catharsis and all vow to make the world a more tolerant place («My Dead Gay Son»). Convinced the murders are for the greater good, J.D. urges Veronica to target Heather D. next. She refuses and as J.D. complains about doing nothing in the face of injustice, he reveals he witnessed his mother’s suicide. Veronica gives him an ultimatum, give up violence and live a normal life with her or lose her forever («Seventeen»). J.D. agrees and they reconcile. Martha tells Veronica she suspects J.D. of murdering the jocks, believing Ram’s «love note» is proof. Veronica, urged on by Heather C.’s ghost, confesses that she forged the note to humiliate Martha, who runs off in tears.

Guidance counsellor Ms. Fleming holds a televised therapy assembly («Shine A Light»). She urges everyone to reveal their fears and insecurities, but only Heather M. admits to suicidal thoughts («Lifeboat») and Heather D. mocks her and whips the students into a frenzy. Veronica lashes out and blurts a confession, «they didn’t kill themselves! I killed them!» but everyone laughs mockingly, thinking Veronica is only desperate for attention. Shortly after, Heather M. tries to kill herself by overdosing in the bathroom («Shine A Light (Reprise)») but Veronica stops her. J.D., carrying a gun, again tries to persuade Veronica to kill Heather D., realising how unstable he is, Veronica breaks up with him («Hey Yo, Westerburg»).

J.D. blackmails Heather D. into making the student body sign a petition. Martha, mourning Ram, jumps off a bridge («Kindergarten Boyfriend») but survives. Veronica rushes to the hospital, taunted by the ghosts of Heather C., Kurt and Ram, («Yo Girl»). She returns home, where J.D. breaks in. As she barricades herself in the closet, he reveals the petition, signed by every student, is actually a mass suicide note, his plan to blow up the pep rally will look like a mass suicide. He breaks open the closet to find Veronica dangling from a noose. Grief-stricken, he leaves to complete his plan («Meant To Be Yours»).

Veronica, having faked her suicide, races to stop J.D. («Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)») She confronts him in the boiler room, in their struggle, J.D. is shot. Unable to disarm the bomb, Veronica takes it to the empty football field. J.D. convinces her to let him take the bomb instead («I Am Damaged»), it explodes, killing him alone. Returning to school, Veronica takes the red scrunchie from Heather D. and ends the era of social ridicule. Veronica invites Martha and Heather M. to hang out, rent a movie and be kids before childhood is over («Seventeen (Reprise)»).

Music[]

Off-Broadway[]

Act I[]

• «Beautiful» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Fight For Me» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store (Playoff)» — Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M. †

• «Freeze Your Brain» – J.D.

• «Big Fun» – Ram, Kurt, Veronica, Heather C. Heather D., Heather M. and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare» – Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students †

• «Me Inside of Me» – Heather C., Veronica, J.D., Officer Milner, Officer McCord, Mr. Gowan, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper, Martha and Students

• «Blue» – Ram, Kurt, Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Blue (Reprise)» – Ram, Kurt, Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper, Mr. Gowan and Students †

• «Blue (Playoff)» — Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram and Students †

• «Our Love Is God» – J.D. and Veronica,

Act II[]

• «Prom Or Hell?» – Veronica †

• «My Dead Gay Son» – Bill, Paul, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming and Students

• «Seventeen» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Shine A Light» – Ms. Fleming, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Lifeboat» – Heather M.

• «Shine A Light (Reprise)» – Heather D., Mr. Gowan and Students

• «Hey Yo, Westerburg» – Heather M., Heather D. and Students †

• «Kindergarten Boyfriend» – Martha

• «Yo Girl» – Heather C., Kurt and Ram

• «Meant To Be Yours» – J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)» – Veronica, J.D., Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «I Am Damaged» – J.D. and Veronica

• «Seventeen (Reprise)» – Veronica, Martha, Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

West End[]

Act I[]

• «Beautiful» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M.

• «Fight For Me» – Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Candy Store (Playoff)» – Heather C., Heather D. and Heather M. †

• «Freeze Your Brain» – J.D.

• «Big Fun» – Ram, Kurt, Veronica, Heather C., Heather D., Heather M. and Students

• «Dead Girl Walking» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare» – Heather C., Heather D., Heather M., Kurt, Ram, Martha, Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students †

• «The Me Inside Of Me» – Heather C., Veronica, J.D., Officer Milner, Officer McCord, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper, Ms. Fleming, Martha and Students

• «You’re Welcome» – Ram, Kurt and Veronica

• «Never Shut Up Again» – Heather D., Heather M., Ram, Kurt and Students

• «Our Love is God» – J.D. and Veronica

Act II[]

• «Prom or Hell?» – Veronica †

• «My Dead Gay Son» – Bill, Paul, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Martha, Ms. Fleming and Students

• «Seventeen» – Veronica and J.D.

• «Shine A Light» – Ms. Fleming, Veronica, J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

• «Lifeboat» – Heather M.

• «Shine A Light (Reprise)» – Heather D. and Students

• «I Say No» — Veronica

• «He Yo, Westerburg» – Heather M., Mr. Gowan and Students †

• «Kindergarten Boyfriend» – Martha

• «Yo Girl» – Heather C., Kurt and Ram

• «Meant To Be Yours» – J.D., Heather D., Heather M., Mr. Ripper And Students

• «Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)» – Veronica, J.D., Heather M., Heather D. and Students

• «I Am Damaged» – J.D. and Veronica

• «Seventeen (Reprise)» – Veronica, Martha, Heather M., Heather D., Ms. Fleming, Mr. Gowan, Mr. Ripper and Students

«You’re Welcome» replaces «Blue», a song on the World Premiere Cast Recording. «You’re Welcome» was originally written by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy for the High School Edition but was added to the official show beginning with the 2018 West End production. Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy preferred «You’re Welcome» as they had come to feel that «Blue» was a bit lazy and had inadvertently trivialized the lead character’s fears, given that Veronica is cornered by two drunk, entitled high school football stars who refused to hear the word «no». While «Blue» contained no dialogue for Veronica, by contrast «You’re Welcome» allows Veronica to express her fears and solve her problem, defeating her assailants decisively. As well as providing a more empowering alternative for Veronica, the new song remedies the way that «Blue» was often considered as “treating date rape as a laughing matter” and presenting sexual assault or harassment as “boyish antics”, due to the comical nature of the song.

A new song for Heather D., «Never Shut Up Again», was also added for the West End run, replacing «Blue (Reprise)». For the 2017 workshop, there was a different song to replace «Blue (Reprise)», which became «Big Fun (Reprise)», part of which is now included in «Never Shut Up Again». In the last week at The Other Palace, the authors added a new song after «Shine A Light (Reprise)» called «I Say No», in which Veronica finally dumps J.D. when he proposes a return to murdering, telling him «you need help I can’t provide» and walking out on him. The song remained in the show for the Theater Royal Haymarket run and was released on February 15th, 2019 as the first single on the West End cast album.

History[]

Background[]

The show’s director, Andy Fickman had been working with Daniel Waters, the screenwriter of the film, on the musical. After seeing Laurence O’Keefe’s work with Legally Blonde and how he transitioned film to theatre, he decided to pair him with Reefer Madness collaborator Kevin Murphy. Andy Fickman said of the experience, «we found that Heathers gave a great deal of opportunity for 80s commentary and a great chance for music and storytelling».

Productions[]

2009 Reading[]

Three private readings of the work in progress were held in Los Angeles in 2009, each starring Kristen Bell as Veronica Sawyer. The first was in March at the Endeavor Talent Agency in Beverly Hills starring Christian Campbell as J.D., the second in June at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, starring Scott Porter as J.D. and the third in December at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood, starring James Snyder as J.D. In each reading, Jenna Leigh Green, Corri English and Christine Lakin played Heather Chandler, Heather McNamara and Heather Duke respectively.

2010 Reading[]

On September 13th — 14th 2010, Heathers was presented as a concert reading at Joe’s Pub in New York. The show was directed by Andy Fickman and it starred Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica Sawyer, Jeremy Jordan as J.D., Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler, Corri English as Heather McNamara, Christine Lakin as Heather Duke, James Snyder as Kurt Kelly, PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney, Julie Garnyé as Martha Dunnstock, Eric Leviton as Bill Sweeney, Kevin Pariseau as Paul Kelly and Mr. Gowan, Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer, Tom Compton as Hipster Dork and Preppy Kid, Alex Ellis as Goth Girl, English Teacher and Young Republicanette and Kelly Karbacz as Stoner Chick and School Psychologist.

2013 Workshop[]

The show played at The Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles for a limited engagement on the weekends from September 21st — October 6th, 2013. The cast included Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica, Ryan McCartan as J.D., Sarah Halford as Heather C., Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather D. and Elle McLemore as Heather M. Elle McLemore was the only Heather to remain with the cast when the show transferred to Off-Broadway, but after Alice Lee left the production, Kristolyn Lloyd reprised her role as Heather D.

Off-Broadway[]

In 2013, it was announced that Heathers: The Musical would be brought to Off-Broadway, previews begin in March at New World Stages in New York, directed by Andy Fickman. Coincidentally, New World was also the name of the original film’s distributor. In February 2014, the cast was announced, including Barrett Wilbert Weed, Ryan McCartan, and Elle McLemore reprising their roles as Veronica, J.D. and Heather M., respectively, with new additions to the cast being Jessica Keenan Wynn as Heather C., Alice Lee as Heather D. and Tony Award winner, Anthony Crivello as Bill Sweeney and Big Bud Dean. The show began previews on March 15th, 2014 and opened on March 31st, 2014. A cast album was recorded on April 15th and 16th, 2014 with an in-store and digital release of June 17th, 2014. It was released a week early on June 10th, 2014. Heathers: The Musical played its final performance at New World Stages on August 4th, 2014.

Australia[]

The Australian premiere of Heathers: The Musical at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney was staged in July 22nd – August 9th, 2015. Directed by Trevor Ashley with choreography by Cameron Mitchell, it starred Jaz Flowers as Veronica Sawyer, Stephen Madsen as J.D., Lucy Maunder as Heather Chandler, Erin Clare as Heather McNamara and Libby Asciak as Heather Duke. The well-received production transferred the following year, with mostly the same cast, for seasons in Brisbane on January 9th — 17th, 2016 at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Melbourne on May 11th — 22nd, 2016 at the Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney on June 8th — 26th, 2016 at the Sydney Opera House.

New York[]

In October 14th — 23th, 2016 White Plains Performing Arts Center presented the NY Regional Premiere of Heathers: The Musical to sold out audiences.

2017 Workshop[]

A workshop of the musical opened at The Other Palace in London, which held 5 presentations in the studio from May 30th — June 3th, 2017. The workshop featured Charlotte Wakefield as Veronica Sawyer.

Off-West End[]

Following the workshop, the musical had its official London premiere in the theatre at The Other Palace in London, from June 9th — August 4th, 2018, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer, Jamie Muscato as J.D., Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney, Edward Baruwa as Bill Sweeney and Jon Boydon as Paul Kelly. The production was produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, directed again by Andy Fickman and with choreographer and associate director Gary Lloyd. For the Off-West End production «Blue» has been changed to the new song «You’re Welcome» and Heather Duke has received her own song «Never Shut Up Again» as well as a few script changes.

West End[]

Heathers: The Musical transferred to West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, running from September 3th — November 24th, 2018. A new song for Veronica, «I Say No,» as well as a few script changes to Act 2 were added for the transfer. A West End cast recording was released on Ghostlight Records on March 1st. The album premiered at #1 on the iTunes UK Soundtracks Charts and at #2 on the iTunes UK Album charts. The album premiered at #24 on the Official Albums Chart. On March 3th, 2019, Heathers The Musical won the Best New Musical award at London’s Whatsonstage.com Awards. Carrie Hope Fletcher also won for Best Actress In A Musical.

UK Tour[]

On October 3th, 2019 it was announced on the Bill Kenwright LTD twitter account that Heathers: The Musical would be embarking on a UK Tour in 2020 starting in June with casting and the tour locations to be announced soon.

Cast[]

2009 Reading[]

• Kristen Bell as Veronica Sawyer

• Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler

• Christine Lakin as Heather Duke

• Corri English as Heather McNamara

• Christian Campbell and Scott Porter as J.D.

• Julie Garnye as Martha Dunnstock

• James Snyder as Kurt Kelly and J.D.

• PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney

• Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Zachary Ford as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Eric Leviton as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

2010 Reading[]

• Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica Sawyer

• Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler

• Christine Lakin as Heather Duke

• Corri English as Heather McNamara

• Jeremy Jordan as J.D.

• Julie Garnye as Martha Dunnstock

• James Snyder as Kurt Kelly

• PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney

• Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Zachary Ford as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Eric Leviton as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

2013 Workshop[]

• Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica Sawyer

• Sarah Halford as Heather Chandler

• Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather Duke

• Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara

• Ryan McCartan as J.D.

• Katie Ladner as Martha Dunnstock

• Evan Todd as Kurt Kelly

• Jon Eidson as Ram Sweeney

• Rena Strober as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Daniel Cooney as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Rex Smith as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• AJ Meijer as Officer Milner

• Trevor Shor as Officer McCord

Off-Broadway[]

• Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica Sawyer

• Jessica Keenan Wynn and Charissa Hogeland as Heather Chandler

• Alice Lee and Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather Duke

• Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara

• Ryan McCartan as J.D.

• Katie Ladner as Martha Dunnstock

• Evan Todd as Kurt Kelly

• Jon Eidson as Ram Sweeney

• Michelle Duffy as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Daniel Cooney as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Anthony Crivello as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• AJ Meijer as Officer Milner

• Dan Domenech as Officer McCord

Australia[]

• Jaz Flowers as Veronica Sawyer

• Lucy Maunder and Kirby Burgess as Heather Chandler

• Libby Asciak as Heather Duke

• Erin Clare and Rebecca Hetherington as Heather McNamara

• Stephen Madsen as J.D.

• Lauren McKenna as Martha Dunnstock and Ms. Fleming

• Vincent Hooper as Kurt Kelly and Paul Kelly

• Jakob Ambrose as Ram Sweeney and Bill Sweeney

• Michelle Barr as Mrs. Sawyer

• Stephen McDowell as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Officer Milner

• Leigh Sleightholme as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Officer McCord

New York[]

• Kerri George as Veronica Sawyer

• Melody Wilson as Heather Chandler

• Deanna Giulietti as Heather Duke

• Mary Mondlock as Heather McNamara

• Nathan Cockroft as J.D.

• Kristen Kane as Martha Dunnstock

• Ethan Kirschbaum as Kurt Kelly

• Jack Plozay as Ram Sweeney

• Madison Washer as Ms. Fleming

• Jay Howard as Paul Kelly

• Jack Boice as Bill Sweeney

2017 Workshop[]

• Charlotte Wakefield as Veronica Sawyer

• Amy Ross as Heather Chandler

• Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Lizzie Bea as Martha Dunnstock

• Liam Doyle as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Andy Brady as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Simon Bailey as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

Off-West End[]

• Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer

• Jodie Steele as Heather Chandler

• T’Shan Williams as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Jenny O’Leary as Martha Dunnstock

• Christopher Chung as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Jon Boydon as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Edward Baruwa as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• Sergio Pasquariello as Officer Milner

• Alex James Hatton as Officer McCord

West End[]

• Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer

• Jodie Steele as Heather Chandler

• T’Shan Williams as Heather Duke

• Sophie Isaacs as Heather McNamara

• Jamie Muscato as J.D.

• Jenny O’Leary as Martha Dunnstock

• Christopher Chung as Kurt Kelly

• Dominic Andersen as Ram Sweeney

• Rebecca Lock as Ms. Fleming and Mrs. Sawyer

• Jon Boydon as Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Gowan and Paul Kelly

• Nathan Amzi as Big Bud Dean, Mr. Ripper and Bill Sweeney

• Sergio Pasquariello as Officer Milner

• John Lumsden as Officer McCord

Heathers
The Musical
Off-Broadway promotional poster
Music	Laurence O’Keefe Kevin Murphy
Lyrics	Laurence O’Keefe Kevin Murphy
Book	Laurence O’Keefe Kevin Murphy
Basis	Heathers by Daniel Waters
Productions	2009 Workshop 2010 New York Concert 2013 Los Angeles 2014 Off-Broadway 2018 Off-West End 2018 West End 2019 São Paulo Brazil 2021 West End 2021 UK & Ireland tour 2021 Off-West End 2023 UK & Ireland tour 2021 São Paulo Brazil 2023 Buenos Aires

Heathers: The Musical is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, based on the 1989 film of the same name written by Daniel Waters.^[1] The producers include J. Todd Harris, Amy Powers, RJ Hendricks, and Andy Cohen. After a sold-out Los Angeles tryout, the show moved Off-Broadway in 2014. After the run in 2014, the show had an Off-West End run in 2018 and then transferred to the West End in 2018 for a limited engagement.

Although the show is a high-energy black comedy, it opens conversations about dark issues, including bullying, teen suicide, sexual assault, and school violence.^[2]

Synopsis[edit]

Act 1[edit]

In 1989, 17-year-old Veronica Sawyer despairs at Westerberg High School’s hellish social hierarchy, where students like the plus-size Martha Dunnstock (Veronica’s best friend) are tormented by jocks Ram Sweeney and Kurt Kelly, and the school is ruled by the Heathers: weak-willed Heather McNamara, bulimic and petty but repressed Heather Duke, and «mythic bitch» Heather Chandler. When Veronica’s talent for forgery gets the Heathers out of detention, they give her a makeover and elevate her to their inner circle («Beautiful»).

Heather C. orders Veronica to forge a love letter from Ram to Martha, tempting Veronica with the promise of popularity («Candy Store»). The mysterious, poetry-quoting new kid, Jason «J.D.» Dean, criticizes Veronica for betraying her friend. After J.D. wins a fight against Ram and Kurt, Veronica finds herself unexpectedly attracted to him («Fight for Me»). Veronica’s parents confess to their daughter that they are not sure they like her new friends and would prefer if she was friends with Martha again. («Candy Store (Playoff)»).

Veronica flirts with J.D. at a 7-Eleven, where he extols the virtues of the Slurpee for numbing his grief («Freeze Your Brain»). At Ram’s homecoming party, Veronica gets increasingly drunk and high («Big Fun»). When the Heathers cruelly prank Martha, Veronica angrily resigns from the clique and vomits on Heather C., who vows to destroy Veronica’s reputation. With nothing left to live for, Veronica breaks into J.D.’s bedroom and has sex with him («Dead Girl Walking»).

After suffering tormenting dreams («Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare»), Veronica, with J.D. in tow, apologizes to Heather C. and mixes hangover cures for her. J.D. adds toxic drain cleaner to his mug and goads Veronica into serving it to Heather C., who drops dead. Veronica panics, but J.D. convinces her to forge a suicide note, which paints a more complex, misunderstood Heather C. This fictionalized version of her wins the school’s sympathy and she becomes even more worshipped in death than she was in life («The Me Inside of Me»).

Veronica tries to get on with her normal life, but she is berated and mocked by Heather C.’s ghost, who warns that she had kept the other two Heathers in check and with her gone, things will get worse. She tries to rescue the remaining Heathers from a drunk Kurt and Ram, who unsuccessfully try to rape her («Blue» or «You’re Welcome»). An unleashed Heather D. assumes Heather C.’s status and symbolic red scrunchie, becoming even more of a tyrant than Heather C. was, while Ram and Kurt tell everyone they had sex with Veronica («Blue (Reprise)» or «Never Shut Up Again»). Veronica is branded a slut («Blue» (Playoff) — not included in West End and future productions), and when J.D. attacks the jocks to defend her, they savagely beat him.

J.D. and Veronica comfort each other and plan a vengeful prank: she will lure the jocks to the cemetery with the promise of making their fictional threesome real, then together they will shoot them with tranquilizer «Ich lüge» bullets to knock them out before leaving a forged suicide note confessing, they were gay lovers. When the jocks arrive, J.D. shoots Ram but Veronica misses Kurt. As she realizes Ram is dead and the bullets are real, J.D. shoots Kurt dead and proclaims his undying love to a horrified Veronica («Our Love Is God»).

Act 2[edit]

At Ram and Kurt’s funeral, a distraught Veronica reflects that they could have outgrown their immaturity («Prom or Hell?»). Grief-stricken, Ram’s Dad chastises Kurt’s Dad for remaining homophobic, until the latter suddenly kisses the former, revealing their own secret love affair. Confession brings catharsis and all vow to make the world a more tolerant place («My Dead Gay Son»). Convinced the murders are for the greater good, J.D. urges Veronica to target Heather D. next. She refuses, so he complains about doing nothing in the face of injustice, revealing he witnessed his mother’s suicide as a young boy, straining his relationship with his father and causing their constant moving around. Veronica gives him an ultimatum: give up violence and live a normal life with her or lose her forever («Seventeen»). J.D. agrees and they reconcile. Martha tells Veronica she suspects J.D. of murdering the jocks, believing Ram’s «love note» is proof. Veronica, urged on by Heather C.’s ghost, confesses that she forged the note to humiliate Martha, who runs off in tears.

Guidance counselor Mrs. Fleming holds a televised therapy assembly («Shine a Light»). She urges everyone to reveal their fears and insecurities, but only Heather M. admits to suicidal thoughts («Lifeboat»). Heather D. mocks her and whips the students into a frenzy. Veronica lashes out and blurts out a confession — «they didn’t kill themselves! I killed them!» — but everyone laughs mockingly, believing she is only desperate for attention. Shortly after, Heather M. tries to kill herself by overdosing in the bathroom, while Heather D. taunts her in her subconscious («Shine a Light (Reprise)»), but Veronica stops her. J.D., carrying a gun, tries to persuade Veronica to kill Heather D. once more. Realizing how unstable he is, Veronica breaks up with him. («I Say No» in the West End version)

J.D. blackmails Heather D. into making the student body sign a petition. Martha, mourning Ram, jumps off a bridge («Kindergarten Boyfriend»), but survives. Veronica rushes to the hospital, taunted by the ghosts of Kurt, Ram, and Heather C.; with her parents attempting to assure her that they have been through everything she is going through («Yo Girl»). She returns home, where J.D. breaks in. As she barricades herself in the closet, he reveals the petition, signed by every student, is actually a mass suicide note — along with his plans to blow up the pep rally and make it look like a mass suicide, using his father’s demolition expertise to devise the plan. He breaks open the closet to find Veronica dangling from a noose. Grief-stricken, he leaves to complete his plan («Meant to Be Yours»).

Veronica, having faked her suicide, races to stop J.D. («Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)»). She confronts him in the boiler room, but in their struggle, J.D. is shot. Unable to disarm the detonator, Veronica takes it to the empty football field, out of range to detonate the bombs. J.D. convinces her to let him take the detonator instead («I Am Damaged»). It explodes, killing him alone.

Returning to school, Veronica takes the red scrunchie from Heather D, kisses her on the cheek and ends the era of social ridicule. Veronica invites Martha and Heather M to hang out (depending on blocking, Heather D is also included in some productions), rent a movie, and be kids before childhood is over («Seventeen (Reprise)»).

Musical numbers[edit]

† Not featured on any of the cast recordings.
†† Songs added to the West End version and all future productions.

«You’re Welcome» replaces «Blue», a song on the World Premiere Cast Recording. «You’re Welcome» was originally written by O’Keefe and Murphy for the High School edition but was added to the official show beginning with the 2018 London production. O’Keefe and Murphy preferred «You’re Welcome» as «Blue» had been perceived by audiences as “treating date rape as a laughing matter” and trivializing the issue by presenting it as comical, “boyish antics”. When asked to comment on the choice to replace the track, O’Keefe and Murphy stated that «‘You’re Welcome’ doesn’t shy away from showing that Veronica is in real danger from these two drunk football assholes.»^[2]

A new song for Heather Duke, «Never Shut Up Again», was also added for the London run, replacing «Blue (Reprise)». For the 2017 workshop, there was a different song to replace «Blue (Reprise)», which became «Big Fun (Reprise)», part of which is now included in «Never Shut Up Again». In the last week at The Other Palace, the authors added a new song after «Shine a Light (Reprise)» called «I Say No», in which Veronica finally dumps J.D. when he proposes a return to murdering, telling him «You need help I can’t provide» and walking out on him. The song remained in the show for the Haymarket run and was released on February 15, 2019, as the first single on the West End cast album.

Background[edit]

Andy Cohen and J. Todd Harris secured the rights from Daniel Waters (the screenwriter of the film) and immediately thought of Andy Fickman to direct. After seeing Laurence O’Keefe’s work with Legally Blonde and how he transitioned film to theatre, he decided to pair him with Reefer Madness collaborator Kevin Murphy. Originally, lyricist Amy Powers was on the creative team, but she transitioned to joining producers Cohen and Harris. Fickman, Murphy and O’Keefe were also producers on the original productions in Los Angeles and New York. Fickman said of the experience, «we found that Heathers gave a great deal of opportunity for ’80s commentary and a great chance for music and storytelling.»^[3]

Productions[edit]

Development[edit]

Three private readings of the work in progress were held in Los Angeles in 2009, each starring Kristen Bell as Veronica. The first was in March at the Beverly Hills offices of Endeavor Agency (starring Christian Campbell as J.D.); the second in June at the Hudson Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard (starring Scott Porter as J.D.); and the third in December at the Coast Theatre in West Hollywood, starring James Snyder as J.D. In each reading, Jenna Leigh Green, Corri English, and Christine Lakin played Heather Chandler, Heather McNamara and Heather Duke respectively.^[4]

On September 13–14, 2010, Heathers was presented as a concert at Joe’s Pub. The show was directed by Andy Fickman, and it starred Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica Sawyer, Jeremy Jordan as Jason Dean, Jenna Leigh Green as Heather Chandler, Corri English as Heather McNamara, and Christine Lakin as Heather Duke, James Snyder as Kurt Kelly, PJ Griffith as Ram Sweeney, Julie Garnyé as Martha «Dumptruck» Dunnstock, Eric Leviton as Ram’s Dad, Kevin Pariseau as Kurt’s Dad/Principal, Jill Abramovitz as Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom, Tom Compton as Hipster Dork/Preppy Kid, Alex Ellis as Goth Girl/English Teacher/Young Republicanette, and [Lindsey Guerra as Stoner Chick/School Psychologist.^[5]

Los Angeles[edit]

The show played at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles for a limited engagement on the weekends from September 21, 2013, to October 6, 2013. The cast included Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica, Ryan McCartan as J.D., Sarah Halford as Heather Chandler, Kristolyn Lloyd as Heather Duke, and Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara. McLemore was the only Heather to remain with the cast when the show transferred to Off-Broadway, but after Alice Lee left the production, Kristolyn Lloyd reprised her role as Heather Duke. The production was music directed by Ryan Shore.^[6]

Off-Broadway[edit]

In 2013, it was announced that Heathers: The Musical would be brought to Off-Broadway, previews beginning in March at New World Stages, directed by Andy Fickman. Coincidentally, New World is also the name of the original film’s distributor. In February 2014, the cast was announced, including Barrett Wilbert Weed, Ryan McCartan, and Elle McLemore reprising their roles as Veronica, J.D., and Heather McNamara, respectively, with new additions to the cast being Jessica Keenan Wynn as Heather Chandler, Alice Lee as Heather Duke and Tony Award winner Anthony Crivello as Bill Sweeney/’Big Bud’ Dean.^[7] The show began previews on March 15, 2014, and opened on March 31, 2014.

A cast album was recorded on April 15–16, 2014, with an in-store and digital release of June 17, 2014.^[8] It was released a week early on June 10, 2014.

Heathers: The Musical played its final performance at New World Stages on August 4, 2014.^[9][10]

London[edit]

A workshop of the musical opened at The Other Palace, London which held 5 presentations in the Studio from 30 May to June 3, 2017. The workshop featured Charlotte Wakefield as Veronica Sawyer.^[11]

Following the workshop, the musical had its official London premiere in the Theatre at The Other Palace, London from June 9 to August 4, 2018, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer and Jamie Muscato as J.D.^[12] The production is produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, directed again by Andy Fickman and with choreographer/associate director Gary Lloyd.^[13] For the London production «Blue» has been changed to the new song «You’re Welcome» and Heather Duke has received her own song «Never Shut Up Again» as well as a few script changes.

Heathers transferred to the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, running from September 3, 2018 to November 24, 2018.^[14][13] A new song for Veronica, «I Say No», as well as a few script changes to Act 2 were added for the transfer.

A West End cast recording was released on Ghostlight Records on March 1. The album premiered at No. 1 on the iTunes UK Soundtracks Charts and at #2 on the iTunes UK Album charts. The album premiered at No. 24 on the Official Albums Chart.

On March 3, 2019, Heathers the Musical won the Best New Musical award at London’s WhatsOnStage Awards. Carrie Hope Fletcher also won for Best Actress in a Musical.^[15]

UK/Ireland tours & West End revivals[edit]

On October 3, 2019, it was announced via the Bill Kenwright LTD Twitter account that the show would embark on a UK & Ireland tour in 2020 which was later postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tour opened in Leeds on 5 August 2021 before visiting Liverpool, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham, Canterbury, Manchester, Belfast, Dublin, Brighton, Wimbledon, Bristol, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Cardiff and finishing in Edinburgh.^[16][17] On April 8, 2021, it was announced that Heathers: The Musical would return to the West End on June 21, 2021, and will run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until September 11, 2021. The West End revival cast was announced on May 28, with Jodie Steele reprising her role as Heather Chandler.^[18]
Another London revival was announced, dubbed the «Homecoming», with a limited run at The Other Palace. West End Revival ensemble members Teleri Hughes and Iván Fernández González returned to the production, as did Lizzie Bea, who portrayed Martha Dunnstock during the West End Workshop. The 2022 run at The Other Palace was set for a limited run ending on February 20, before it announced its extended run until May 1, 2022. It then extended its run further, until September 4, 2022. The show then extended until the 19th of February 2023 with a singalong performance on the 18th of January 2023.

The West End revival was filmed in May 2022 at The Other Palace and was released as a Roku Original on September 16, 2022.^[19][20][21]

On October 27, 2022, it was announced via the Heathers Twitter account that the show would embark on another UK & Ireland tour in 2023. It is planned to open in Windsor on 14 February 2023 before visiting Woking, Brighton, Bath, Mold, Stoke-on-Trent, Dublin, York, Birmingham, Aylesbury, Sunderland, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Manchester. More venues are to be announced.^[22][23]

Notable US regional productions[edit]

In 2016 White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) presented the NY Regional Premiere of the production to sold-out audiences.^{[24][25][26][27]} Various local productions have cast a non-male actor as J.D., such as Stanford University’s Ram’s Head Theatrical Society in May 2021^[28][29] featuring Emily Saletan as Janie «J.D.» Dean.^[30]

Australia[edit]

The Australian premiere of Heathers: The Musical at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney was staged in July–August 2015. Directed by Trevor Ashley with choreography by Cameron Mitchell, it starred Jaz Flowers as Veronica Sawyer, Stephen Madsen as J.D., Lucy Maunder as Heather Chandler, Erin Clare as Heather McNamara, and Libby Asciak as Heather Duke.^[31] The well-received production transferred the following year, with mostly the same cast, for seasons in Brisbane (Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre) in January 2016, Melbourne (Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne) in May 2016, and the Sydney Opera House’s Playhouse in June 2016.^[32][33][34]

Brazil[edit]

The Brazilian premiere of Heathers: The Musical at the Viradalata Theatre in São Paulo was staged in October–November 2019. Translated by Rafael Oliveira, directed by Fernanda Chamma and Daniela Stirbulov, with choreography by Mariana Barros, it started with Ana Luiza Ferreira as Veronica Sawyer, Diego Montez and Murilo Armacollo as J.D., Bruna Vivolo and Gigi Debei as Heather Chandler, Veronica Goeldi and Mariana Fernandes as Heather Duke, Carol Amaral, Isa Castro and Luisa Valverde as Heather McNamara. The well-received production soon was announced that it would return in May–June 2020 but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[35][36][37]

Cast[edit]

Character	Joe’s Pub (2010)	Los Angeles (2013)	Off-Broadway (2014)	Off-West End (2018)	West End (2018)	West End revival (2021)	UK tour (2021)	Off-West End revival (2021)	Filmed performance (2022)
Veronica Sawyer	Annaleigh Ashford	Barrett Wilbert Weed	Carrie Hope Fletcher	Christina Bennington	Rebecca Wickes	Ailsa Davidson
Jason «J.D.» Dean	Jeremy Jordan	Ryan McCartan	Jamie Muscato	Jordan Luke Gage	Simon Gordon	Freddie King	Simon Gordon
Heather Chandler	Jenna Leigh Green	Sarah Halford	Jessica Keenan Wynn	Jodie Steele	Maddison Firth	Emma Kingston	Maddison Firth
Heather McNamara	Corri English	Elle McLemore	Sophie Isaacs	Frances Mayli McCann	Lizzy Parker	Teleri Hughes
Heather Duke	Christine Lakin	Kristolyn Lloyd	Alice Lee	T’Shan Williams	Bobbie Little	Merryl Ansah	Inez Budd	Vivian Panka
Martha Dunnstock	Julie Garnye	Katie Ladner	Jenny O’Leary	Madison Swan	Mhairi Angus	Lizzie Bea	Mhairi Angus
Ram Sweeney	PJ Griffith	Jon Eidson	Dominic Andersen	Joaquin Pedro Valdes	Rory Phelan	Tom Scanlon	Rory Phelan
Kurt Kelly	James Snyder	Evan Todd	Chris Chung	Ross Harmon	Liam Doyle	George Maddison	Liam Doyle
Bill Sweeney / Big Bud Dean / Coach Ripper	Eric Leviton	Rex Smith	Anthony Crivello	Edward Baruwa	Nathan Amzi	Simon Bailey	Kurt Kansley	Kieran Brown	Oliver Brooks
Paul Kelly / Mr. Sawyer / Principal Gowan	Kevin Pariseau	Zachary Ford	Daniel Cooney	Jon Boydon	Steven Serlin	Andy Brady	Sam Ferriday	Andy Brady
Mrs. Sawyer / Pauline Fleming	Jill Abramovitz	Rena Strober	Michelle Duffy	Rebecca Lock	Lauren Ward	Georgina Hagen	Vicki Lee Taylor

Critical reception[edit]

Off-Broadway[edit]

Heathers: The Musical‘s 2014 Off-Broadway run was generally received well by critics and audiences alike. The musical was praised for staying true to the film while still having its own original additions to the storyline.^[38] The score and choreography of the musical were also given praise.^[39]

The musical, however, was criticized for the length and its characters not living up to the cast of the original movie. It has also been criticized for taking the dark themes of the source material and sanitizing them with bubbly music and cartoon-like characters.^[40]

Marilyn Stasio, writing for Variety, wrote, «[S]easoned industry pros could pick up a few tips on the Do’s and Don’ts of adapting material from this smartly executed musical treatment of ‘Heathers.'» She praised the lyrics but was not a fan of the music, writing: «Even at their giddiest, the lyrics never dumb down the characters singing them. Wish we could say the same for the music, which is brassy and blah and sounds nothing like the music that made the 80s.»^[41]

The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney stated: «Does the acidic comedy gain anything from being turned into a cartoonish pop musical? Hell, no. But as an extension of the movie’s wicked pleasures, this version has its silly charms, as demonstrated by the rowdy response of the predominantly young audience. It’s not exactly very — to borrow from Heather-speak — but for insatiable fans it might almost be enough, and the tacky high school-style staging seems somehow appropriate.»^[42]

The musical got two out of five stars from The Guardian‘s Alexis Soloski, who wrote: «The off-Broadway adaptation of the 1988 Winona Ryder/Christian Slater teen movie is sunny and snarky, but the dark subject matter calls for something more wicked.»^[43] But Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post gave it four out of five stars, writing «The first act moves briskly as director Andy Fickman and his cast wring every last comic drop out of the script and songs… The production nearly derails in Act II, having killed off its antagonists. The film had the same problem, but here the sweetened worldview saps the grand finale of its effectiveness. Still, seeing “Heathers” onstage is a joy.»^[44]

Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly was harsher, giving the musical a C− rating: «Heathers: The Musical misses just about everything that made the film great, making it not only a colossally disappointing adaptation of a beloved property but also a generally unpleasant theater experience.»^[45]

West End[edit]

The London production received mixed reception and was flagged by some critics because they felt complex issues such as homosexuality, bulimia and suicide were made light of for comedic effect, making parts of the show feel «dated and uncomfortable for a 2018 audience.»^[46]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Original Off-Broadway production[edit]

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
2014	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Music	Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy	Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Barrett Wilbert Weed	Nominated
Lucille Lortel Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical	Nominated
Outstanding Choreographer	Marguerite Derricks	Nominated

Original West End production[edit]

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
2019	WhatsOnStage Awards[47]	Best New Musical	Won
Best Actor in a Musical	Jamie Muscato	Nominated
Best Actress in a Musical	Carrie Hope Fletcher	Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical	Jodie Steele	Nominated
Best Direction	Andy Fickman	Nominated
Best Lighting Design	Ben Cracknell	Nominated

Heathers: The Musical (High School Edition)[edit]

Following its 2014 Off-Broadway run, the musical gained cult status from audiences that mirrored the characters at the fictional Westerberg High, and multiple high schools were putting in requests for the licensing rights; accordingly, an abridged «PG-13» version was prepared, newly revised by writers Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, iTheatrics, and licensing company Samuel French specifically for student productions.^[48] Most of the profanity in the show was deleted, «Big Fun», «Dead Girl Walking», and the majority of the songs received rewritten lyrics and one new song, «You’re Welcome» was written for the show to replace «Blue». The original playwrights—O’Keefe and Murphy—have since publicly stated that they prefer «You’re Welcome» to «Blue», and the change was officially made for the London production of Heathers in June 2018.

The world premiere of Heathers: The Musical (High School Edition) took place on September 15, 2016, at Pearce Theatre, J.J. Pearce High School, Richardson, Texas.^[49][48]

Brazilian version[edit]

The Brazilian version of Heathers: The Musical (High School Edition) or «Heathers — A Teen Musical» was set to open in 2020 at the Stunt Burger,^[50] but because of the COVID-19 pandemic it made some changes. The version was well received by both the audience and critics.
^[51]

In popular culture[edit]

In 2019, a high school production of the musical is the focus of the «Chapter Fifty-One: Big Fun» episode of Riverdale. The Riverdale cast album of the musical was produced via WaterTower Music. The lyrics from the songs in the episode are from the High School Edition of the musical with most of the profanity deleted.^[52][53]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Heathers — The Musical on Facebook

Верески
Музыкальный
Рекламный плакат Off-Broadway
Музыка	Лоуренс О’Киф Кевин Мерфи
Текст песни	Лоуренс О’Киф Кевин Мерфи
Книга	Лоуренс О’Киф Кевин Мерфи
Основа	Верески к Дэниел Уотерс
Производство	2009 Мастерская 2010 Нью-Йорк Концерт 2013 Лос-Анджелес 2014 Off-Broadway 2018 Off-West End 2018 Уэст-Энд

Верески: Мюзикл это рок-мюзикл с музыкой, текстами и книгой Лоуренс О’Киф и Кевин Мерфи, на основе 1989 одноименный фильм написано Дэниел Уотерс. Производители включают Дж. Тодд Харрис, Эми Пауэрс, и Энди Коэн. Р.Дж. Хендрикс был исполнительным продюсером проекта. После аншлага Лос-Анджелес проба, шоу переместилось Off-Broadway в 2014 году. После запуска в 2014 году шоу было проведено в Off-West End в 2018 году, а затем было перенесено в Уэст-Энд в 2018 году для ограниченного участия.

Пока шоу энергичное черная комедия, он открывает разговоры о темных проблемах, включая издевательства, самоубийства подростков, сексуальное насилие и насилие в школе.^[1]

Синопсис

Акт 1

В 1989 году 17-летняя Вероника Сойер приходит в отчаяние в адской социальной иерархии Вестербургской средней школы, где таких учениц, как Марта Даннсток, мучают спортсмены Рэм Суини и Курт Келли, а школой правят Хизеры: безвольная Хизер Макнамара, булимия и мелкая Хизер Дюк, и «мифическая сука» Хизер Чендлер. Когда талант Вероники к подделка вытаскивает Вересков из заключения, они меняют ее и возводят в свой внутренний круг («Прекрасная»).

Чендлер обнаруживает влюбленность Марты в Рама и приказывает Веронике подделать любовное письмо от него Марте; соблазняя Веронику обещанием популярности («Магазин сладостей»). Таинственный, цитирующий стихи новый ребенок, Джейсон «ДжейДи». Дин критикует Веронику за предательство подруги. После того, как ДжейДи побеждает в бою против Рэма и Курта, Вероника неожиданно испытывает к нему влечение («Сражайтесь за меня»). Родители Вероники признаются дочери, что не уверены, что им нравятся ее новые друзья, и предпочли бы, чтобы она снова дружила с Мартой. («Конфетная лавка (Плей-офф)»).

Вероника флиртует с Джей Ди на 7-Eleven, где он превозносит достоинства Slurpee для того, чтобы заглушить его горе («Заморозь свой мозг»). На вечеринке по случаю возвращения Рэма Вероника становится все более пьяной и кайфовой («Big Fun»). Когда Верески жестоко разыграли Марту, Вероника в гневе уходит из клика и рвота на туфлях Чендлера. Ее репутация в руинах, Вероника врывается в спальню ДжейДи и теряет с ним девственность («Мертвая девочка идет»).

После мучительных снов («Кошмар Вероники Чендлер») Вероника с Джей Ди на буксире извиняется перед Чендлером и смешивает Похмелье лекарства для нее. J.D. добавляет токсичный очиститель слива к его кружке в шутку, но кружки случайно меняются. ДжейДи замечает это, но ничего не говорит Веронике. Чендлер пьет из отравленной кружки и умирает. Вероника паникует, но ДжейДи убеждает ее подделать предсмертную записку; который рисует более сложного, неправильно понятого Чендлера. Эта беллетризованная ее версия завоевывает симпатию школы, и после смерти ей поклоняются даже больше, чем при жизни («Я внутри меня»).

Вероника пытается продолжить свою обычную жизнь, но призрак Чендлера ругает и насмехается над ней. Она пытается спасти Вересков от пьяных Курта и Рама, которые агрессивно умоляют ее о сексе, но она дает им еще алкоголя, пока они не теряют сознание («Синий» или «Добро пожаловать»). Герцог принимает статус Чендлера и символический красный цвет. резинка для волос в то время как Рам и Курт рассказывают всем, что у них был секс с Вероникой («Блу (Реприза)» или «Никогда не заткнись снова»). Веронику называют шлюхой («Синяя» (Плей-офф) — не входит в Вест-Энд и будущие постановки), и когда ДжейДи нападает на спортсменов, чтобы защитить ее, они жестоко избивают его.

Джей Ди и Вероника утешают друг друга и планируют розыгрыш мести: она заманит спортсменов на кладбище обещанием сделать их вымышленный секс втроем реальным, а затем вместе они выстрелят в них пулями с транквилизатором «Ich Lüge», чтобы нокаутировать их, прежде чем покинуть дом сфальсифицированная предсмертная записка, в которой признается, что они были любовниками-геями. Когда прибывают спортсмены, ДжейДи стреляет в Рэма, но Вероника скучает по Курту. Когда она понимает, что Рам мертв и пули настоящие, Джей Ди застреливает Курта мертвым и провозглашает свою бессмертную любовь перепуганной Веронике («Наша любовь — это Бог»).

Акт 2

На похоронах Рэма и Курта обезумевшая Вероника размышляет, что они могли перерасти свою незрелость («Выпускной вечер или ад?»). Убитый горем, папа барана наказывает папу Курта за то, что тот остался. гомофобный, пока последний внезапно не поцелует первого; раскрывая свою тайную любовную связь. Исповедь приносит катарсис и все клянутся сделать мир более терпимым местом («Мой мертвый веселый сын»). Убежденный, что убийства направлены на всеобщее благо, ДжейДи убеждает Веронику следующим образом убить Герцога. Она отказывается, поэтому он жалуется, что ничего не делает перед лицом несправедливости, показывая, что был свидетелем самоубийства своей матери. Вероника ставит ему ультиматум: отказаться от насилия и жить с ней нормальной жизнью или потерять ее навсегда («Семнадцать»). ДжейД соглашается, и они примиряются. Марта говорит Веронике, что подозревает Джей Ди в убийстве спортсменов, полагая, что «любовная записка» Рама является доказательством. Вероника, подстрекаемая призраком Чендлера, признается, что подделала записку, чтобы унизить Марту, которая в слезах убегает.

Консультант-консультант г-жа Флеминг проводит переданное по телевидению терапевтическое собрание («Сияй свет»). Она призывает всех раскрыть свои страхи и неуверенность, но только Макнамара допускает суицидальные мысли («Спасательная шлюпка»). Герцог издевается над ней и доводит студентов до безумия. Вероника набрасывается и выпаливает признание: «Они не убивали себя! Я убила их!» — но все насмешливо смеются, полагая, что она только отчаянно нуждается во внимании. Вскоре после этого Макнамара пытается покончить с собой передозировкой в ​​ванной («Сияй свет (Реприза)»), но Вероника останавливает ее. ДжейДи с пистолетом пытается убедить Веронику убить Герцога еще раз. Понимая, насколько он нестабилен, Вероника расстается с ним.

Джей Ди шантажирует Герцога, заставляя студенчество подписать петицию. Марта, оплакивая Барана, прыгает с моста («Парень из детского сада»), но выживает. Вероника спешит в больницу, насмехаясь над призраками Курта, Рама и Чендлера; с ее родителями, пытающимися уверить ее, что они прошли через все, через что она проходит («Yo Girl»). Она возвращается домой, где врывается Джей Ди. Когда она забаррикадировалась в туалете, он обнаруживает, что петиция, подписанная каждым учеником, на самом деле представляет собой массовую предсмертную записку — наряду с его планами взорвать митинг и сделать его похожим на массовое самоубийство. Он открывает шкаф и обнаруживает, что Вероника свисает с петли. Убитый горем, он уходит, чтобы завершить свой план («Предназначен быть твоим»).

Вероника, инсценировав самоубийство, мчится, чтобы остановить Джей Ди («Мертвая девочка идет (Реприза)»). Она противостоит ему в котельной, но в их борьбе ДжейДи застрелен. Невозможно обезвредить бомбу, Вероника выносит ее на пустое футбольное поле. ДжейДи убеждает ее позволить ему взять бомбу вместо этого («Я поврежден»). Он взрывается, убивая его одного.

Вернувшись в школу, Вероника забирает у герцога красную резиновую резинку и заканчивает эпоху социальных насмешек. Вероника предлагает Марте и оставшимся Хизер потусоваться, взять фильм напрокат и стать детьми до того, как закончится детство («Семнадцать (Реприза)»).

Музыкальные номера

† Не фигурирует ни в одной из записей актеров.
†† Песни, добавленные в версию West End и все будущие постановки.

«You Welcome» заменяет «Blue», песню на записи World Premiere Cast Recording. «You Welcome» изначально был написан О’Киф и Мерфи для выпуска для старших классов, но был добавлен в официальное шоу, начиная с лондонского производства 2018 года. О’Киф и Мерфи предпочли «Добро пожаловать!», Поскольку они пришли к выводу, что «Синий» был немного ленив и непреднамеренно опошлил страхи главного героя (учитывая, что Веронику загнали в угол двое пьяных звезд футбола из старшей школы. который отказался слышать слово «нет»). В то время как «Синий» не содержал диалогов для Вероники, «Добро пожаловать», напротив, позволяет Веронике выразить свои страхи и решить свою проблему, решительно победив нападавших. Новая песня не только предоставляет более вдохновляющую альтернативу для Вероники, но и исправляет то, что «Blue» часто рассматривалось как «относиться к изнасилованию на свидании как к смеху» и представлять сексуальное насилие или домогательства как «мальчишеские выходки» из-за комической характер песни.^[2]

Новая песня Хизер Дьюк «Never Shut Up Again» также была добавлена ​​к лондонскому тиражу, заменив «Blue (Reprise)». Для семинара 2017 года была другая песня, которая заменила «Blue (Reprise)», которая стала «Big Fun (Reprise)», часть которой теперь включена в «Never Shut Up Again». На прошлой неделе в The Other Palace авторы добавили новую песню после «Shine a Light (Reprise)» под названием «I Say No», в которой Вероника, наконец, бросает JD, когда он предлагает вернуться к убийствам, говоря ему, что «вам нужно помощь, которую я не могу предоставить »и уходит от него. Песня осталась в шоу для пробега Хеймаркет и была выпущена 15 февраля 2019 года как первый сингл на литом альбоме Вест-Энда.

Фон

Энди Коэн и Дж. Тодд Харрис обеспечил права отДэниел Уотерс (сценарист) (сценарист фильма) и сразу подумал оЭнди Фикман направлять. Увидев работу Лоуренса О’Киф с «Блондинкой в ​​законе» и то, как он перевел фильм в театр, он решил объединить его сReefer Madness (мюзикл) сотрудникКевин Мерфи (сценарист). Первоначально автор текстовЭми Пауэрс была в творческой группе, но она перешла к продюсерам Коэну и Харрису. Фикман, Мерфи и О’Киф также были продюсерами оригинальных постановок в Лос-Анджелесе и Нью-Йорке. Фикман сказал об этом опыте: «Мы обнаружили, что Хизерс дал прекрасную возможность для комментариев 80-х и отличную возможность для музыки и рассказывания историй».

Производство

Разработка

В 2009 году в Лос-Анджелесе было проведено три частных чтения незавершенной работы, в каждом из которых снялись Кристен Белл как Вероника. Первый был в марте в офисе агентства Endeavour в Беверли-Хиллз (в главной роли Кристиан Кэмпбелл как J.D.); второй в июне в Гудзонском театре на бульваре Санта-Моника (в главной роли Скотт Портер как J.D.); и третий — в декабре в Coast Theatre в Западном Голливуде, в главной роли Джеймс Снайдер как J.D. В каждом чтении Дженна Ли Грин, Корри Инглиш, и Кристин Лакин сыграли Хизер Чендлер, Хизер Макнамара и Хизер Дьюк соответственно.^[3]

13–14 сентября 2010 г. концерт Heathers был представлен в Паб Джо. Режиссер шоу Энди Фикман, и он был отмечен Аннали Эшфорд как Вероника Сойер, Джереми Джордан как Джейсон Дин, Дженна Ли Грин как Хизер Чендлер, Корри Инглиш как Хизер Макнамара, и Кристин Лакин в роли Хизер Дьюк, Джеймс Снайдер в роли Курта Келли, Пи Джей Гриффит в роли Рэма Суини, Жюли Гарнье в роли Марты «Самосвал» Даннсток, Эрика Левитона в роли папы барана, Кевина Паризо в роли папы / директора Курта, Джилл Абрамовиц в роли г-жи Флеминг / мамы Вероники, Том Комптон в роли хипстера Дорка / опрятного ребенка, Алекс Эллис в роли девушки-гота / учителя английского языка / молодой Республиканетка и Келли Карбач как Стоунер Чик / Школьный психолог.^[4]

Лос-Анджелес

Шоу проходило в Hudson Backstage Theater в Лос-Анджелесе с ограниченным участием по выходным с 21 сентября по 6 октября 2013 года. Барретт Уилберт Вид как Вероника, Райан Маккартан в роли доктора медицинских наук, Сара Хэлфорд в роли Хизер Чендлер, Кристолин Ллойд в роли Хизер Дюк и Эль Маклемор как Хизер Макнамара. Маклемор была единственной Хизер, которая осталась с актерским составом, когда шоу перешло на Off-Broadway, но после того, как Элис Ли покинула производство, Кристолин Ллойд повторила свою роль Хизер Дьюк.^[5]

Off-Broadway

В 2013 году было объявлено, что Верески: Мюзикл будут представлены на Off-Broadway, предварительные просмотры начнутся в марте в Новые мировые этапы, режиссер Энди Фикман. По совпадению, Новый мир также имя дистрибьютора оригинального фильма. В феврале 2014 года был объявлен состав, в том числе Барретт Уилберт Вид, Райан Маккартан, и Эль Маклемор повторяя свои роли Вероники, Джей Ди и Хизер Макнамара, соответственно, с новыми дополнениями к актерскому составу Джессика Кинан Винн как Хизер Чендлер, Элис Ли как обладательница премии Хизер Дюк и Тони Энтони Кривелло в роли Билла Суини / Дина из «Big Bud».^[6] Предварительные просмотры шоу начались 15 марта 2014 года и открылись 31 марта 2014 года.

Альбом с актерским составом был записан 15–16 апреля 2014 г., а его цифровая версия состоится 17 июня 2014 г.^[7] Он был выпущен на неделю раньше, 10 июня 2014 года.

Верески: Мюзикл сыграли свое последнее выступление в Новые мировые этапы 4 августа 2014 г.^[8][9]

Лондон

Эта секция нужны дополнительные цитаты для проверка. Пожалуйста помоги улучшить эту статью к добавление цитат в надежные источники. Материал, не полученный от источника, может быть оспорен и удален Найдите источники: «Верески: мюзикл»  – Новости  · газеты  · книги  · ученый  · JSTOR (Июль 2019) (Узнайте, как и когда удалить этот шаблон сообщения)

Мастерская мюзикла открылась в г. Другой дворец, Лондон который провел 5 презентаций в студии с 30 мая по 3 июня 2017 года. На семинаре Шарлотта Уэйкфилд сыграла Веронику Сойер.^[10]

После воркшопа состоялась официальная лондонская премьера мюзикла в Театре по адресу: Другой дворец, Лондон с 9 июня по 4 августа 2018 г., в ролях Кэрри Хоуп Флетчер в роли Вероники Сойер, Джейми Маскато в роли Джей Ди, Доминик Андерсен в роли Рэма Суини, Эдвард Барува в роли папы Рамы и Джон Бойдон в роли отца Курта.^[11] Продукция выпускается Билл Кенрайт и Пол Тейлор-Миллс, снова режиссер Энди Фикман и с хореографом / заместителем директора Гэри Ллойдом.^[12] Для лондонского производства «Blue» была заменена на новую песню «You’re Welcome», а Хизер Дьюк получила свою собственную песню «Never Shut Up Again», а также несколько изменений в сценарии.

Верески передан в Уэст-Энд на Театр Роял Хеймаркет, продлится с 3 сентября 2018 года по 24 ноября 2018 года.^[13][12] Для передачи была добавлена ​​новая песня Вероники «Я говорю нет», а также несколько изменений сценария во втором акте.

1 марта на лейбле Ghostlight Records была выпущена запись литья из Вест-Энда. Премьера альбома заняла первое место в чарте саундтреков iTunes UK и второе место в чарте альбомов iTunes UK. Премьера альбома заняла 24-е место в официальном чарте альбомов.

3 марта 2019 г. Верески мюзикл получил награду за лучший новый музыкальный фестиваль в Лондоне Whatsonstage.com Награды. Кэрри Хоуп Флетчер также выиграла за лучшую женскую роль в мюзикле.^[14]

Великобритания тур

3 октября 2019 г. в аккаунте Bill Kenwright LTD в Twitter было объявлено, что Верески в 2020 году, начиная с июня, отправятся в тур по Великобритании.^[15][16]

Известные региональные производства США

В 2016 году Центр исполнительских искусств Уайт-Плейнз (WPPAC) представил Нью-Йоркскую региональную премьеру постановки для аншлаговой публики.^{[17][18][19][20]}

Австралия

Австралийская премьера Верески: Мюзикл на Театр Hayes в Сиднее ставился в июле – августе 2015 года. Режиссер Тревор Эшли в хореографии Кэмерона Митчелла в роли Вероники Сойер сыграла Джаз Флауэрс; Стивен Мэдсен как J.D., Люси Маундер в роли Хизер Чендлер, Эрин Клэр в роли Хизер Макнамара и Либби Ашиак в роли Хизер Дьюк.^[21] Хорошо принятая постановка перенесена в следующем году, в основном с тем же составом, на сезоны в Брисбене (Playhouse, Центр исполнительских искусств Квинсленда ) в январе 2016 г., Мельбурн (Playhouse, Центр искусств Мельбурна ) в мае 2016 г., а Сиднейский оперный театр Playhouse в июне 2016 года.^[22][23][24]

Бразилия

Бразильская премьера Верески: Мюзикл в театре Вирадалата в Сан-Паулу был поставлен в октябре – ноябре 2019 года. Перевод: Рафаэль Оливейра, режиссеры Фернанда Чамма и Даниэла Стирбулов, хореография Марианы Баррос. В начале спектакля были Ана Луиза Феррейра в роли Вероники Сойер, Диего Монтес и Мурило Армаколло в роли Джей Ди, Бруна Виволо и Джиджи Дебеи. в роли Хизер Чандлер, Вероники Гоэльди и Марианы Фернандес в роли Хизер Дьюк, Кэрол Амарал, Изы Кастро и Луизы Вальверде в роли Хизер Макнамара. О хорошо принятой продукции вскоре было объявлено, что она вернется в мае – июне 2020 г. ^[25] но он был отменен из-за COVID-19 пандемия ^[26][27][28]

Бросать

Характер	Паб Джо (2010)	Лос-Анджелес (2013)	Off-Broadway (2014)	Off-West End (2018)	Уэст-Энд (2018)
Вероника Сойер	Аннали Эшфорд	Барретт Уилберт Вид	Кэрри Хоуп Флетчер
Джейсон «J.D.» Декан	Джереми Джордан	Райан Маккартан	Джейми Мускато
Хизер Чендлер	Дженна Ли Грин	Сара Хэлфорд	Джессика Кинан Винн	Джоди Стил
Хизер Макнамара	Корри Инглиш	Эль Маклемор	Софи Айзекс
Хизер Дьюк	Кристин Лакин	Кристолин Ллойд	Элис Ли	Т’Шан Уильямс
Марта Даннсток	Джули Гарни	Кэти Лэднер	Дженни О’Лири
Рам Суини	П.Дж. Гриффит	Джон Эйдсон	Доминик Андерсен
Курт Келли	Джеймс Снайдер	Эван Тодд	Крис Чанг
Билл Суини / Большой Бад Дин / Тренер-потрошитель	Эрик Левитон	Рекс Смит	Энтони Кривелло	Эдвард Барува	Натан Амзи
Пол Келли / Мистер Сойер / Директор Гован	Закари Форд	Дэниел Куни	Джон Бойдон
Миссис Сойер / Полин Флеминг	Джилл Абрамовиц	Рена Стробер	Мишель Даффи	Ребекка Лок

Критический прием

Off-Broadway

Верески: Мюзиклс 2014 Бродвейский забег в целом был хорошо принят как критиками, так и публикой. Мюзикл получил высокую оценку за то, что он остался верным фильму, но при этом имел собственные оригинальные дополнения к сюжетной линии.^[29] Также были отмечены партитура и хореография мюзикла.^[30]

Мюзикл, однако, критиковали за длину и несоответствие персонажей актерскому составу оригинального фильма. Его также критиковали за то, что он взял темные темы исходного материала и обработал их веселой музыкой и мультяшными персонажами.^[31]

Мэрилин Стасио, пишу для Разнообразие, написал: «… Опытные профессионалы индустрии могут подобрать несколько советов о том, что можно и чего нельзя делать при адаптации материала из этой умело выполненной музыкальной обработки» Вересков «». Она похвалила тексты, но не была поклонницей музыки, написав: «Даже в самом головокружительном состоянии тексты никогда не заглушают персонажей, поющих их. Хотелось бы, чтобы мы могли сказать то же самое о музыке, которая звучит дерзко и бла, и звучит совсем не так. музыка, которая сделала 80-е 80-е ».^[32]

Голливудский репортер Дэвид Руни заявил: «Выиграет ли кислая комедия от превращения в мультяшный поп-мюзикл? Черт, нет. Но как продолжение злобных удовольствий фильма, эта версия имеет свои глупые прелести, о чем свидетельствует шумная реакция преимущественно молодой аудитории. Это не совсем очень — если заимствовать у Heather-Speak — но для ненасытных фанатов этого может быть почти достаточно, и безвкусная постановка в стиле средней школы кажется в какой-то мере подходящей ».^[33]

Мюзикл получил две звезды из пяти Хранитель Алексис Солоски, который написал: «Бродвейская адаптация подросткового фильма Вайноны Райдер / Кристиан Слейтер 1988 года солнечная и резкая, но темная тема требует чего-то более злого».^[34] Но Элизабет Винчентелли из New York Post дал ему четыре звезды из пяти, написав: «Первый акт движется быстро, когда режиссер Энди Фикман и его актеры выжимают все комиксы из сценария и песен … Производство почти сорвалось во втором акте, убив его антагонистов. У фильма была та же проблема, но здесь сладкое мировоззрение подрывает грандиозный финал его эффективности. И все же видеть «Верески» на сцене — это радость ».^[35]

Кайл Андерсон из Entertainment Weekly был более резким, давая мюзиклу рейтинг C: «Верески: Мюзикл упускает практически все, что сделало фильм великим, что делает его не только колоссально разочаровывающей адаптацией любимого фильма, но и в целом неприятным театральным опытом ».

Уэст-Энд

Лондонский спектакль был отмечен критиками, потому что они чувствовали, что сложные проблемы, такие как гомосексуализм, булимия и самоубийство, были легкомысленными из-за комедийного эффекта, из-за чего некоторые части шоу казались «устаревшими и неудобными для аудитории 2018 года».^[36]

Награды и номинации

Оригинальная внебродвейская постановка

Год	Церемония награждения	Категория	Номинант	Результат
2014	Награды бюро драмы	Выдающаяся музыка	Лоуренс О’Киф и Кевин Мерфи	Назначен
Выдающаяся актриса мюзикла	Барретт Уилберт Вид	Назначен
Премия Люсиль Лортель	Выдающаяся главная актриса мюзикла	Назначен
Выдающийся хореограф	Маргарита Деррикс	Назначен

Верески: Мюзикл (выпуск для средней школы)

После показа Off-Broadway в 2014 году мюзикл получил культовый статус от зрителей, которые копировали персонажей вымышленной Вестербургской старшей школы, и несколько средних школ подавали запросы на получение лицензионных прав; соответственно, сокращенный «PG-13 «версия была подготовлена, недавно отредактирована сценаристами Лоуренсом О’Киф и Кевином Мерфи, iTheatrics и лицензионной компанией Samuel French специально для студенческих постановок.^[37] Большая часть ненормативной лексики в шоу была удалена: «Big Fun», «Dead Girl Walking», и большинство песен были переписаны, а одна новая песня «You’re Welcome» была написана для шоу, чтобы заменить «Blue» «. Первоначальные драматурги — О’Киф и Мерфи — с тех пор публично заявили, что они предпочитают «Добро пожаловать» «Синему», и изменение было официально сделано для лондонской постановки Верески в июне 2018 г.

Мировая премьера Верески: Мюзикл (выпуск для средней школы) состоялась 15 сентября 2016 г. в Театре Пирса, J.J. Средняя школа Пирса, Ричардсон, Техас.^[38][37]

Бразильская версия

Бразильская версия Верески: Мюзикл (выпуск для средней школы) или «Верески — мюзикл для подростков» должен был открыться в 2020 году в Stunt Burger,^[39] но из-за COVID-19 пандемия он внес некоторые изменения. Версия была хорошо встречена как публикой, так и критиками.^[40]

В популярной культуре

В 2019 году постановка мюзикла в средней школе будет в центре внимания «Глава пятьдесят первая: Большое развлечение «эпизод Riverdale. В Riverdale Литовский альбом мюзикла подготовлен WaterTower Музыка. Тексты песен в серии взяты из Выпуск для средней школы мюзикла с удаленной большей частью ненормативной лексики.^[41][42]

Рекомендации

внешняя ссылка

• Верески — Мюзикл на Facebook