Heathers the Musical

[skynyc]

Well, I went to this with a reviewer friend with no expectations.

 

I had seen the movie once, when it first came out. Was surprised at how dark it was, but enjoyed it.

 

The musical expands on the movie, and was, I thought, pretty great.

 

The story is pretty much the same as the movie, but the music was the big surprise. The lyrics were smart and well constructed and the melodies were strong and catchy, playing homage to the late 80s, and rock musicals at the same time. "Dead Girl Walking" "Seventeen" and "Freeze Your Brain" are worthy of owning the cast recording which I suspect is imminent.

 

This will NOT appeal to all. It's not old-fashioned Broadway fare, but a contemporary musical dealing with classic teen issues, and with school bullying in the news so constantly, the themes presented here are not dated. And of the High School themed shows that have been prevalent lately, Bare, Lysistrata Jones, etc., even going back to Spring Awakening, I think this may be my favorite of the lot.

 

The cast is very appealing...the lead bitchy Heather (Jessica Keenan Wynn) is divinely awful, and the sociopathic leading man (Ryan McCartan) is on a Disney channel show, but is very unnerving here, charming and terrifying. Barrett Wilbert Weed as the heroine Veronica is very strong, and her voice is too "American Idol" for my taste, but she has a great presence and her expressions as she tries to comprehend what's happening around her were terrific.

 

The direction and choreography are pretty simple...but nod to the appropriate era.

 

Tony Winner for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Anthony Crivello, plays a number of characters, particularly amusing in the second act opener which is quite funny (perhaps over the top?) at the funeral of the two boys who were thought to have had a suicide pact, (but were actually victims of the...um, hero?).

 

Ben Brantley was sitting across from me and seemed to enjoy some of the lines, I look forward to seeing his review. (And me looking forward to a Brantley review is rare. LOL)

 

I suspect it could be a big hit.

 

Playing at New World Stages on 50th Street in the largest of those theaters...Stage One, 500 seats. It's been on tdf quite a lot, and there are many discounts (as of now).