(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Rider University presents Heathers: The Musical April 25 through 29 in the Yvonne Theater on the Rider University campus in Princeton. Heathers: The Musical is based on the cult classic film from the 1980s, which centers around two teenage lovers plotting to kill the most popular girl at their school. The musical has developed a cult following of its own, which surprised the director Rebecca Simon.
“I know the students are really excited about it. Alumni and current students have been asking about tickets since it was announced that we are producing this show,” she says. “There really is this passionate cult following that I did not know existed! This show is based on a movie that I knew of growing up, but it kind of faded into obscurity for a bit. It has exploded in popularity since the release of the musical.”
Heathers tells the story of Veronica Sawyer’s gruesome and violent senior year. She is eager to leave high school behind and head off to the ivy-covered walls that await her in the future. However, when she is presented with the opportunity to rise to the top of the social hierarchy of Westerberg High, she jumps at the chance.
“Veronica gets caught up in this power dynamic, as she simultaneously falls into lust with J.D. She scarifies her oldest friend and goes to the top of her food chain,” says Simon. “That feeling of acceptance she feels is so empowering. It was a very human and selfish thing to do. Sometimes we sacrifice important people when we make certain choices, and then we realize our mistakes in the end.”
Heathers originally opened at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles in 2013. It ran for a limited time before it made the move to Off-Broadway in 2014. The music, lyrics and book were written by Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives) and Laurence O’Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde).
This past February, Laurence O’Keefe came to Rider University to teach a master class. He shared advice and encouraging words for the cast of Heathers.
“I’m envious! You’re in an amazing period of transformation,” he said. “You can be anything you want to be, and I love that I have the opportunity to learn from you guys.”
O’Keefe, a friend of Simon, has been a constant presence throughout the production process. “Up until we started rehearsal, we were getting new edits from him. He’s given us a new song, it’s called “You’re Welcome.” It replaces a song from the original production. He was literally sending us material up until the day we started.”
Simon believes that this has given her cast the experience of a lifetime: “It’s almost like they’re doing a brand-new musical for the first time,” she says. “When you’re doing a Broadway show while it is in previews, you’re still getting new pages. So, pedagogically it’s been a great experience for them.”
Preview performance is Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30, and performances are Thursday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. Admission for adults is $20 and $15 for seniors and non-Rider students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rider.edu/arts or by calling 609-896-7775.
PHOTO: Laurence O’Keefe, who composed and wrote the book for Heathers: The Musical, led a master class with Lancelot Kingsley and other Rider University students as they prepared to present the popular music, which will run on the Rider campus April 25 – 29.
