“What is your damage, Heather?"
Grab your shoulder pads and kitten heels and join the Gilbert Theater for the kick-off of all kick-offs featuring Heathers: The Musical. That’s right, they made it a musical! Set in a righteous eighties backdrop, Heathers: The Musical stays close to the 1989 movie, but does make a few modern-day adjustments. The story follows a group of teens caught in the high school stereotypes that ruled the films of the era.
The Heathers are the popular girls, making life not so pleasant for the people around them until one of them befriends a new guy at school. All bets are off as the girls and guys navigate murder, suicide, and teenage angst.
Heathers: The Musical runs from Sept. 13 to Sept. 29 with shows on Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36002/production/1206138 or at the box office at showing times.
The popularity of this show has already garnered attention. While Gilbert Theater always sees a great turnout for auditions, this show brought out 51 people of all ages, from all over, to audition for one of the coveted 23 roles. Directing this show is Sandra Walker, who not only has a lifetime of experience in theater but is also a huge fan of the original movie.
“I have been working in theater since I was six years old. My aunts actually did theater in Virginia, like costumes and hair and makeup and things like that so I got bitten by the bug really early. I fell out of it for a while and Larry started doing stuff here at the Gilbert and we’ve been friends for years. So I started helping out backstage with like makeup then I started stage managing,” Walker said
“I’ve assisted directed a show with him. I directed something in the summer and this year I’m directing Heathers. This show means so much to me, which is weird to say but it’s that nostalgia. I remember when it first came out and I was in school, and I was just like, this is awesome ... Larry asked me if I wanted to direct and I was like yes!” Walker said.
The movie is steeped in suicidal ideation, teenage hormones, and murder; very 1980s and on point with the times. The musical adaptation has taken into account our societal awareness and changes were made.
“They definitely had to make changes, you know, there’s not the college party anymore, it’s a high school party. They made changes that were kind of different for everything that happens in the cow pasture. I’m just going to leave it at that. They tried to give redemption to characters that were smaller in the movie. They also combined [characters] so you have a combining of characters, you have more depth given to others. I can appreciate it and it’s so much fun,” Walker said.
Heathers: The Musical does come with a content warning. Parents be advised that there is heavy subject matter in this production and dark humor.
Heathers is indeed a musical, a musical about suicide, murder, and a dead son. The music and songs for the production have captured the dark humor spirit of the movie.
Walker has been equally as impressed with the music, as she was with the adaptation, stating, “The music is… I can’t say it’s dated for the time. It’s timeless. It’s fun. ‘Dead Gay Son’ for the church scene, if that song, in that scene, doesn’t have you in your seat laughing. There are some very deep songs like Heather McNamara's song when she goes through everything with the deaths of Heather and Kurt and Ram. It will just give you goosebumps. You have a lot of those Broadway belts. And when they hit those notes and they go, you are sort of in awe.”
In perfect nostalgia fashion, Walker and the cast have brought little Easter eggs from the original movie to the musical, something they hope fans will appreciate.
For more information about Gilbert Theater and the upcoming season visit the website at https://www.gilberttheater.com/.

(Graphic courtesy of Gilbert Theater Facebook Page)