By the time this is being published, Heathers: The Musical would have taken its final bows at New World Stages last night. After seeing this production three times, I can think of no better way than to celebrate just how special this cast and production have been.
Heathers has long been considered a cult classic, and its musical adaptation proves exactly why the story continues to resonate with audiences. With its dark humor, unforgettable characters and incredibly catchy soundtrack, Heathers: The Musical takes everything from the original film and amplifies it for the stage. This Off-Broadway production was thrilling, hilarious and surprisingly emotional, and was brought to life by an exceptionally talented cast.
Isabella Esler was such a remarkable Veronica Sawyer and has become my favorite interpretation of the character. She brought a wonderfully relatable quality to Veronica, balancing her sarcastic personality with her moral struggles. Esler made Veronica feel like an actual teenager navigating a world of impossible social expectations instead of a character caught in an outrageous storyline. Her vocals are absolutely to die for, particularly during “I Say No.” Her performance was empowering, and the number allowed Esler to showcase both her vocal abilities and Veronica’s emotional growth as she finally confronted J.D. and refused to participate in his destructive behavior. Sara Al-Bazali was also incredible as Veronica, bringing her own impressive interpretation to the role and showing that two performances are never exactly alike.
John Cardoza’s portrayal of Jason “J.D.” Dean was one of the production’s greatest strengths. Cardoza perfectly captured the character’s disturbing combination of charm, vulnerability and cruelty. His performance of “Meant to be Yours” was nothing short of drop-dead incredible. His facial expressions, physicality and vocal delivery created an increasingly unsettling atmosphere as J.D.’s obsession with Veronica reached its breaking point. He made the audience understand why Veronica was initially drawn to him while simultaneously making it impossible to ignore how dangerous he had become.
The number at the end of Act One, “Our Love is God,” is probably the perfect example, and one of the songs I started to appreciate after seeing the show live. The way Cardoza physically held Esler, and then Al-Bazali, communicated the shift in their relationship and what he meant by the song’s lyrics. Her fear felt genuine, and his expressions made the scene even more disturbing. These smaller acting choices elevated the performance beyond the music and made their relationship so compelling to watch.
Of course, you can’t have Heathers without the Heathers themselves. Zam Berube was a standout as Heather Chandler. Her commanding presence and incredible voice made her perfectly suited to Westerburg’s notorious queen bee. She captured Chandler’s intimidating confidence while maintaining the exaggerated theatricality that makes the character so entertaining. Ava DeMary was absolutely adorable as Heather McNamara, breathing so much life, humor and personality into the character. I also had the chance to see Jackera Davis and Morgan Dudley as Heather Duke, with each bringing something different to the character. “Never Shut Up Again” is one of my favorite numbers, and it’s satisfying to watch Duke step into her own.
Every time I saw the show, I noticed something different. Sometimes it was an ensemble member’s reaction in the background of a big musical number. Sometimes it was a different line delivery. Sometimes it was an entirely different performer stepping into a character and bringing something new to the role. There was always something else happening at Westerburg.
My third and sadly final visit gave me probably the best example of what made this company so impressive. Partway through the performance, Louis Griffin, a swing, stepped into the role of J.D. for Cardoza. Suddenly having a performer take over one of the show’s central roles mid-performance could have disrupted the moment entirely. However, the company pivoted so seamlessly that the show simply continued.
Watching the cast adapt in real time only deepened my appreciation for them. Live theater hinges on performers being prepared for the unexpected, and this company demonstrated exactly what that means. Griffin stepped into J.D.’s shoes, the ensemble adjusted to fit the role he left open, and the show went on without stopping. That chemistry was probably the production’s greatest strength. The cast genuinely appeared to enjoy performing together, and that enthusiasm was so contagious. The comedic moments landed beautifully, the musical numbers were electric, and the darker scenes retained their emotional impact. That is such a difficult balance for any production to achieve, especially in a musical capable of jumping from absurd comedy to disturbing subject matter within minutes.
Heathers has already gotten its flowers. Its original Off-Broadway production became beloved, and its West End revival introduced the show to new audiences. And now, as the sun sets on the West End-to-Off-Broadway transfer, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the Heathers. So happy closing, Heathers. Happy trails to this extraordinary cast and company, and thank you for three very different, very intimate, and very memorable trips to Westerburg High. I might not be 17 anymore, but I sure hope I’m not Ms. Fleming’s age by the time you return.