Gas Lamp camp performing ‘Heathers’

Gas Lamp Teens will present “Heathers, the Musical: Teen Edition,” a black-comedy portraying high school students in a cauldron of bullying, shaming, sexuality and murder, stirred by three really bad girls at fictitious Westerberg High School in Ohio.

The show, based on a 1989 movie, had its Off-Broadway premiere in 2018 and has been a popular request among the Glen Ridge Gas Lamp teen set, according to Kristy Graves, the show’s musical director. But Covid postponed a production several years back, so now, it will be presented on its 35th Off-Broadway anniversary.

“This show resonates with kids,” Graves said after a recent rehearsal. “Suicide and bullying are big issues and this show addresses them. It talks to kids and they don’t feel alone.”

The theater is an ideal place to confront these issues, she said, both for the performer and the viewer.

“We’re not in therapy,” she said. “But the issues are not being swept under the rug either. The outcome of the show is healthy. It gives hope and solutions and uses comedy and music. My god, the music is good!”

The music and lyrics are by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, noted for their work on Broadway’s “Legally Blonde” and TV’s “Desperate Housewives,” respectively.

The bad girls in the show are all named Heather, likely because it was a popular female name in the 80s, Graves conjectured. According to an internet search, she was right. Heather was the tenth most popular female name at that time.

The female roles in the show are double-cast and there are three Heathers in the story. That equates to six rehearsing Heathers. Five are Glen Ridge girls: Rylee Allen, Claire Liotta, Chloe Novoa, Ava Murtha and Sofia Perez. Non-resident Lily Yezdanian rounds out the half-dozen.

The chief adversary to the Heather triumvirate is a girl named Veronica. Initially accepted into the bad girl clique, she rejects it because of its malevolence. This role will be played by Lola Zimet, of Glen Ridge, and Sophie Langton, of Montclair. Veronica’s love interest is J.D., played by Marcus Polanco. Notable performances in rehearsals have been by Ellie Hudon and Abigail Shust who portray Ms. Fleming, the eccentric gospel choir conductor.

“The two characters that steal the show are the two dumb, jock bullies,” Graves said. “They are so funny and played by two Glen Ridge High School students.”

These parts belong to Gabriel Slim, as Ram, and Billie Rivero, as Curt. But in the end, the Heathers and their lackeys see the error of their ways.

“We staged the ending today,” Graves said. “It was quite moving watching them come out ‘on the other side.’ Veronica saves the day and comes out on top. There’s forgiveness, but not a lesson in a cheesy way that doesn’t reach people. There are powerful issues, but they are addressed in a funny way. It will affect anyone who has dealt with these issues.”

The teen players in the Gas Lamp summer camp had just two weeks to get their collective acts together. But because they were so eager to perform “Heathers,” they came into rehearsals ready to go.

“We put the show together in two weeks,” Graves said. “The kids worked their patois off. They came in with all their lines and lyrics memorized. What they’ve been learning these two weeks is their harmonies, the blocking and choreography.”

The directing and choreography duties are being shared by Steve Hogle and Emily Rozek. Master teacher and drama coach Susan Carlin is assisting.

“Because we’re a team of four,” Graves said, “we split the kids up. And because it’s double-cast, when one kid is learning the dance, the other kid is learning the music.”
She said because of the number of performers and time constraints, rehearsals are recorded so that actors sharing the same part can watch the recordings together and then teach each other what to do.

“It’s a great learning experience,” she said. “The kids can do it and this particular cast is very hard working.”

“Heathers, the Musical: Teen Edition,” will be performed at Ridgewood Avenue School tomorrow evening, Friday, July 28, at 7 p.m. and Saturday afternoon, July 29, at 1 p.m. A fee will be charged. For further information: gaslampplayers.org.

  Gas Lamp Players, Glen Ridge