Theatre Ink’s rendition of Heathers: Teen Edition was “Big Fun” for all in attendance. Directed by seniors Leah Ziskin and Nell Ranalli, the show ran from Dec. 4-7 in the Little Theater.
The original show was written in 2010 by Daniel Waters and was based on the 1988 film Heathers starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater.
Heathers follows Veronica Sawyer, played by junior Neria Abbimutt, who lands herself a spot among the “Heathers” of Westerburg High School. Led by Heather Chandler and played by senior Kendall Labrache, the Heathers are Westerburg’s most threatening posse, known for their cruel antics and overwhelming popularity. Labrache perfectly embodies Heather Chandler’s energy with her ruthless and charismatic presence.
Desperate to hold her position in the social hierarchy, Veronica follows along with their antics until she meets the mysterious new boy, J.D., played by senior Nate Burres. Together, the pair plot revenge on their enemies—including the heathers—but their plans quickly turn into something sinister. The audience is left on the edge of their seats as their plans spiral out of control.
J.D. first appears violent in the number “Fight for Me”, where he beats up the school bullies, Kurt and Ram, played by senior Toby Gilpin and sophomore Alex Santonastaso. The audience was left in shock as he threw kicks and punches in slow motion at the helpless jocks, creating a dramatic spectacle in the set in Wesertburg’s cafeteria. At the same time, Veronica delivered an incredible vocal performance.
According to Burres, “ ‘Fight For Me’ was easily my favorite number. It was so much fun to learn the fight choreo, and the audience loved it every night. The laughs and applause are so rewarding.”
Another highlight of the show was the song “My Dead Gay Son.” The song works to comedically show the eventual acceptance of Kurt and Ram’s grieving fathers, after mistakenly believing in their sons’ supposed love for one another, played by senior Kyle Symonds and sophomore Sam McCarthy,
In the scene, the cast parades around the stage, dancing and waving around pride flags joyously, leaving a smile on the faces of all those who watched.
The show’s choreographer, senior Nehir Topaloglu, attributes the dance number’s success to the cast dynamic.
“I had to set some boundaries so that my dancers would respect me and I made sure to reciprocate that respect,” said Topaloglu. “By using this method, we were able to coordinate a great final product.”
Overall, Heathers was an incredible experience, filled with powerful performances and hilarious dark humor. Theatre Ink’s ability to approach sensitive topics in a comedic yet respectful way is a reflection of the hard work put into each and every show.
According to producer and Theatre Ink director Adam Brown, “Heathers epitomizes our belief in the power of theater as a vehicle for portraying human experience.”
