Heathers The Musical proves a terrific talent showcase for the high schoolers, undergrads, and just-out-of-college triple-threats who strut their stuff at the Simi Valley Performing Arts Center in a Studio C Performing Arts staging marred only by an Opening Night lighting malfunction and the most rudimentary of sets.

Antonia Vivino delivers a star-making performance as seventeen-year-old Veronica Sawyer, whose talent for forgery (report cards, permission slips, absence notes) scores her a place at the most coveted lunch table at Westerburg High, the one occupied by Heathers Chandler (Quinn Martin), McNamara (Zoe Reed), and Duke (Erika Cruz), even if this means abandoning her childhood bestie, the cruelly nicknamed Martha Dumptruck (Madison Wechsler).

Only trenchcoat-sporting Westerburg newbie Jason Dean (Mateo Gonzales) sees through the bullying and the bullshit, and before long J.D. has Veronica not just sharing Slurpees and sex (her first taste of both) but serving hungover Queen Bee Heather Chandler a Draino-laced hair-of-the-dog that sends her straight to hell.

Let the killing spree begin.

 Moviegoers (and Netfilx subscribers) will recognize Heathers’ trio of identically-monikered mean-girl protagonists, their initially devoted protégée Veronica, and incendiary antihero J.D. from screenwriter Daniel Walters’ 1988 darkly comedic cult classic, though unlike the movie’s nonstop nihilism, Heathers: The Musical (book, music, and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy) opts for a campier tone, songs like the epic show-opening “Beautiful,” the girl-groupy “Candy Store,” and the bawdy, ballsy “Blue” proving as catchy and clever as 21-century show tunes get, if more than a bit (too) reminiscent of the score O’Keefe co-wrote for the Broadway hit Legally Blonde.

Elle McLemore proves an inspired choice to co-direct Heathers The Musical for Studio C Performing Arts (she originated the role of Heather McNamara off-Broadway!) along with her Broadway Bring It On co-star Nick Womack, and though a virtually non-existent scenic design (an upstage ramp on an otherwise bare stage) requires audience members to determine where each scene is taking place, McLemore and Womack make inventive use of it while eliciting razor-sharp performances from the show’s leading players and adroitly navigating the musical’s potentially problematic tonal shifts.

 Having shown off noteworthy dance/comedy chops in recent productions of Disney Beauty And The Beast and The Music Man, leading lady Vivino proves she can play dark and complex with the best of them, and her Veronica Sawyer belt is Broadway-caliber all the way.

High school senior Gonzales has just the right lean-and-hungry charisma to make his JD the bad boy no rebellious teen could possibly resist, and Martin, Reed, and Cruz are wickedly winning as the meanest of mean girls since Regina George and her entourage prowled the corridors of North Shore High, with Reed scoring bonus points for a devastating “Lifeboat.”

Jordan Schneider and Khemuni Norodom are himbo hoots as best-bud football goons Ram Sweeney and Kurt Kelly, while Weschler’s cruelly bullied Martha earns the evening’s loudest, longest cheers for her soaring, heartbreaking “Kindergarten Boyfriend.”

Dance captain Natalie Esposito (Young Republicanette), Weston Ginoza (Beleaguered Geek), Haley Ligsay (New Wave Girl), Chase McFadden (Hipster Dork, Officer McCord), Nikki Nejadrasool (Stoner Chick), and Luke Smith (Preppy Stud, Officer Milner) are all six terrific, and never more so than when executing choreographer Keenon Hooks’ Hi-NRG dance moves in one show-stopping full-cast production number after another.

As for the adults, Brent Ramirez (Ram’s Dad, Big Bud Dean, Coach Ripper) shows off power pipes in the unexpected delight that is “My Dead Gay Son,” Codi Coates (Ms. Fleming, Veronica’s Mom) is a trippy, big-voiced treat as as the hippy-dippiest of guidance counselors, and Paul Panico takes on the role of elder statesman as Kurt’s Dad, Veronica’s Dad, and Principal Gowan.

Musical director Jan Roper not only brings out the vocal best from the entire cast, she conducts and plays keyboards in SVCAC’s best band* ever.

Uncredited costume designs not only recreate Heathers Chandler, McNamara, and Duke’s iconic looks, they define even the most minor character from first glance, with Reggie Reed (Studio C Sound) and Kevin Kahm (sound tech) insuring a mostly flawless mix of vocals and instrumentals.

As for Seth Kamenow’s lighting design, it’s hard to say what it would have looked like had a major lighting equipment failure early on in the performance not required an improvised use of follow spots. (Kudos to the lighting booth for doing their best in a difficult situation.)

Augusto Guardado is assistant choreographer. Maudie Brown is ensemble swing.

Heathers The Musical is produced by Cassie Silva and Kristi Reed. Nikki Alday is stage manager and Adelle Ramirez is production manager.

Scenic and lighting issues aside, Studio C Performing Arts Heathers The Musical hits the entertainment mark from start to finish. These kids may still be in school (or just barely out on their own) but they give seasoned pros a run for their money.

*Gabe Gonzales, Chris Jackson, Everett Kelly, Roper, Aaron Rudin, and Andrew Shousha

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley.
www.simi-arts.org

–Steven Stanley
January 10, 2020

Tags: Kevin Murphy, Laurence O'Keefe, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Studio C Performing Arts, Ventura County Theater Review