UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Thespian Society will present its mainstage fall production, "Heathers: The Musical," Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 10-12, in Schwab Auditorium at University Park. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. each night, as well as 1:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
A musical take on the 1980’s classic film "Heathers," the musical opens with Veronica Sawyer on her first day of senior year, Sept. 1, 1989. Desperate to escape the misfits, she hustles her way into the most powerful clique at school: the Heathers. Although not your typical commentary on high-school hierarchy, the show unfolds around a dark comedic love story complete with parties, murder and an explosive finale.
"Heathers: The Musical" is student-produced, from the rehearsal staff to the cast to the technical staff.
Director Laney Pleasanton talked about the relevance the show holds today, saying, “'Heathers' begs the question of how the pressure to conform to visual stereotypes shapes our relationships with others. Today, the themes and notions 'Heathers' mocks still eerily resonate with modern audiences, even 30 years after the original film’s release.”
Founded in 1897, the Penn State Thespian Society is the longest continuously running student organization on University Park’s campus. The club performs an adapted children’s novel at Schlow Library once a semester, a yearly cabaret benefiting Centre County AIDS research, and two student-produced musicals, one per semester.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $4.98 for students and $4.99 for children ages 12 and under.
Audience members can buy tickets at the HUB-Robeson Center on Oct. 10 and 11, buy tickets at the door, or reserve tickets online. Tickets must be paid for by cash or check.
For more information about "Heathers: The Musical" or the Penn State Thespian Society, email psu.thespians.marketing@gmail.com.