This post was originally published on Playbill - Features
Written by: Margaret Hall
Heathers the Musical opened Off-Broadway at New World Stages March 31, 2014, and 10 years later, love for the show is still going strong.
Based on the 1989 cult favorite film, Heathers follows Westerberg High student Veronica Sawyer, who’s on track to become one of the most popular girls in school after befriending the beautiful but cruel Heathers, only to meet a mysterious teen rebel who changes everything.
The musical premiered at Los Angeles’ Hudson Backstage Theatre in 2013 before moving Off-Broadway the following year. The New York run would prove to be short-lived, running less than four months. But the musical followed the success of its source material to become a cult favorite thanks to its cast album, spawning a successful London run and U.K. tour which continues this summer.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary since the show’s Off-Broadway bow, we’re checking in with the original cast, and everything they’ve been up to in the intervening decade.
Heathers protagonist Veronica was first brought to life by Barrett Wilbert Weed, who received Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for her performance. Weed went on to win a Helen Hayes Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in Signature Theatre‘s production of Cabaret, and to originate the role of Janis Ian in Mean Girls the Musical on Broadway.
These days, most of Weeds time is taken up with offscreen work, teaching voice and acting lessons, hosting masterclasses, and voicing Octavia “Via” Goetia in the adult animated series Helluva Boss.
Ryan McCartan and Jessica VoskRyan McCartan, who originated the role of Veronica’s dangerous boyfriend J.D., was already firmly in the public eye when Heathers began. Known for his work on the Disney Channel show Liv and Maddie, McCartan was a Jimmy Awards winner as well, giving him double the clout in the teenage theatre fan sphere.
Since Heathers, McCartan has played Brad in the 2016 Fox telecast The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, made his Broadway debut as Fiyero in Wicked, played Hans in Frozen both on Broadway and the production’s national tour, and originated the role of Mac in Scotland, PA (the Off-Broadway reimagining of Macbeth). He certainly is a man of action!
Teenage evil was personified by Jessica Keenan Wynn as Heather Chandler, the queen of the Heathers. Since drinking a cup of Drano, Wynn has starred as Cynthia Weil in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway, and as Young Tanya in the beloved sequel to the film adaptation of Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Recently, she has been providing the voice of Fiona Davenport for the animated supernatural comedy The Ghost and Molly McGee, which aired on Disney Channel from October 2021 through January 2024.
Heather Duke may have been Heather Chandler’s second in command, but Alice Lee is second to none! The Chicago native left Heathers to compete on the reality television singing competition Rising Star before kicking off a screen career that has served her well.
In the decade since Heathers, Lee has appeared in Wish Upon, Brittany Runs a Marathon, and Sierra Burgess Is a Loser. On the small screen, Lee played the role of Emily on the musical television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
Currently, Lee voices Lois Lane in the animated series My Adventures with Superman, and is expected to appear in the NBC spinoff series Suits: L.A. as a young associate attorney.
The Heathers trio was completed by Elle McLemore, fresh off her Tony-nominated performance in Bring It On the Musical. Since Heathers, McLemore has been busy as a series regular on the seventh and final season of the drama Army Wives, and as Jamie Parker in the teen drama film At the Top of the Pyramid.
Eagle-eyed theatre fans likely also remember McLemore for her performance in Grease Live, where she played Patty Simcox, the goody two-shoes cheerleader of Rydell High. These days, most of her focus goes to her robust social media presence, where she creates short-form content.
Jana Djenne Jackson, Katie Ladner, and Julia Cassandra in Almost FamousKatie Ladner gave voice to outcast girls everywhere as Martha Dunstock, Veronica’s childhood best friend. Since Heathers, Ladner has been on Broadway thrice: as Mary in the Lonny Price-directed revival of Sunset Boulevard, as Shen Shen (and the understudy for Morrible) in Wicked, and as the captivating Sapphire in Almost Famous the Musical.
Off-Broadway, she has originated the role of Britta in Gigantic the Musical, played Gretchen in the out of town tryout of Disney’s Freaky Friday, and originated the role of Jenna Rolan in Be More Chill before it came to Broadway. When not onstage, Ladner can occasionally be found making jewelry and accessories out of reclaimed materials for her business Not Ya Granny’s.
Evan Todd has become quite the multi-hyphenate since Heathers. A Tony-nominated producer for the Broadway revival of Spring Awakening, Todd played Gerry Goffin on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical before dipping into the screen world, appearing in Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever starring Aubrey Plaza, and the television series’ Switched at Birth, Liv and Maddie, and Jane the Virgin.
Todd recently returned to the New York stage, playing Mark in the critically acclaimed Which Way to the Stage Off-Broadway. Todd is also the co-founder of StArt and artsINSIDEOUT, two summer session arts empowerment programs that benefit students from his Florida home town as well as children affected by HIV in South Africa.
Jon Eidson — Ram Sweeney
Eidson has lived a primarily private life since leaving Westerberg High, with no public social media profiles to speak of. However, he has worked on a smattering of short films and series’ in the intervening decade, including The End of the World, Genie in a Bikini, Wacko Smacko, Amateur Night, Everyone I Love in Dead, The Maestro, StarTripper!, and Chris & Jack.
Michelle Duffy — Ms. Fleming, Veronica’s Mom
Michelle Duffy has also been maintaining a low profile since Heathers, but it seems a return to the stage may be on the horizon. In the last few years, Duffy has appeared in private industry workshops for three musicals currently in development for commercial runs: Golden, Has Anyone Seen My Mind?, and A Milonga for Gabriel Issacs. We hope to see her back on the boards soon!
Dan Cooney — Kurt’s Dad, Veronica’s Dad
Dan Cooney has been a busy bee since the end of Heathers! Beginning with a founding idea in 2008, Cooney is one of the founders of Dexter, Michigan’s Encore Musical Theatre Company, which produces high-quality productions in southeast Michigan. The company, which is the premiere professional theatre venue in the region, has presented a wide array of beloved Broadway talent, including Tony, Emmy, and Oscar winner Tony Walton; Jeremy Jordan; Telly Leung; Hugh Panaro, and many more.
Anthony CrivelloTony winner Anthony Crivello already had a thriving stage career before Heathers—starring in the original Broadway productions of Les Misérables, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Golden Boy, The News, and Marie Christine. Since Heathers, he has devoted much of his time to the rich regional theatre scene, starring in a wide range of original plays across the country.
In 2019, he leapt back from national prominence, though Crivello did play the Mysterious Man in the star-studded production of Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl, receiving critical acclaim for his return to the fray. Hopefully we will see him back on the Broadway boards soon!
Dan DomenechThe ensemble of Heathers was small but mighty! Dan Domenech—who understudied the roles of J.D., Ram, and Kurt—has worked on both sides of the border since he first left Westerberg High, appearing in Kinky Boots at Canada’s Royal Alexandra Theatre and starring as Che in Evita at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.
Domenech even returned to Westerberg to help guide Heathers across the pond; he directed the 2017 workshop that revamped the production before Andy Fickman took over as director for what would become its sold-out London run.
Cait Fairbanks on The Young and the Restless Cait Fairbanks — Ensemble
Cait Fairbanks only increased her tolerance for drama since she stopped understudying Veronica and Heather Duke! Since 2017, Fairbanks has starred on the long-running soap opera The Young and the Restless, playing the struggling singer-songwriter Tessa Porter, garnering two Emmy nominations. When off the set, Fairbanks is a songwriter herself, performing under her own name and the name Ginesse. Her 2020 EP, Somewhere to Die, made waves, and fans are currently awaiting the completion of her first full album.
Madsie FlynnMadsie Flynn — Ensemble
Madsie Flynn (previously known as Rachel Flynn) played the ensemble character Stoner Chick. She may have become a Heathers fan favorite, but it was only the beginning of their journey creating idiosyncratically iconic characters.
Since Heathers, Flynn has starred as the not-so-cruel Jacqueline du Ghent in Ever After at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. They also were part of the cast of Dave the musical at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., based on the 1993 film (Flynn played White House staffer Randi, the role played by Laura Linney in the film). Their Off-Broadway solo show, Rachel Flynn: There Will Be Feelings, has also been critically lauded.
It’s no surprise where Molly Hager has been! The vocal powerhouse has been in high demand since Heathers, appearing in Waitress on Broadway for nearly four years before breaking back into the Off-Broadway scene, playing Megan White in Michael R. Jackson’s White Girl in Danger, as well as appearing in The Civilians‘ Whisper House.
In addition to the newly released White Girl in Danger cast album, you can hear Hager’s powerful vocals on a number of recordings with the Joe Iconic Family, including their Rock and Roll Jamboree, Iconis’ ALBUM, and Lauren Marcus‘ Never Really Done With You.
Charissa Hogeland and Brooke EngenVeronica understudy (and Weed’s eventual replacement) Charissa Hogeland has had a full career since leaving Westerberg. In recent years, she has understudied Elsa in Frozen on Broadway. She also played Nicola in Kinky Boots on the production’s national tour. And in 2018, she even appeared in NBC’s live broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Since the pandemic, Hogeland has starred as Cher in the various regional productions of The Cher Show, and has appeared on the Amazon Prime Video show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
AJ Meijer — Ensemble
AJ Meijer has done quite a bit of film in the past decade, appearing in Steven Soderbergh The Laundromat, Eva Vives All About Nina, and Vinod Chopra’s Broken Horses. On stage, he has split his time between New York and Los Angeles, appearing in a wide range of productions, including the New York Musical Festival production of Manuel Vs. Statue of Liberty.
In 2021, he starred in the holiday film See You Next Christmas opposite Elizabeth Guest, where the duo played chronic singles who continued to collide at mutual friends holiday parties until finally getting the hint.
