Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The 1980s film produced a cult following. The Broadway musical generated rave reviews.

Now, “Heathers: The Musical” is coming to the Appalachian Highlands thanks to East Tennessee State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, April 10-13, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, at the Bert C. Bach Theatre in the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts. 

Popular with a range of audiences, the production covers many dark but relevant themes: bullying, school violence and more.

“Students have been asking for this show for several years,” said Melissa Shafer, the show’s director and a professor in the department. “The topics covered are so in tune with a young person’s sensibilities. Young people can really relate.” 

Featuring ETSU students, the cast includes Sofia Anderson, Molly Blackburn, Grayson Buchanan, Stephen Cradic, Natalie Duncan, Max Fleming, Lindsay Flewell, Jonah Harris-Furches, Elsa Kummer, Charles Landry, William McKinley III, Quintin Rhodes, Katie Thorpe, Jaz Washington, Rebekah Williams, Skylar Zaugg and Olivia Zimanek.

The band consists of Wesley Bratton, Sarah Buzalewski, McKinley Casasola, Eli Durham, Jakeb Hardin and Misty Rondeau.

The production team is comprised of Shafer as director, Tarrin Chambers as assistant director/intimacy captain, Brad Fugate as music director, Victoria Keller as accompanist, Amanda Pulcini as intimacy director, Bird Honeycutt as intimacy captain, Savannah Spangler as stage manager, Micah Blevins and Ellen Sautters as assistant stage managers, Cara Harker as choreographer, Bobby Funk as fight choreographer, Shelby Keller as dance captain, Karen Brewster as producer, Jonathon Taylor as scenic designer, Emily Russell as assistant scenic designer, Beth Skinner as costume designer, Tatijhana Campbell as assistant costume designer, Jess Richardson as assistant costume shop manager, Alyssa Stanley as hair and makeup designer, Camden Callahan as costume design assistant, Max Fleming and Dustie Jeffers as costume affiliates, Zach Olsen as technical director/ sound co-designer, Sarabeth Roberts as sound co-designer, Matt Stevens as lighting designer/assistant technical director and Elijah Wilson as master electrician.

Visit this site for tickets. The show does contain adult themes and is intended for mature audiences. A full description warning may be found here.  

The Department of Theatre and Dance is a powerful source of creative energy and entertainment in the Appalachian Highlands, and ETSU is home to a thriving arts community.

For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.