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LARA JO HIGHTOWER NWA Democrat-Gazette W hen the movie "Heathers" came out in 1988, it was a bomb at the box office. The jet-black comedy that portrayed high school as the seventh circle of hell and featured a psychopathic antihero at its center was, perhaps, a little too grisly for moviegoers in the 1980s. In the years following its release, though, it quickly gained cult status. Perhaps viewers recognized the value in a movie that cast a satirical eye on the very real issues teenagers face in high school — including bullying, eating disorders, sexual harassment and assault and identity issues. The now-classic movie's popularity culminated in a stage musical, which debuted off-Broadway in 2014 after a sold- out tryout run in Los Angeles. Ben Brantley called it a "rowdy guilty- pleasure" in the New York Times; other reviewers were similarly charmed. This week at the University of Arkansas, director Morgan Hicks brings a bubbly production of the musical to the stage. Hicks says she's been a fan of the material since she was a teenager. "I definitely saw the movie when I was too young and impressionable," Hicks says of her introduction to the material. "I think I saw it when I was in junior high and was already profoundly aware of the social hierarchies of a typical school and the ways that students can be so unkind to their peers. The angst-y tone and rapid fire dialogue of the film appealed to me in a way that the saccharine sweet sitcom versions of schools never managed to do. … Somehow, as a satire, it felt more real than anything I had ever seen before." Hicks' production will immerse the audience in the world of the 1980s from the moment they walk into the theater, thanks to Austin Aschbrenner's fantastic scenic design, comprising two-story walls collaged with 1980s pop culture icons and products. The director has found a cast of likable, talented actors (most of whom are just a few years older than the teens they portray) like Claire Fossey, who brings a sweet naiveté to the role of Veronica Sawyer, a girl so desperate for the protective cloak of popularity, she considers humiliating her lifelong friend, Martha Dunnstock. Austin Lenaburg is a Christian Slater look-alike who gives just the right sardonic twist to the role of J.D. Dean. And Jason Collins and Landan Stocker play the fratty, bratty jocks Ram and Kurt so well that you'll hate them — their cafeteria terrorism leads Veronica to sing, "This isn't high school, this is the Thunderdome." The show's popularity shouldn't be limited to those who are still fascinated by the trials of high school or fans of the movie, however. The score includes some fantastic, finger- snapping numbers that crackle on stage and will please even the most demanding of musical theater lovers. "It sounds like pop music, but the composers and lyricists have created a show that is a marathon for the performers," Hicks says. "And under the musical direction of professor Jason Burrows, it sounds amazing." MARCH 1-7, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 7 How Very 'Heathers'! High school isn't far away at UA Theatre "It's a show that fits our theater department really well as there are incredibly strong female leads and the opportunity for a large ensemble that showcases so much of our talent," says director Morgan Hicks of "Heathers." (Courtesy Photo) FAQ 'Heathers: The Musical' WHEN — 7:30 p.m. March 6-7 & March 11-14; 2 p.m. March 8 & 15 WHERE — University Theatre, 340 N. Garland Ave., Fayetteville COST — $3-$20 INFO — 575-4752 FAYETTEVILLE