HEA’s “Heathers” Sets Amsterdam Ablaze

Written by Virginia Palomares Cabeza

If you were among the lucky ones to watch the latest Happily Ever After (HEA) musical production Heathers, you know the only reason behind having a notoriously hot weekend in Amsterdam was not solely the weather. Opening last Friday night, the cast definitely made thermometers go up by delivering an exceptionally hot show. Tickets for Heathers were entirely sold out for its summer runs shortly after its announcement at the beginning of 2025. The show was anticipated to be a big success among musical theatre lovers and spoiler, it definitely was.

After securing my seat in the packed theatre - not an easy task due to the really enthusiastic crowds who had been queueing for over an hour before the show started -, the performance opened with a fair warning towards the audience: ‘You are about to see a show that includes mentions of bullying, mental illness, suicide, gun violence, sexual assault, and strong language’. Some gasps and surprise exclamations were heard, but we were being fairly warned. Let’s be honest, Heathers is definitely not an easy show to put on stage. It does contain a fair amount of uncomfortable or ‘taboo’ topics, including as a couple of scenes of sexual nature. The fact that HEA had brought in their very own intimacy coordinator (Shiro Mungai, who also assistant directed the show) in preparation for the show, was a certain indicator that a lot of thought had been put into it. The result: a truly convincing yet respectful performance, even in these complex moments.

The first thing that hit me when the curtain - figuratively- went up, was the strength of the ensemble. As the first notes of the opening number ‘Beautiful’ were played, a talented group of well-defined characters with singular personalities took the stage. Remarkably, the ensemble was composed of strong dancers that delivered an exceptional and solid performance, and highlighted the quality of every choreography in each group number throughout the show - a handprint of the magnificent work of choreographer Justyna Borowiecka. As a dancer and performer myself, I know it is not an easy task to keep the energy level up throughout 2.5 hours of show and 22 songs. However, this particular cast managed to bring a high school ecosystem to life at all times, from cheerleaders to nerds, that made the audience appreciate each one of them. The ‘senior’ characters also had their moments to impress, with a truthful approach of the hippie Miss Fleming by Bridgid Boyle - who definitely ‘shone her light’ on the audience -, and an equally engaging and comical musical number of ‘My Dead Gay Son’ by Sean Olson-Roy and Michael Schilder as Ram’s and Kurt’s dads, respectively.

Main characters Veronica Sawyer (Emilia Moscovich) and JD (Ties Jansen) brought on stage loads of natural chemistry, and carried out the show seamlessly. From an extraordinary opening number until the very last song, it was hard to believe that Heathers is Moscovich’s first experience as a lead in musical theatre, as she gave a truly three-dimensional approach to this conflicted character. Equally, well-seasoned musical theatre performer Jansen portrayed a remarkable JD, remaining undeniably creepy while still managing to stir some sympathy in the audience. Jansen delivered impeccable vocals and a convincing performance in the most critical moments of the show.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Heathers without the trio of Heathers, and I was looking forward to my personal all-time favourite number ‘Candy Store’, which did not disappoint in the least. The Heathers brought in curated powerful harmonies and truthful portrayals of the characters that balanced each other out perfectly. Starring the trio were a sweet and witty McNamara (Nanda Dolman), a slightly abused but vengeful Duke (Evelien Vermeulen), and of course the ‘mythic bitch’ Chandler (Camille Gribbons), who mastered the vocals during the riff in Candy Store. Besides co-directing the show (aside HEA founder Sara Watts), Gribbons powerfully took over with her magnetic stage presence, and made us all in the audience feel as mere intruders in her very own ‘Candy Store’. Her convincing embodiment of this character carried on even after returning in an equally glamorous ghost form, with powerful and funny lines that took a toll off some of the darkest scenes by adding some necessary hints of comical relief. Alongside, Dolman and Vermeulen made excellent portrayal choices of their characters, evolving into their true - and opposite, as the show demands - Heather natures.

Adding loads of opportunities to ease up the tension, was the Kurt Kelly-Ram Sweeney duo portrayed by Rik Hendrickx and Francisco Cabeda, respectively, which included a few solid breakdance moves from the later that were cheered on by the audience. The pair definitely delivered what their characters required - plenty of comical moments at the appropriate times.

A personal highlight of the show for me took place during one of the most difficult scenes. As Martha Dumstruck sings ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’ before jumping off a bridge, I was truly moved by Zoey Strampel’s portrayal of this helpless but good-natured character. Zoey managed to succeed in the difficult mission of maintaining the right balance of emotion while bringing in sensational vocals, and did not leave many dry eyes in the audience while she did.

I would like to acknowledge the hard work that all this crew and cast did to put on a fantastic show, both on stage and also behind the scenes, including the musicians who seamlessly played throughout the show guided by musical director Michael Crowley. Given the difficulty to produce such a complex musical, and leaving aside some small sound equipment hiccups, it is truly hard to believe this was an amateur production. The chosen approach to put on this show was convincing, yet respectful towards the uncomfortable topics the show demands. I laughed and cried during the 2.5 hours, and as the performance ended, I was definitely not left indifferent. Having seen HEA grow since their first ‘Into the Woods’ production in 2019, I can confidently say this was one of their most powerful and solidly cast shows, with a remarkable ensemble. The quality of HEA’s performances has only evolved and developed throughout the years. I am really looking forward to their next projects, as they continue being a key point in the Amsterdam theatre scene, and an opportunity to connect with fellow musical lovers.

HEA’s “Heathers” Sets Amsterdam Ablaze

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