‘The Heathers’ set to take over Tulane this fall

The Tulane Musical Performance Organization (TMPO) and Tulane University Performing Arts Society (TUPAS) are collaborating to create the first-ever undergraduate-run production of Heathers: The Musical, which plays Nov. 29 through Dec. 2.

Heathers: The Musical is based on the original 1988 film Heathers, which touches on relevant topics such as sexual assault and bullying. 

“We knew we wanted to do a musical and have it student-run,” said Hannah Elliott, a Tulane senior and president of TMPO. “The one musical that kept coming up over and over again was Heathers. So we knew it was the one.”

“The one musical that kept coming up over and over again was Heathers. So we knew it was the one.”

Hannah Elliott, president of the Tulane Musical Performance Organization

Elliott said Tulane students had been considering producing a musical for a while, but it wasn’t until this past semester that the idea started to come together through Tulane’s WaveStarter initiative, a crowdfunding website for Tulane groups.

Through its WaveStarter page, the group set out to raise $4,100 for the production. Just one month later, they surpassed that goal, raising a total of $4,596.

“This proves that Tulane students can have an initiative, a goal and a vision and make things happen,” said Elliott. “It will open up an arena for students to express themselves. Those who get to participate will have an increase in confidence and will have a renewed sense of community and connection.”

Although the production is completely student-driven, Elliott said they have advisory support from several Tulane School of Liberal Arts faculty members including Jenny Mercein and Victor Holtcamp in the Department of Theatre and Dance and Amy Pfrimmer in the Newcomb Department of Music.

Auditions for the show will take place Sept. 7–8 in McWilliams Hall, room 200. Interested students should contact Margo Gellert by email at mgellert@tulane.edu.