Be More Chill will open on Broadway in 2019. After concluding its sold-out 10-week off-Broadway engagement on September 30, Be More Chill will begin performances at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street) on Wednesday, February 13 at 8PM. The official opening night is Sunday evening, March 10. Tickets are now on sale at Telecharge.com, (212) 239-6200 or (800) 447-7400, and at the Lyceum Theatre box office. Group Sales are available through Broadway Inbound, (866) 302-0995, groups@BroadwayInbound.com.
Be More Chill, features music and lyrics by Joe Iconis (NBC’s “Smash,” The Black Suits, Broadway Bounty Hunter) and a book by Joe Tracz (The Lightning Thief, Netflix’s “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”) based on the cult sensation novel by Ned Vizzini. Stephen Brackett (Buyer & Cellar) directs and Chase Brock (HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) choreographs.
“It’s impossible to remain chill as we announce our Broadway opening later this season,” says Be More Chill’s Tony-nominated lead producer Gerald Goehring. “With audiences traveling from around the country and around the world, we could not have been more thrilled with the outpouring of love we received during our New York premiere engagement off-Broadway. Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz have created a beautiful and universal musical that has inspired audiences throughout the summer and now the entire company cannot wait to bring the production to an even greater audience at The Lyceum in the new year.”
“Of course, a new musical is never done and a new production means another chance to upgrade,” say composer/lyricist Joe Iconis and book writer Joe Tracz. “Fans can expect that the show (like the Squip’s ever-changing wardrobe) will continue to evolve. This journey began at Two River Theatre in 2015 and we’re not done yet. So grab your Mountain Dew and your Player Two and come join us on Broadway. Everything about it is going to be wonderful.”
“There’s no feeling like watching audiences watch Be More Chill,” adds Joe Tracz. “Whether they come wearing a homemade Michael hoodie or knowing nothing but the title, whether they’ve discovered it via our cast album, Ned Vizzini’s brilliant novel, or word of mouth, I’ve been humbled to see the show bring so many people together to share in something deeply cathartic and cathartically joyful. Joe Iconis and I made this show for anyone who’s ever been a teenager, and it’s always been our dream to bring it to the widest audience possible. We’re thrilled that now means Broadway, and I personally can’t wait to watch many more audiences connect to Be More Chill.”
“The fact that I get to make my Broadway debut as a writer surrounded by so many long-time collaborators and beloved friends both on stage and behind the scenes is a literal dream come true,” says Joe Iconis. “Be More Chill has surprised me and Joe Tracz every step of the way and we can’t believe that our celebration of misfits, losers, and underdogs gets to take up residence on 45th Street.”
The New York premiere production of Be More Chill currently features Gerard Canonico (Spring Awakening, Groundhog Day) as Rich, Katlyn Carlson (Dirty Dancing, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin) as Chloe, Stephanie Hsu (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Christine, Tiffany Mann (Waitress, Jerry Springer the Opera) as Jenna, Lauren Marcus (The Humans at St. Louis Rep, Company at Barrington Stage) as Brooke, Will Roland (Dear Evan Hansen, The Black Suits) as Jeremy, George Salazar (tick tick BOOM!, Godspell, The Lightning Thief) as Michael, Britton Smith (Shuffle Along, After Midnight) as Jake, Jason Tam (NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” KPOP) as The Squip, and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Freaky Friday, Benny and Joon, Bloodsong of Love) as Jeremy’s Dad/Mr. Reyes. Cameron Bond (Finding Neverland), Troy Iwata (The Boy Who Danced on Air), and Talia Suskauer (Love in Hate Nation) are the company swings.
Be More Chill features scenic design by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt (Come From Away), costume design by Bobby Frederick Tilley II (Lizzie Borden, Top Girls); lighting design by Tony Award-winner Tyler Micoleau (The Band’s Visit); sound design by Ryan Rumery (Fool For Love); projection design by Alex Basco Koch (Buyer & Cellar); wig and hair design by Dave Bova; musical direction by Emily Marshall; orchestrations by Charlie Rosen (Prince of Broadway, Honeymoon in Vegas); casting by Telsey + Company / Adam Caldwell, CSA & Rebecca Scholl, CSA; production stage management by Amanda Michaels (The Children, The Ballad of Little Jo). John Corker and Lisa Dozier King will serve as general managers for the Broadway run of Be More Chill.
The New York premiere production of Be More Chill currently plays through September 30 at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street, NYC), presented by Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Marc David Levine, Marlene and Gary Cohen, 42nd.club, The Baruch Frankel Viertel Group, Alisa and Charlie Thorne, Jenny Niederhoffer, Chris Blasting/Simpson & Longthorne, Brad Blume/Gemini Theatrical, Jonathan Demar/Kim Vasquez, Ben Holtzman and Sammy Lopez, Koenigsberg/Federman/Adler, Ashlee Latimer and Jenna Ushkowitz, Jenn Maley and Cori Stolbun, Robert and Joan Rechnitz, Fred and Randi Sternfeld, YesBroadway Productions, in association with Two River Theater, Red Bank, NJ,which originally commissioned and produced the musical.
A hit with audiences and critics alike, The New York Times writes “Be More Chill is one of the most popular musicals in America.” The Wall Street Journal raves “you don’t have to be a millennial to revel in the spunky charms of Be More Chill. See it now if you can wrangle a ticket, because it’s going to hit big – deservedly so.” The New Yorker says “if you fed Dear Evan Hansen and Mean Girls to the Little Shop of Horrors plant, with a few Xbox games as a digestif, Be More Chill is probably what you would get. …Dynamic, jouncy, and as infectious as malware.” The Hollywood Reporter says “uproarious laughter …enjoyable, catchy, up-tempo numbers, so winning that it’s hard to resist,” and Vox calls Be More Chill “a sensation. … wildly adored …universal. … The audience was screaming at every song.” Variety writes “It’s one thing to be told that Be More Chill is a viral hit on the internet. It’s quite another to experience the hype live and in the room, where the audience explodes like it’s at a rock concert. …People have come from all around the country, if not all around the world to see it.”
What if popularity came in a pill? Would you take it, no questions asked? In Be More Chill, achieving that elusive “perfect life” is now possible thanks to some mysterious new technology-but it comes at a cost that’s not as easy to swallow. What could possibly go wrong? Blending the contemporary with retro sci-fi, this thrillingly exciting, comically subversive, and deeply felt new musical takes on the competing voices in all of our heads. And ultimately proves, there’s never been a better time in history to be yourself-especially if you’re a loser…geek…or whatever.
Before arriving in New York, Be More Chill had already amassed an unprecedented following across various online platforms, with millions of fans from Brazil to Japan to New Jersey sharing fan art, streaming the album (over 170 million streams to date), and talking about the show. In 2017, Tumblr ranked Be More Chill as the #2 most talked-about musical on their platform, following Hamilton.
Following up on the success of The 2015 Two River Theater cast recording, available from Ghostlight Records, the special edition Be More Chill original cast recording on vinyl is now available. The 2-disc package features new illustrative designs, green and red colored discs, and a 16-page, 12 x 12 booklet with lyrics, production photos and a new liner note from Joe Iconis.
Performance rights for Be More Chill are licensed by R&H Theatricals.
The Pershing Square Signature Center the permanent home of Signature Theatre, is a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature’s three distinct playwrights’ residencies and foster a cultural community. The Center is a major contribution to New York City’s cultural landscape and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, a bookstore and the Signature Café + Bar, open to the public from noon to midnight, Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information on renting the Center, please visit www.signaturetheatre.org/rentals.