Roku Channel to Bring ‘Heathers: The Musical’ to Streaming in September
All of the homeroom gossip is about Roku as it brings a modified cult classic to streamers in the U.S. next month. “Heathers: The Musical,” the latest in movie-come-musical adaptations to hit the stage, lands on the Roku Channel on Sept. 16!
Based on the subversive pseudo-horror film of from '80s, “Heathers: The Musical” looks at high school life through the eyes of some very messed up teenagers. Fed up with the bullying and clique-based atmosphere, Veronica and J.D. take it upon themselves to even the playing field in the vilest way possible: murder. The music swells as bodies pile up, culminating in a clash that could leave the pair — and the school — in ruins.
The lyrical black comedy has continuously been well received around the world, despite being a show that covers controversial topics including bullying, teen suicide, violence, and sexual assault. It has been praised for tackling those subjects in a way that raises questions without overly sanitizing those themes for viewers.
Watch the ‘Heathers: The Musical’ Official Trailer
Roku announced it will air a live capture of the show as performed at The Other Palace, the site where it premiered in the U.K. four years ago. The special is produced by Village Roadshow Pictures alongside BKStudios.
“We are committed to finding a variety of great ways to bring premium programming to our audience, and there’s nothing like the thrill of a live performance,” stated David Eilenberg, Head of Originals at Roku, “That’s why we can’t wait for viewers to experience the sights and sounds of ‘Heathers: The Musical.’ We’re thrilled to work with Village Roadshow Pictures and BKStudios to capture the on-stage magic and bring it to millions of households to enjoy free on The Roku Channel.”
Featuring a book, music, and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, the show premiered Off-Broadway in 2014 where it was nominated for multiple Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards. The show then opened in London in 2018 and — aside from during the pandemic — has played nearly uninterrupted ever since, winning the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Musical in 2019.
The live capture will star Alisa Davidson as Veronica Sawyer, Simon Gordon as J.D., Maddison Firth as Heather Chandler, Vivian Panka as Heather Duke, and Teleri Hughes as Heather McNamara.
The Roku Channel is available to stream on most devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV. Subscribers will be able to watch the performance on Friday, Sept. 16.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free live TV streaming service that provides 350+ live linear streaming channels and more than 80,000 free movies and TV shows. The library contains entertainment from several different decades, including some major hits.