“My favourite part of the 'Heathers' film was when the credits rolled.”
You wouldn't expect honesty like this from the woman who plays the main character in the upcoming musical adaptation of 'Heathers'... Unless it was Jaz Flowers.
Hitting QPAC in January, 'Heathers: The Musical' is based on the film about Veronica, a mere high school misfit who somehow breaks the chains and enters the most almighty and ruthless clique of girls at Westerberg High School: the Heathers.
Before too long, the new kid J.D steals Veronica's heart, and she's kicked out of the group. Veronica and J.D seek out to get some low-key revenge when they accidentally poison the clique's leader, and as they cover it up to make it look like a suicide, Veronica realises that poisoning isn't the darkest thing J.D has planned.
© Kurt Sneddon
As the sexy-yet-spooky new kid reveals he's killing off students intentionally, Veronica does her best to help him kick the habit. Think 'Mean Girls' crossed with 'Scream'; a dark, twisted tale of love, hierarchy and murder.
Playing the once-innocent Veronica in the musical production is Jaz Flowers, who previously took on the role of Tracy Turnblad in the Australian production of 'Hairspray'.
“That was huge, being on trams and being in magazines and newspapers, that was so overwhelming and exciting,” she recalls. “I was only 22 or something, so it was really exciting to be a leading lady that was recognised nationwide.
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“I worked with Trevor Ashley [Director] on 'Hairspray' and he asked me 'would you like to be a part of a show that I'm directing', and I watched the movie and I was like 'ah, Trevor, it's not really my thing',” Jaz says. “He told me to listen to the soundtrack, and I heard the opening number and went 'I am in, I am 100 per cent in'.”
Exploring a more vulnerable side for 'Heathers', Jaz says she has put a lot of herself in the role for Veronica. “I fall in love with a psychopath, and it's not real, but as an actor you've got to find it... By the end, I'm standing on stage with tears streaming down my face, probably snot in my nose, and all those glamorous things... Veronica is a broken human.
“I left the show depressed every day... I learned some coping mechanisms, and realised 'Jaz, it's not real, you need to calm it right down please'.”
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The show deals with issues like suicide, bullying and murder, but it's balanced well with bright colours, a hilarious script and some killer musical numbers – pun intended. “The music is phenomenal, it's the greatest soundtrack I reckon I've ever heard,” Jaz says.
Before starting rehearsals, Jaz admits she found it hard to figure out where the music would fit in, but eventually grew to love it. “Once we got it up on it's feet in the rehearsal room it just went somewhere, and it was just really, really honest... The first song goes for 11 minutes, I used to drive from my house to work just listening to track one.
“Through act one you get introduced to all the main characters, and when Veronica meets J.D there's a little love song, and there's the party scene and you have the big dance break.”
As for the darker themes of the show, Jaz says 'Heathers' has it's own way of presenting them. “Hierarchy has been around forever, it doesn't matter where you go worldwide, that's just how it is... Someone has to talk about it, and maybe we do it in a way that's mildly amusing because if you don't laugh about it, you cry about it.”
It took a while for Jaz to get fully into the character of Veronica, until she realised how similar she was to the misfit. “Once I got her up on the floor, Trevor was like 'mm, I see where you're going with it but try and be more grounded... I want her to sit there, I want her to have balls, and actually, I want her to be you'.
“It's really nice for people to see my vulnerable side, because by the end of it she's broken and it was a beautiful thing to not just play the funny one.”
It's been five years since it's first performance on Broadway, and Jaz even thinks the Australian take on 'Heathers' is somewhat different. “It's real – our version is real... They were very satirical, they took the piss the whole time, and we don't do that at all.
© Kurt Sneddon
“I think originally that was the idea; to kind of make our own version of what the Broadway people did.”
Playing J.D alongside her is Stephen Madsen, who has also had his fair share of experience. Graduating from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Stephen recently starred in a production of 'Rent'.
“I looked him up and went 'ah yeah, he's really hot, that's nice, whatever,' and we were sitting in the rehearsal room and he opened his mouth, and I legitimately fell off my chair... My favourite part of the show is working with the talent up on that stage.”
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Jaz promises that 'Heathers' will be a combination of emotional exhaustion and exceptionally crafted musical numbers, led by a cast strong enough to have the show met with eruptions of applause. “I thought I was a seasoned actor before this show... I had no idea.”
'Heathers: The Musical' plays Queensland Performing Arts Centre 9-17 January.
