Le monde des musicals

Musical (2019)

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Musique: Joe Iconis •
Paroles: Joe Iconis •
Livret: Joe Tracz •
Production à la création:

Based on Ned Vizzini’s novel, the show tells the story of an average teenager, who takes a pill purported to make people more — you guessed it — chill.

Based on the cult sensation novel by Ned Vizzini, Be More Chill is the story of Jeremy Heere, your average, nothing-special teenager at Middleborough High in nothing-special New Jersey. That is, until the day he finds out about "The Squip." Thus begins a journey that pits Jeremy's desire to be popular against his struggle to remain true to his authentic self. Be More Chill is an honest, edgy, super-hilarious look at coming of age in the digital age, set to some of the most exciting songs in contemporary musical theater. This original musical comedy looks at modern issues like depression, bullying, and anxiety through the lens of sci-fi films of the 50s, horror flicks of the 80s, and teen movies of the 90s. Little Shop of Horrors meets The Breakfast Club in this celebration of outcasts, teenaged or otherwise.

Act One
Jeremy Heere, a high school junior, is a complete social outcast. He lives with his single father, who works from home and is often pantsless as a result of being depressed by his recent divorce. At school, he is bullied by popular student Rich, who writes "boyf" on his backpack. At lunch he meets up with Michael, his best friend (where Rich has written "riends" on his backpack), who tries to comfort Jeremy by telling him that being a loser is completely okay. Jeremy sees his long-time crush Christine signing up for the school play and decides to sign up as well. Jeremy wonders why he has to be the outcast and if someone can help him "more than survive" ("More Than Survive").

As they wait for the first play rehearsal to begin, Christine professes her love of theater to Jeremy, explaining that she likes being able to play different people and always knowing what to say and do ("I Love Play Rehearsal"). As more popular cast members trickle in, their drama teacher, Mr. Reyes, reveals, much to Christine's horror, that their school play will be A Midsummer Night's Dream set in a post-apocalyptic future, re-titled "A Midsummer Nightmare (With Zombies)". During rehearsal, Jake, one of the popular boys and Rich's friend, flirts with Christine, making Jeremy jealous. ("More Than Survive (Reprise 1)").

After rehearsal, Jeremy is confronted in the bathroom by Rich. He tells him about how he managed his rise to popularity - as a very unpopular freshman, he took a pill called a "super quantum unit intel processor" - a "SQUIP" - containing a computer that implants itself inside the user's brain and tells them what to do and say. He suggests Jeremy buy one from him in order to become cooler. ("The Squip Song").

While playing video games with Michael after school, Jeremy tells him about Rich's offer. Michael is convinced that Jeremy is being scammed, but after an awkward conversation with Jeremy's dad (still not wearing pants), Jeremy decides to check it out. He assures Michael that no matter what happens they'll always be a team. ("Two Player Game").

The two visit the mall to buy the SQUIP from a dealer at Payless ShoeSource and Jeremy, as instructed, swallows it with green Mountain Dew. The SQUIP activates itself, causing Jeremy to have a seizure in front of Christine and Jake ("The SQUIP Enters"). The SQUIP speaks to Jeremy (taking the appearance of Keanu Reeves), criticizing his appearance, personality, and behavior, telling him that everything about him is terrible ("Be More Chill Pt. 1"). It orders him to go to a store to buy a new shirt - an Eminem shirt, where he runs into two popular girls from school, Brooke and Chloe. Jeremy accidentally picks up a girl's shirt, but the SQUIP has Jeremy fabricate a story where he was cheated on, causing the two girls to sympathize with him. They offer Jeremy a ride home ("Do You Wanna Ride?"), which the SQUIP demands he accept, but Jeremy declines, telling them that he has to meet his friend. They leave, and the SQUIP tells Jeremy that Michael has left the mall. It then tells him that in order for its plan to work, Jeremy needs to obey every order it gives him, and Jeremy accepts. The SQUIP assures Jeremy that following its instructions will, without a doubt, improve his social standing ("Be More Chill Pt. 2").

The next day, Jeremy heads to school with a renewed confidence, beginning to wonder if he might be a little less invisible than before ("More Than Survive (Reprise)"). Jeremy sees Rich, who is initially angry that Jeremy bought the SQUIP directly instead of through him, but the SQUIP syncs itself with Rich's, making them friends. At rehearsal, the cast of the play begin to rehearse their zombie-apocalypse version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. During a break, Christine tells Jeremy about her feelings for a guy she knows, which at first seems to be Jeremy but actually turns out to be Jake ("A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into").

Afterwards, the SQUIP informs Jeremy that Christine won't date him until his social standing drastically improves and encourages Jeremy to use Brooke as a stepping stone to increase his popularity, while Jake asks Christine to come over to his house ("Upgrade"). Overwhelmed, Jeremy asks the SQUIP to shut itself off for a few minutes. Immediately, Jeremy sees Michael and is elated, telling him he hasn't seen him all day, but Michael states that Jeremy has been ignoring him. The SQUIP turns itself back on and explains that it was blocking Michael from Jeremy's vision using "optic nerve blocking," and that in order to be more popular he has to "upgrade." Reluctant to go back to being the loser and social outcast he was before, Jeremy turns the optic nerve blocking back on, leaving him alone with the SQUIP ("Loser Geek Whatever").

Act Two
On Halloween, Jake hosts a massive party, mainly involving alcohol and other shenanigans ("Halloween"). Christine wears her Juliet costume, hoping Jake will notice, but he doesn't. Jeremy arrives late and meets Brooke, but when she leaves to get a drink, Chloe, who is jealous of Brooke, takes Jeremy upstairs and tries to seduce him. Jeremy is uncomfortable and tries to get away, but the SQUIP forces him to remain in the situation as it escalates into a near-assault ("Do You Wanna Hang?"). Chloe also has Jeremy drink alcohol, causing the SQUIP to malfunction, and then feigns having sex with him; causing Jake to become jealous and breaking Brooke's heart.

Fleeing from Jake and the girls, Jeremy runs into a bathroom, where he finds Michael, who has crashed the party. Michael tries to warn Jeremy of the dangers of the SQUIP, explaining that someone ended up in a mental hospital after they went crazy trying to get it out of their head. Jeremy accuses Michael of being jealous of his popularity; and calls him a loser. Michael, devastated and angry, locks himself in the bathroom, where he has a severe panic attack as he mourns the loss of his best and only friend ("Michael in the Bathroom"). Jeremy meets Christine and he asks her out in a sudden burst of confidence ("A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into (Reprise)"). However Christine, who has found herself in an existential crisis, declines, thinking it is best for her to not see anybody else until she knows who she is.

Meanwhile Rich goes around the party asking people for Mountain Dew Red. Jeremy's SQUIP finally reactivates and reviews the events of the night, prompting Jeremy to leave the party immediately. Rich, alone and desperate, takes up a can of gasoline after arguing with his SQUIP. The next morning, Jenna, the school gossip, informs everyone that Rich had burned down Jake's house at the end of the party, sending him to the hospital and breaking both of Jake's legs. The news spreads throughout the school through text and tweeting. ("The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set a Fire)").

At home, Jeremy is confronted by his father, who brings up Jeremy's new personality and attitude change. Jeremy reprimands his father for his behaviour since his mother left, calling him a loser as well. Shaken by Jeremy's words, Mr. Heere realizes that something is very wrong and that he must take charge. He tracks down Michael, who has been smoking copious amounts of weed since the trauma of the party, and convinces him to not give up on his friend ("The Pants Song").

As the cast prepares for the play, Jeremy runs into Christine, who is shaken and upset about the fire. Jeremy realizes that the SQUIP knew about the fire before it happened, and is furious that it allowed people to get hurt, but the SQUIP ignores his complaints, instead telling Jeremy that he can ease the suffering of Christine and the rest of the students, and eventually, the whole world, by providing them all with SQUIPs ("The Pitiful Children"). The SQUIP has Jeremy open Rich's locker, where he finds a box full of enough SQUIPs for the entire student body, and pour the pills into a beaker of Mountain Dew. Christine confronts Jeremy over his use of the SQUIP, causing him to doubt the plan, but the SQUIP has Mr. Reyes take the beaker from him.

During the play, Jeremy notices the other students in the play have been SQUIPed, where the SQUIP reveals its intention to sync the entire student body in an effort to take over the world. Jeremy also comes to a realization: green Mountain Dew activates the SQUIP, while Mountain Dew Red deactivates it. Michael reappears from the audience with a bottle of Mountain Dew Red, but Jake steals it and dumps most of it out. Jeremy and Michael fight off the SQUIPed students to regain the bottle, until the SQUIP reveals that Christine has been SQUIPed, and she professes her love for Jeremy. Knowing she'll do whatever he asks, he has her drink the last of the Mountain Dew Red, causing her to shriek and causing a chain-reaction that destroys all of the SQUIPs. ("The Play").

Jeremy wakes up in the hospital, sharing a room with Rich, where he proudly informs Jeremy that he's bisexual and ready to finally be who he really is. Michael and Mr. Heere (now wearing pants) visit Jeremy. Surrounded by his friends and family, Jeremy finally realizes that there will always be outside influences, but he needs to learn to make up his own mind instead of just giving in. He asks out Christine again, and this time she accepts and kisses him. The SQUIP reveals itself to still be alive, weakly taunting Jeremy from inside his head, but Jeremy ignores it, happily proclaiming that "of the voices in my head, the loudest one is mine." ("Voices in My Head")

Following a sold-out 10-week off-Broadway engagement at the Pershing Square Signature Center, the hit new musical Be More Chill transfers to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre in spring 2019, beginning previews on February 13 and officially opening on March 10, 2019.

The musical premiered in May 30, 2015 at the Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey. The production featured Will Connolly as Jeremy, Eric William Morris as the Squip, George Salazar as Michael, and Stephanie Hsu as Christine, as well as Katie Ladner, Lauren Marcus, Jake Boyd, Gerard Canonico, Katlyn Carlson, and Paul Whitty. The musical was commissioned by Two River Theater as part of their new play development program.

Be More Chill received an Off-Broadway production at the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center. It began previews July 26, 2018 and ended production on September 30, 2018. This production featured several original cast members including Hsu, Salazar, Canonico, Carlson and Marcus reprising their respective roles. New cast members included Will Roland as Jeremy, Jason Tam as the Squip, Britton Smith as Jake, Tiffany Mann as Jenna, and Jason "Sweettooth" Williams as Mr. Heere.

On September 5, 2018 it was announced that a Broadway production is planned, with previews scheduled to begin at the Lyceum Theatre on February 13, 2019. The Broadway transfer is estimated to cost $9.5 million according to lead producer Jerry Goehring.

Act 1
"Jeremy's Theme" – Orchestra
"More Than Survive" – Jeremy, Michael, Ensemble
"I Love Play Rehearsal" – Christine
"The SQUIP Song" – Rich, Ensemble
"Two-Player Game" – Michael, Jeremy
"The Squip Enters" – Ensemble
"Be More Chill Pt. 1" – Squip, Jeremy, Mall People
"Do You Wanna Ride?" – Brooke, Chloe
"Be More Chill Pt. 2" – Squip, Jeremy, Mall People
"More Than Survive (Reprise)" – Jeremy, Squip, Ensemble
"A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into" – Christine, Jeremy, Squip, Ensemble
"The SQUIP Lurks" – Orchestra
"Upgrade" – Brooke, Squip, Jeremy, Jake, Christine, Company
† "Loser Geek Whatever" — Jeremy
Act 2
"Halloween" – Brooke, Jake, Chloe, Rich, Jenna, Company
"Do You Wanna Hang?" – Chloe
"Michael in the Bathroom" – Michael
"A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into (Reprise)" - Jeremy, Christine
"The Smartphone Hour" – Jenna, Chloe, Brooke, Ensemble
◇ "The Pants Song" – Mr. Heere, Michael
◇ "The Pitiful Children" – Squip, Jeremy, Jenna, Ensemble
"The Play" – Michael, Jake, Brooke, Chloe, Jeremy, Christine, Squip, Ensemble
"Voices in My Head" – Jeremy, Christine, Ensemble

† Added to the Off-Broadway production.
◇ Prior to the off-Broadway production, the order of "The Pants Song" and "The Pitiful Children" was reversed.

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