Teen angst takes on a body count in Heathers the Musical now showing at the Hobby Center courtesy of TUTS Underground. Based on the late ‘80s cult film Heathers, starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty, Heathers the Musical tells the story of the popular high school clique — all named Heather of course — and the mayhem that ensues when they allow the awkward Veronica Sawyer into their group.

Spoiler, things don’t go too well and soon people start dropping like flies. But this dark comedy has plenty of songs, satire and humor that the murders, intentional or not, take a backseat.

The musical and movie is often compared and been cited as inspiration for Mean Girls because of the many parallels between the two films. And with a musical adaption of Mean Girls in the works, the similarities continue to grow.  

Kathryn Porterfield, who plays the queen bee Heather Chandler (the Regina George of the show), says playing the over-the-top biotch is a fun departure from serious roles. “Playing someone as terrible and nasty as Heather Chandler is such much more fun. The things that come out of her mouth are just so outrageous.”

Porterfield even acknowledges that playing the bitch has its perks. “I came into rehearsal after my car flooded last week and was just a total bitch. But, I did feel better leaving than I did when I walked in.”

But the musical is much more than quick one-liners and murder, it addresses the social hierarchy that occurs in most high schools.  

“Everybody deals with those girls in high school, and cliques and stereotypes and Heathers plays so much into that. I think most people who have been bullied,” Porterfield said. “I actually drew inspiration from these girls from my high school. There is always that top of the food chain type of girls in every high school who can’t be bothered and have no time for anyone else. I think that is what makes Heathers so relatable.”

Heathers the Musical is showing April 28 through May 8 at the Hobby Center.