Heathers production issues statement over ‘major no-no’ bootleg recordings

The New York producers of Heathers the Musical have issued a statement decrying the recording or posting of “bootleg” clips.

The note, which was posted across the show’s social media channels, likened the practice to “cheating on a quiz” and says that recording “disrespects our cast, crew, and all the hard work that goes into bringing Heathers to life every night.”

The issue is becoming a hot topic in an age of social media (especially due to the mass use of platforms like TikTok) with large swathes of high-profile productions now available to watch for free across social media channels. The West End production of Six issued a similar statement in the winter of 2023, while recent viral clips have been taken from indoor scenes in the ongoing production of Evita at The London Palladium with Rachel Zegler.

Katie Brayben, currently starring in Girl from the North Country at the Old Vic, spoke to the WhatsOnStage Podcast about the issue recently, saying: “As soon as we put something online, it’s like the magic is gone – the surprise, the intimacy…. We deal with hay fever, we deal with colds but we go on because we love our jobs. We sing with the voices we have that day – it’s how we roll.”

You can listen to Brayben’s interview here:

Heathers the Musical is now booking into 2026 off-Broadway, where it just opened to sturdy reviews. The WhatsOnStage Award-winning musical features a book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, and is based on the 1989 cult film of the same name, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater.

It previously ran at the Other Palace and in the West End in 2018 and 2021. The show then ran from 2021 to 2023 back at the Other Palace, with three tours also taking place and another West End run in 2024.

Starring in the show off-Broadway are Lorna Courtney (& Juliet) as Veronica and Casey Likes (Warriors) as JD.

A recorded version of the show, captured in London, was released in 2023 and is available to stream online.

You can see the full statement below:

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