Jagged Little Pill
It easily clears the low bar of jukebox success to stand alongside the dark original musicals that have been sustaining the best hopes of Broadway in recent years
The New York Times
Why see Jagged Little Pill?
Alanis Morissette's Tony-award winning Musical
Following its critically acclaimed 2018 American Repertory Theater world premiere run in Massachusetts and subsequent Broadway bow, Jagged Little Pill is touring the country in 2024! Praised for breaking the jukebox musical mold, the thrilling pop-rock tuner draws from the music and themes of seven-time Grammy Award-winning indie icon Alanis Morissette's 1995 seminal album of the same name, also including subsequent releases and even two specially written new songs!
Its star-studded creative team doesn't stop there. With a book by Oscar winner Diablo Cody, the writer behind the Ellen Page-led smash hit feature film Juno, and direction by Tony-winning theater maker Diane Paulus (Finding Neverland, Pippin and Waitress), Jagged Little Pill was never going to be run-of-the-mill musical theater fare. In songs like 'You Oughta Know' and 'Ironic', Morisette's daredevil melodies, suggestive lyrics and artistic fearlessness wrap around universal themes of pain, healing and empowerment, balancing emotional depth, heavy-hitting moments and black comedy with cathartic song-and-dance numbers to stunning effect.
What Is Jagged Little Pill About?
The story follows a family on the brink. Seemingly happy on the surface, each of the wealthy Healy family members hides their own dark secret. Matriarch Mary Jane keeps her emotional trauma and relationship with her husband Steve at bay by popping pills, whilst he deals with their lack of connection and the pressures of work with an addiction to porn. Their overachiever son Nick's moral compass goes awry when his best friend is accused of rape and their adopted daughter Frankie struggles with racial and identity politics whilst coming to terms with her blossoming sexuality.
As their struggles entangle, the family's blatant denial of their problems - save for the rebellious wild child Frankie who rails against them in short sorts and protest picketing - begin to mirror the denial of their community at large when it comes to rape culture, addiction and self-expression. For all its topical turmoil, Jagged Little Pill brings as much heart to proceedings. Its bold, arena-sized storytelling, nuanced characterizations, and Morissette's alt-rock wisdom are immediately refreshing and make for compelling theater.
Key Information
Audience
Run Time
Dates
Cast
Julie Reiber as Mary Jane Healy
Allison Sheppard as Bella
Teralin Jones as Frankie Healy
Dillion Klena as Nick Healy
Benjamin Eakeley as Steve Healy
Jade Mcleod as Jo
Rishi Golani as Phoenix
ENSEMBLE AND SWING
Lee H. Alexander, Delaney Brown, Justin Scott Brown, Chelle Denton, Shelby Finnie, Rishi Golani, Liesie Kelly, Cydney Kutcipal, Jordan Quisno, Carmella Taitt, Alexander Tan, Daniel Thimm, Elaine Watson, Naima Alakham, Claire Crause, Sophie Lee Morris, Sergio Pasquariello and George Vickers V
Creative
Music by Alanis Morissette & Glen Ballard
Lyrics by Alanis Morissette
Book by Diablo Cody
Choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Directed by Diane Paulus
Awards
Tony Nominations 2020
Best Musical
Best Book of a Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical - Elizabeth Stanley
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical - Derek Klena
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical - Sean Allan Krill
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical - Kathryn Gallagher
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical - Celia Rose Gooding
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical - Lauren Patten
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Best Direction of a Musical
Best Choreography
Best Orchestrations
TONY Awards 2020
Best Book of a Musical - Diablo Cody
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical - Lauren Patten
Reviews
Our review
Edgy, energetic, inspiring
If you thought you were an Alanis Morissette fan, cue Diablo Cody (Book) making her Broadway debut with Jagged Little Pill. The production features songs by Morissette's much loved Grammy-winning album plus a few new tracks, however, the storyline has
Nicola Quinn
Customer reviews
Corrie
Saw this in Boston.
Lisa Handley
Honest and Revealing - Powerful -