It was originally a cult black comedy that took a murderous look at high school cliques.
Now Heathers has been turned into a musical and Dundee University Amateur Operatic Society (Opsoc) is to stage the European premiere at the Bonar Hall tonight.
Based on a 1988 film that made stars out of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, the musical is a tongue-in-cheek look at the social pressures of high school where a plot to take revenge on a snobby clique of girls ends in murder.
Although the film did not enjoy huge success, it has since gone on to enjoy cult status.
It has now inspired the rock musical, which has been performed in Hollywood and New York but never in Europe.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=nyu2SCyr7ak%3Frel%3D0%26controls%3D0%26showinfo%3D0
The Dundee production will run for four nights and director Neil Lavin, 21, said it was a “cheeky email” which led to the society gaining the rights to stage the musical.
He said: “I don’t know how we managed it but somehow we are the first company in Europe that has secured the rights.
“It was about Christmas 2014 when I saw the show on YouTube. We were thinking about what we could do next and I found the rights company online. I sent a very cheeky email asking about the rights but saying I was probably wasting my time.
“We got a bounce back email immediately but then a couple of days later I got another email asking for more information.
“I sent one back saying we were a university company but then didn’t hear anything.
“A couple of months went by and we were considering three other shows we could do. On the day of the meeting to decide we got an email saying we could do Heathers.”
Neil, who is in the third year of a degree in digital interactive design at Dundee University’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, said the show is the biggest the society has produced.
“There are 25 named parts and a full company of 18 so it’s definitely been a struggle but it has been great to do,” he said.
Heathers The Musical will run at the Bonar Hall until Saturday.
Tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/opsoc although a limited number may be available on the door each night.
smorkis@thecourier.co.uk