Winter 2025: Heathers

March 21–30, 2025 – 8 performances only!
Douglass Morisson Theater in Hayward

Music, lyrics, and book by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, based on the 1988 film of the same name

Based on the cult-classic 80s film, Heathers The Musical is the deliciously dark tale of Veronica Sawyer, a teenage misfit who lands a spot in Westerberg High’s most popular and ruthless clique: the Heathers. Veronica and the seductive loner Jason Dean set out to rid their school of the vicious Heathers – but Veronica may just lose her sould in the process.  Are they going to prom or to hell?  Set to a memorable pop-rock score by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, Heathers the Musical is a black comedy about the danger and attraction of being 17, in love, and drunk with deadly power.

The show runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, which includes one 15-minute intermission.

Heathers contains dark satirical depictions of gun violence, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, abusive relationships, eating disorders, hate speech, and simulated sexual activity.

Meet the Creative Team

Jennifer Boesing – Director
Jennifer (she/her) worked professionally as a singer and actor in Minneapolis from the age of nine. Before graduation from high school, she had performed with At the Foot of the Mountain Theater Company, Mabou Mines Theater, Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Minnesota Opera. Jennifer studied acting at the Northwestern Summer Theater Institute, with Wesley Balk at the New Music Theater Institute in Minneapolis, and with Sanford Meisner and Richard Pinter at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in New York City. In 2002, she earned a master’s in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Operatic Performance. Locally, Jennifer has performed opera, oratorio, and musical theater. Professional credits include work with San Francisco Opera Center, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Pocket Opera, Berkeley Opera, Oakland Opera Theater, Festival Opera, North Bay Opera, 42nd St. Moon, and Mountain Play. Jennifer began working as a director and educator with Korsa in 2000, when it was called Youth Musical Theater Commons. She has served as founding artistic director for Kordsa since the company became a nonprofit organization in 2004.

David Möschler – Music Director
David Möschler (he/him) is an award-winning conductor based in Oakland who has been the Resident Musical Director for Korsa since 2012, where he has worked on over 35 productions. In addition to this, he has music-directed over 140 professional theater productions with companies such as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Shotgun Players, West Edge Opera, Ray of Light Theatre, Mountain Play, Lamplighters Music Theatre, SF Playhouse, San Jose Repertory Theatre, and Center REPertory Theatre among many others. Möschler has also toured with bands like The Dear Hunter and Pop Up Magazine throughout North America. This fall he makes his debut at Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a guest conductor for Into the Woods. He has served on the music staff at College Light Opera Company in Cape Cod since 2005. In 2013 he founded Awesöme Orchestra Collective, which he conducts every month. www.davidmoschler.com.

Janet Collard – Choreographer
Janet Collard, she/her is a dance performing artist and choreographer from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has made a career out of the movement arts, continuously fascinated with the body and how it can communicate and emote in a theatrical space.  Through the methods of Pilates and Gyrotonic Janet delves deeply into the body and how it functions and can support itself for people in daily life.  These systems inform Janet’s artistic practice of teaching movement for the stage.  As a professional contemporary dancer, Janet has performed for many companies and choreographers including AXIS Dance Company, Nancy Karp and Dancers, Gerald Casel Dance and Katie Faulkner’s little seismic dance company.  As a choreographer, Janet has had the pleasure of working with Korsa since 2015, Shotgun Players, Berkeley Playhouse, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, and Throckmorton Theater. Janet recently completed an MA in Dance Philosophy and History at Roehampton University and currently resides in Sonoma County. www.janetcollard.com

Laura Cornwall – Stage Manager
Laura Cornwall (they/she) began their theater career as a student stage manager with Korsa (then YMTC) back in 2006-11, and is delighted to return as Korsa’s Resident Stage Manager. They have a BA in Stage Management and Dramaturgy from Oberlin College and an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama. Laura spent a number of years creating theater in New York City with partner Philip Waller, has worked as an Access and Sensory Consultant—including with National Disability Theater—and has a passion for bringing Disability Justice work and the performing arts together. 

Kathy Rogers – Scenic Designer
Kathy Rogers is honored to collaborate with such a talented group of fellow artists on this show! Some of her favorite past designs for Korsa include Matilda, RENT, The Light in the Piazza, Sweeney Todd, and Shrek. She is the principal architect of Sogno Design Group, a residential architecture and interior design firm in Albany, CA. 

Molly Stewart-Cohn – Lighting Designer
Molly (she/her) has been working in the Bay Area lighting world for twenty years, at theaters including Berkeley Rep, San Francisco Playhouse, CalShakes, ZSpace, The Magic, Berkeley Playhouse, and Shotgun. She has been a lighting designer, master electrician, programmer, and technician. She previously worked with Korsa on The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, and Don’t Stop Me.

Rachael Heiman – Costume Designer
Rachael Heiman (they/she/he) graduated from the California College of the Arts in 2018, diving into a decade-long career as a Bay Area Production Designer and Fabricator that specializes in historical recreation costumes for opera and musicals. Their individualized BFA, a blend of textiles, sculpture, and fashion, fuels their creative practice, especially in productions like this one. They’re celebrating their 14th collaboration with Korsa and third season as a resident costumer pouring their heart into shows such as Les Misérables, The Light in the Piazza, and Sweeney Todd. Beyond the sewing machine, Rachael’s journey has led them to explore performing, modeling, props artistry, and more. They’ve worked with a myriad of other Bay Area theatre companies including The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, African-American Shakespeare Company, The SF Speakeasy, and the San Francisco Playhouse. @Rachaelheimanproductions

Lucretia Froke – Hair & Makeup Designer
Lucretia (she/her) is excited to run her 7th show with Korsa and has been running and designing hair and makeup as well as set building, scenic painting, and prop fabricating in the Bay Area for the past 7 years, for Korsa she worked on Matilda, Sunday in the Park with George, Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Sound of Music, and Legally Blonde. Her favorite show was Little Shop of Horrors, where she designed and built the giant Audrey 2 and is excited to bring magic to the stage again for Heathers.

Dawn Nakashima – Props Designer & Scenic Artist
Dawn is so pleased to have found a niche in theater stagecraft (props, set dressing, paint & build). One of her favorite pastimes is to “make things” and as the property master she gets to flex her creative, problem solving and resourceful-ness muscles. Turns out Dawn is well suited for this type of work with a BS in Industrial Design (SJSU) and an MFA in Studio Arts (Mills College). Some of Dawn’s favorite Korsa shows to work on for their unique challenges – Light in the Piazza, Shrek the Musical & Matilda. Check out Dawn’s website for her latest creations: www.nakfinearts.com

Thomas Soto – Sound Designer & Mixer
Thomas is excited to join Korsa again the 24/25 season. He has mixed and designed SFX for Korsa since the summer of 2022. Notable performances include Sound of Music, Legally Blonde, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Korsa’s comissioned show Don’t Stop Me. He also has worked with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on various musical projects such as The Apple Tree and Little Women, and with ACT on their youth production of Carrie. He currently works at the Fairmont Hotel as an A/V specialist, A1, and Assistant Project Manager. During his down time you can find him hosting game nights, hunting monsters, and spending time with his new dog Bowie.

Jason Coale – Technical Director
Jason Coale (he/him) has been involved in theater and education for over 15 years, with a focus on design and production. Jason’s background spans teaching theater to students of all ages, from elementary school to university, as well as designing for theme parks like Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. He holds an MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and loves using his creativity to bring shows to life. Jason is excited to join Korsa as the Technical Director and can’t wait to dive into another fantastic production.

Bill Brewer – Build Assist
Bill has been working with Korsa in a variety of production roles for several years. His background in design and manufacturing has integrated well with assisting in the production of nearly two dozen Korsa performances. He is excited to be part of Heathers. BS, MS University of Oregon

Bertrand Blank – Sound Engineer
Bert (he/him) is a sound engineer, DJ, and event producer in the Bay Area.  He is the founder of By the Bay Productions, an innovative entertainment production company that specializes in sound design, lighting, and audio-visual effects. Bert has designed the sound for productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Be More Chill,  Heathers: The Musical, Into the Woods, Matilda, Sunday in the Park With George,  Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson Musical, Once Upon a Matteess (musical), Don’t Stop Me, Fun Home, Urine Town and Sound of Music.  He is thrilled to be working with Korsa again, and very excited to be part of the team bringing Heathers to Bay Area audiences. Visit bythebayproductions.com for more info.

Heather Ondersma – Intimacy Director
Heather (she/her) is thrilled to return to Korsa after serving as intimacy director for The Sound of Music and Fun Home. Film: Companion (New Line/Warner Brothers with Jack Quaid, Sophie Thatcher, Megan Suri), Chimera (dir. Steve Pink, with Pauline Chalamet), DìDi (弟弟, Sundance audience favorite), Josephine, Splash City, Maintenance Required (Amazon Studios). Theatre: Rent (Dix Hills Performing Arts Center, dir. Adam Pascal– original Roger), Angels in America (Oakland Theatre Project), The Book Club Play and Blithe Spirit (Ross Valley Players), Rent, Cinderella and In the Heights (Berkeley Playhouse), Little Women and The Prom (YPTMTC/Randall Museum). Member Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab, assistant faculty Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE), treasurer National Society of Intimacy Professionals, organizing team International Conference of Intimacy Coordinators–Berlin 2024.

Bessie Zolno – Violence Coordinator
Bessie Zolno (She/Her) is a mental health coordinator, and violence and intimacy choreographer. She helps performers of all ages care for their own wellbeing while navigating heightened moments of storytelling.. She is also a member of Society for Directors and Choreographers, National Society of Intimacy Professionals, and a certified through the Association of Mental Health Coordinators. Current and upcoming work includes: Romeo and Juliet (Theater Lunatico), Head Over Heels (Solano College), Froggy (CenterRep), She Kills Monsters (Santa Clara University), and The Cake (City Lights Theater Company). To learn more please visit: bessiezolno.com