West Chester University’s Department of Theatre & Dance presents the musical Be More Chill from Oct. 17-20.

Guest Director Devon Sinclair helms the show. The music and lyrics are by Joe Iconis, with libretto by Joe Tracz. Be More Chill is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini.

Be More Chill runs Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 17-19, at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2:00 PM in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre, Swope Music Building and Performing Arts Center (817 S. High Street, West Chester). General admission tickets are $15, and $12 for students and seniors with valid I.D.

Set to a “grooving” pop-rock score, Be More Chill is a hilarious sci-fi tale of high school and one boy’s quest to fit in. Jeremy is an average teenager when he discovers the power of a mysterious supercomputer pill that promises to transform him from a social outcast to the coolest kid in school. But as Jeremy’s popularity skyrockets, he realizes there are consequences to being “chill” that he never anticipated; the A.I. inside wants to take over the world! Be More Chill is a hilarious and heartfelt journey about embracing who you are, and the importance of true friendship.

Sinclair stated, “In my opinion Be More Chill is a sort of mix of Dear Evan Hanson and Mean Girls. It’s a show that spotlights the noise we are all constantly hearing in our heads, especially young people, who are trying to figure out which guiding voice to listen to. It deals with mental health, but does it in a fun and lighthearted way.”

Be More Chill premiered regionally at Two Rivers Theatre in New Jersey in 2015. Some of the songs in the show gained traction on social media channels, and the younger audiences who connected with the show helped to generate interest in it, ultimately leading to an Off-Broadway production in 2018. Be More Chill ran Off-Broadway in the summer of 2018 and transferred to Broadway in 2019. The show closed after 177 performances. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, a Chicago production in 2020 was canceled. Be More Chill also ran in London’s West End. In July 2019, the cast of Be More Chill performed four songs, including the breakout song “Micheal in the Bathroom,” for a Tiny Desk Concert on NPR.

Sinclair stated, “Be More Chill leans into those that have felt ‘othered’ in their lives, which is pretty much every teenager at some point, so the show is very relatable to today’s young audiences.”

Another area of focus has been the show’s sound design.

Sinclair noted, “Since this show is a fantasy and about the noises we hear in our heads, WCU student designers (Ty Tansy, Moss Kane, and Liv Opiela, under the direction of Production Manager, Christen Mandracchia) have dedicated many long hours to creating hundreds of new lighting and sound cues that they have built themselves.”

Five live musicians accompany the cast of 17 that includes Andrew Neiman (Jeremy), Isabella Yackanicz (Christine), Mar’keece Barnett (Michael), Nick DeMatteo (The Squip), Ronnie Hernandez (Jake Dillinger), Luke Preston (Rich), Raven Burckhalter (Chloe), Gwen Nolen (Brooke), Sophie Cox (Jenna), Jack Williamson (Jeremy’s Dad and others). Ensemble members: Calvin T. Carr, E.J. Ford, Erin McGinniss, Courtney Parker, Brenna Pelizzoni, and Zachary Slade. Alivia Bentley is a swing.

The Department of Theatre and Dance at West Chester University, an accredited institution of the National Association of Schools of Theatre, prepares students for the professional and academic worlds of Theatre and Dance while raising student awareness of civility, diversity, creativity, problem-solving, and social responsibility. The department offers a BA Theatre degree program with elective concentrations in Musical Theatre, Performance, and Design and Production, in addition to a dance minor and theatre minor.

Learn more at WCU.