Interview: Writer Darren Stein and Director Matt DiCarlo of JAWBREAKER THE MUSICAL

The stage adaptation of Jawbreaker The Musical written by Darren Stein (the creator of the original film), is an electrifying, high-gloss teen thriller with music composed by Jeffrey Thomson and lyrics by Jordan Mann. The propulsive, pop-concert-style score blends Lady Gaga-style synth-pop tracks with melodic ballads, and is directed by Matt DiCarlo with choreography by Jay Jackson - better known as RuPaul's Drag Race fan-favorite Laganja Estranja - and is produced by Knot Free Productions. The upcoming Los Angeles workshop performances at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles mark the production's next chapter, designed to generate industry momentum toward a future Off-Broadway or London run.

Featured in the cast are Rebecca Gayheart as Principal Sherwood, Aj Paramo as Fern Mayo, Méami as Courtney Shayne, Kristen Seggio as Julie Freeman, Jane Papageorge as Marcie Fox, Will Riddle as Zack Tartak, Mireya Zoé Nevel as Elizabeth Purr, Brandon Keith Rogers as Dane Sanders, along with ensemble members Dominic DeCicco, Mitchell Gerrard Johnson, Kayla Quiroz and Avery Rehl.

The dark comedy is based on the 1999 cult-classic film Jawbreaker which follows the ruthless leader of a high school clique, Courtney Shayne (along with her closest followers Marcie and Julie) who accidentally kills her best friend Liz during a birthday prank gone wrong. And when a mousy wallflower named Fern Mayo catches the girls tucking Liz's dead body back into bed, Courtney promises to give Fern a total makeover and make her the new most popular girl at school as long as she stays silent about what she witnessed.

As Fern undergoes an extreme transformation, she adopts the name "Vylette.” But once Fern gets a taste of power and status, she starts to enjoy her new life, eventually becoming a bigger "mean girl" than Courtney ever was! But what happens when the truth eventually comes to light and Courtney's carefully constructed cover-up unravels, exposing the clique's lies, the extent of the girls' vanity, and the deadly cost of seeking popularity?

I decided to speak with writer Darren Stein and director Matt Di Carlo on their vision for the stage musical, how the story differs from the original movie, and how its universal lesson about seeking popularity above anything else speaks directly to adults as well as teenagers today.

Playwright Darren Stein

Hi Darren and thanks for speaking with me today. How do you balance the darkly cynical, almost Hitchcockian tone of the original film with the emotional, "peachy f-ckin' keen" spectacle of a musical? 

Darren: There’s actually a song called “Peachy Keen” that Courtney sings when she hatches the plan to cover up Liz’s death and make it look like murder. Jeff Thomson the composer and Jordan Mann the lyricist did a beautiful job capturing the macabre underbelly of that twisted scenario musically while also capturing the dark humor lyrically and weaving in real emotion. We talked a lot about shows like “Sweeney Todd” and “Little Shop of Horrors” and how to keep the tone horrific but tongue-in-cheek at times, while also grounding the characters emotionally.  

How are you collaborating with composer Jeff Thomson and lyricist Jordan Mann to ensure the music reflects the pitch-black humor of the characters?

Jeff and Jordan were the ones who convinced me that I had to adapt the script I wrote for the film for the musical. I was hesitant at first because I knew musical theater is very much its own beast, but they convinced me I had to do it. I sent them a playlist of the different genres of music that felt like the world of Jawbreaker - from 80s new wave to 70s punk and glam to 90s Riot Grrrl anthems. We sat in a room together and discussed where the songs would go. A couple of the song titles ended up coming from the dialogue in the film. I was really surprised by how much more moving the story became with the characters expressing themselves in song. 

The movie has become a massive queer classic and a fashion bible over the last few decades. Did this existing cult following impact how you approached the stage script?

I think the musical will resonate even more for queer audiences while being made more accessible to a wider audience. The language of the stage musical feels universal in that way. The film was made in the style of a musical with its hyperreal color palette and heightened world, so it wasn’t a major leap tonally to adapt it for the stage. 

As far as the fashion, the Costume Designer from my film, GBF, Kit Scarbo, is doing the show, so I have no doubt it will have a completely ferocious style while honoring Vikki Barrett’s work on the original.

What do you hope audiences are talking about after seeing the show?

I hope audiences find it to be a completely new experience from the film with an unexpected emotional impact. I’m excited for people to hear the score. Jeff and Jordans’ songs feel more like rock and pop bangers than traditional musical theater and that feels right for Jawbreaker. 

Director Matt Di Carlo

Thanks for speaking with me, Matt, about directing the show. How do you balance preserving the iconic, razor-sharp dialogue of Darren Stein’s original film with the emotional demands of a musical? 

Matt: It is such a gift that the musical adaptation has been developed by the mastermind behind the film. Darren's dialogue is wickedly funny, incredibly specific, and packed with moments that have become iconic to the fans. I'm thrilled that many of those classic lines have found their way into the musical's book. 

For me, great musical theatre requires a complex cocktail of point of view and emotional rooting. Darren's expansion of the characters and story for the stage brings new depth to the world of JAWBREAKER in a way that enthused me from the beginning. Add Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann's electric score, and we're able to explore these characters in exciting new ways.  The adaptation absolutely respects the film's voice while embracing what only musical theatre can do. The dialogue gives us the masks these characters wear and the music gives us access to everything they're desperately trying to hide beneath the surface.

The movie is a masterclass in stylized, candy-coated camp. How are you working with choreographer Jay Jackson to translate that specific "Satan-in-heels" aesthetic into live stage numbers? 

Jay is AMAZING! We've been having the most inspiring meetings as we gear up for rehearsals. As we chart through each of the show's big musical numbers, we always start with story — discovering how movement can inform, expand, and elevate the narrative, while revealing something new about the characters or the plot point.

The world of JAWBREAKER is heightened, glamorous, dangerous, and deliciously theatrical. We are embracing that unapologetically. We're drawing inspiration from everything from Busby Berkeley and Grease to Lady Gaga and Ballroom culture as we build a vocabulary that feels both iconic and completely our own.  I'm obsessed with Jay's approach to choreography. She has a singular ability to balance camp and cheek with grit and ferocity, which feels like the perfect language for this piece.  The movement tells the story, defines status, and captures that fabulous "Satan-in-heels" energy that makes JAWBREAKER unforgettable.

Since this is a limited workshop engagement, what are the specific elements (pacing, musical staging, character arcs) you are prioritizing in the room? 

When crafting a musical, a workshop gives us the space to ask questions, make discoveries…and be brave! It’s a massive experiment.  For me, the priority is shape—in every sense of the word. The shape of the show. The shape of the narrative. The shape of the staging. And, perhaps most importantly, the shape of each character's journey.  If we can leave our time in LA with a clearer, sharper, more emotionally satisfying version of the show, then we've done exactly what a workshop is meant to do.  

How are you using minimal set elements and lighting to create the toxic, superficial atmosphere of Reagan High in an intimate theatrical setting? 

There's a line in the film that has become a North Star for our design conversations: "Some of the sweetest candies are sour as death inside." For me, that is the world of JAWBREAKER. Everything is glossy, seductive, and aspirational on the surface…but beneath it lies manipulation, insecurity, and a hint of danger.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be working with such a smart, clever, and resourceful design team for our workshop production in LA. Alex Mollo (scenic design), Gavan Wyrick (lighting design), and Jenine MacDonald (props) are creating an environment that's abstract enough for us to move fluidly and cinematically between locations, yet specific enough to paint a vivid world.  Because we're in the very-intimate Hudson Theatre Backstage, we're embracing theatricality rather than literalism. And with the costume design, Kit Scarbo (who has collaborated with Darren on other projects) and I are having so much fun exploring how to create a contemporary JAWBREAKER while paying homage to the film's unforgettable fashion sensibility.  I’m so hyped about all of it!

For the stage adaptation, what do you think may surprise audience members familiar with the original film?

I hope audiences familiar with the film are surprised by just how much more there is to discover. We aren't trying to make a carbon copy of the movie onstage, and we're certainly not making a parody musical. My goal has always been to create something that stands proudly alongside the film - a companion piece that honors its DNA while taking advantage of everything that makes musical theatre such a singular storytelling form.  Everyone making this musical really loves Darren's film. That affection is at the heart of every creative decision we've made. If audiences leave feeling like they've rediscovered JAWBREAKER - rather than simply revisited it - I think we'll have done what we are setting out to do.

The limited workshop engagement of Jawbreaker The Musical runs September 4-20, 2026, on Fri/Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm, at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA  90038, marking the latest step in the long-awaited stage adaptation of the cult favorite film as the creative team continues developing the musical for future productions. Run time is 90 minutes without intermission.

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