Be More Chill Tickets | Schedule for 2024/2025 Events

Be More Chill

One of the hottest shows on Broadway, Be More Chill is a story about how a high school boy, Jeremy, who is dorky and unpopular. But when he invites a supercomputer inside his brain, everything changes. With this new “life coach,” Jeremy becomes cool, gaining status, and attracting his peers. The supercomputer may make Jeremy popular, but at what cost? When Jeremy hesitates to follow some of the supercomputer’s advice, it becomes more malevolent and unruly. Will Jeremy decide to follow the supercomputer’s questionable advice, or will he decide to follow his human instincts?

Thematically, Be More Chill focuses on the social structure in high schools. A hierarchy where coolness reigns supreme, young people are under a ton of pressure to be cool, despite the outcomes. And the outcomes can be dark—shallowness, bullying, misogyny, homophobia, and manipulation. Although a funny science fiction story in many ways, it does not shy away from the cruelty that underlies many people’s high school experiences.

Unsurprisingly, this musical has been championed by young people. It was originally a young adult novel under the same name published in 2004 by author Joe Tracz. In 2015, it was pitched to producers and theaters in New York City. No one in the city took a chance with it. So, it made a six-week appearance in New Jersey’s Two River Theater the following year with playwrights Ned Vizzini and Joe Tracz, as well as lyricist and composter Joe Iconis. Surprisingly, in 2017, a song from the musical started gaining notifications on social media. On Instagram, Twitter and Spotify, people made fan art, asked about their favorite characters, and searched for karaoke versions of the songs to sing along to songs. Unexpectedly, a community of high school students who loved theater made Be More Chill the hit that its creators dreamed it to be. From there, the musical filled university theaters before making its way to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre, selling out show after show to this day.

Despite the focus on teenagers, many older viewers will be able to relate to the pressures of social hierarchy, either from their past high school days or present workplaces. The Be More Chill team recommends that viewers be 12 or older due to some mature themes.

If you like science fiction, young adult, musicals, book adaptations, or humor, Be More Chill might be the musical for you. Book your tickets now before this trailblazer sells out.