Greenport, Connecticut; An affluent, small town | Modern Day

MARY JANE HEALY
An affluent mother who is addicted to painkillers after a car crash and has a strained relationship with her husband, Steve. MJ also pressures her children to be perfect to maintain the family’s image in the community.

FRANKIE HEALY
The adopted Black daughter of the family, who is struggling to find her place in the community and deal with her racial identity. Frankie is also involved in a love triangle with her best friend, Jo, and a new boy at school, Phoenix.

BELLA FOX
A free-spirited and outspoken student whose world is shaken after surviving sexual assault. Her story becomes central to the show’s emotional core.

JO TAYLOR
Frankie’s best friend and partner, who is queer and dealing with the restrictions of their religious upbringing. Jo is on a journey to explore their gender identity and queerness.

STEVE HEALY
Mary Jane’s husband, emotionally distant, the father of the family, struggling with his addiction to pornography.

NICK HEALY
The biological son of the family, a star Athlete finishing his Senior year of high school who has just been accepted to Harvard.

PHOENIX
Transfer student that becomes Frankie’s love interest.

ANDREW MONTEFIORE
A wealthy suburban jock and the best friend of Nick. He serves as the musical’s central antagonist.

Inspiration

Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13th, 1995. Recorded in Hollywood with production by Glen Ballard, it was Morissette’s first album to be released worldwide. It marks a significant stylistic departure from the dance-pop sound of her first two efforts, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). She began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Los Angeles, where she met Ballard. The pair had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds. The experimentation resulted in an alternative rock album that takes influence from post-grunge, hip-hop and pop rock, and features guitars, bass, keyboards, drum machines, and harmonica. The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette’s angst. The title of the album is taken from a line in the first verse of the song “You Learn”.

Jagged Little Pill received positive reviews from critics, who praised its music and Morissette’s lyrics and vocals. It received nine Grammy Award nominations, of which it won five, including Album of the Year, making her the youngest artist to win the award at the time.

Broadway

In November 2013, it was revealed that a musical version of the album Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette was being adapted for the stage with composer Tom Kitt attached to pen new arrangements and orchestrations for the production. A first workshop was expected to take place in 2014, but in 2015 Morissette revealed that the show was still in early stages and had yet to be written. In May 2017, it was announced that the musical would receive its world premiere in May 2018, 23 years after the album came out. A reading took place in 2017, with Idina Menzel as Mary Jane. The first public performance of songs from the show took place in March 2018 at the American Repertory Theater Gala.

The show officially began previews on Broadway on November 3rd, 2019, featuring Elizabeth Stanley starring as Mary Jane, Sean Allan Krill as Steve, and Derek Klena as Nick. Additionally, Lauren Patten was cast as Jo, Celia Rose Gooding as Frankie, and Kathryn Gallagher as Bella. Performances were suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 74th Tony Awards in 2020, Jagged Little Pill: The Musical won two awards out of 15 nominations, the most nominations of any show of the 2019–20 season. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

On October 21st, 2021, performances began once again. Heidi Blickenstaff reopened the show as Mary Jane, filling in for Elizabeth Stanley who was on maternity leave. Once Stanley returned, the two shared the role. Morgan Dudley and Adi Roy joined the cast, replacing Gooding and Cipriano, respectively. In December 2021, multiple performances Jagged Little Pill were canceled due to COVID-19 issues with the cast and crew. On December 20th, 2021, it was announced that the production would close permanently. The producers cited the need to “prioritize the health and safety of the cast, crew, and entire team”, retroactively making December 17th, 2021 its final show after 36 previews and 171 performances.

Cultural Impact

The musical is universally celebrated for tackling difficult social realities while maintaining the raw, cathartic emotional core of the original album. By using the music of the 1995 album to tackle heavy modern issues like sexual assault, the opioid epidemic, and systemic racism, the show redefined the genre of what a jukebox musical can be, using. Many younger people were introduced to Morissette’s music for the first time, thus creating a resurgence of the original album.

Jagged Little Pill burrows bravely and unapologetically into big issues, like addiction, sexual assault, queer identities, mental health, transracial adoption, masculinity, and marriage crisis.

ADDICTION
We watch Mary Jane unravel as she grapples with her worsening opioid addiction. In the song “Smiling”, MJ reveals the monotony of her life as she moves through her day, and we see her struggles come to a head when she sings “Uninvited” and reaches her breaking point.

SEXUAL ASSAULT
We explore sexual assault through Bella’s story, which we relive with her as she sings “Predator”. In the song “No”, we see what it means for Bella to find her voice, and what allyship can look like.

QUEER IDENTITES
Throughout the show, both Jo and Frankie are exploring with their respective sexual and gender identities. In “That I Would Be Good”, they express the insecurities and anxieties of what it means to be one’s true self. In “You Oughta Know”, Jo finally takes up space.

MASCULINITY
Both Nick and Steve are on their own journeys to grapple with their masculinity. In “So Unsexy”, Steve reveals both his vulnerability, and his unmet needs. In the finale, “You Learn”, Nick and Steve, along with MJ, Frankie, Jo, and Bella, resolve to be kinder to themselves as they strive to be better parents, better partners, better friends, and better allies.

TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION
As we move through the show, Frankie begins to unpack how being a transracial adoptee has impacted her. When Frankie sings “All I Really Want” with her mom, MJ, we get a glimpse into how far apart they truly are. In “Unprodigal Daughter”, Frankie finally conveys her true frustrations.

RESOURCES

LOCAL SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE: Call or text 988

RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available 24/7. Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org for free, confidential, anonymous support.

LEARN TO COPE offers education, resources, peer support and hope for parents and family members coping with a loved one addicted to opiates or other drugs. www.learn2cope.org

THE TREVOR PROJECT is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) young people. Visit www.thetrevorproject.org or call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678.678

LGBTQ+ Youth Talkline, a confidential safe space where callers of any age can speak about sexual orientation or gender identity/expression issues. Visit www.lgbthotline.org/youth-talkline or call 800-246-7743

A CALL TO MEN is a violence prevention organization that works to promote a healthy and respectful manhood and shift attitudes and behaviors that devalue women, girls and marginalized groups. www.acalltomen.org

SAMHSA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) can help individuals find alcohol, drug, or mental health treatment facilities and programs around the country. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the free, confidential, SAMHSA National Helpline 24/7 : 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit www.samhsa.gov

TRANS LIFELINE, for the trans community, by the trans community. Offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis. Call 877-565-8860 or visit www.translifeline.org

YWCA Spokane, if you or someone you know is impacted by intimate partner domestic violence, know that confidential advocates are always available through our 24hr helpline services. Call 509-326-2255

Thank you for being here.

Jagged Little Pill was a very intentional choice for Spokane Civic Theatre – a pivot, in many ways, toward stories that ask us to sit in discomfort, complexity, honesty, and humanity. As we approached this production, we worked thoughtfully to build a company that reflects both this story and the community around us.

If you’re unfamiliar with the musical, Jagged Little Pill tackles issues that were deeply relevant in 2019 and remain just as relevant today, in the same ways and in new ones. The show explores identity, race, addiction, sexual assault, family dynamics, mental health, and the ways we hurt each other while trying desperately to be seen and loved. Some moments may feel painful or challenging. My hope, though, is that somewhere in this story, every person in this audience recognizes a piece of themselves. I certainly do.

For some, this show begins with the raw, angry, unforgettable music of Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill,” an album tied to core memories, growing pains, heartbreak, rebellion, and survival. For others, this story arrives through author Diablo Cody’s theatrical adaptation and the deeply human characters at its center. Together, they create something messy, emotional, funny, painful, imperfect, and real.

This cast and creative team have approached this work with enormous care, courage, vulnerability, and an unbelievable amount of hustle. We mounted this massive show in nearly half the time a musical of this size would normally receive, and I could not be more proud of the artistry, commitment, flexibility, and heart that every person involved has brought into the room. They have given everything they have to tell this story honestly.

I also need to acknowledge the extraordinary production team that assembled almost overnight to help bring this show to life: Christian Skok, Lexi Dysart, Dr. Nike Imoru, Jamie Suter, Mackenzie Willett, and Peter Rossing. Quite simply, this production would not exist without their talent, trust, collaboration, and willingness to leap into the unknown with me.

So today, rage with us. Laugh with us. Sit in the discomfort with us. Heal with us. And above all, thank you for allowing live theatre to continue being a place where difficult conversations and human connection can exist side by side.

Bonni Dichone (Director)

FUN FACTS

• Legally Blonde: The Musical premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on April 29, 2007, and ran for 595 performances. It was nominated for several Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Laura Bell Bundy (Elle Woods).
• The musical is based on the 2001 film Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon. However, it adds new songs, characters, and plot elements that are unique to the stage adaptation.
• Beyond its comedic elements, the musical explores themes of empowerment, self-discovery, and the importance of staying true to oneself. It’s known for its upbeat and positive message.
• The musical has been performed in numerous countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Japan, among others. It has been translated in several languages, adapting the story for different cultures.