Rebecca Gayheart Debuts in Jawbreaker Musical — SkimNews
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- Rebecca Gayheart is making her musical theater debut in "Jawbreaker The Musical," premiering Friday and running through Sept. 20 at Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles.
- The role of Principal Sherwood combines Ms. Sherwood (Carol Kane) and Detective Vera Cruz (Pam Grier) from the 1999 film into a single character with a transformation arc that didn't exist in the movie, per Stein.
- Writer-director Darren Stein, who penned the original 1999 cult film, also wrote the book for the musical, calling it "thrilling" to reunite with Gayheart on the stage production.
- Gayheart told Deadline she's "scared shitless" about her one solo in the show, noting she's "not a singer" but plans to make the scene "entertaining and fun" regardless.
- Principal Sherwood's arc includes whip-cracking choreography staged by Jay Jackson, also known as Laganja from "RuPaul's Drag Race."
- Gayheart floated former co-stars Julie Benz, Judy Greer, and Rose McGowan as candidates to rotate through the role in a potential West End run in London.
Why it matters: By collapsing the film's meek administrator and sharp detective into one character, the musical gives Gayheart a transformation arc the 1999 movie couldn't — and her pitch for Benz, Greer, and McGowan to rotate the role in London turns a limited Off-Broadway run into a potential reunion franchise for the cult film's fanbase.
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