Be More Chill will get a second cast album this spring as the Broadway company, having recently celebrated their official opening at the Lyceum Theatre, will step into the recording studio later this month. No word yet on an exact date for the Ghostlight Records release.
The musical, featuring a score by Joe Iconis and a book by Joe Tracz, previously released a cast recording with the show’s original cast, preserving the voices of those heard in the 2015 world premiere at New Jersey’s Two River Theater. Many members of that company, including Stephanie Hsu, George Salazar, and Gerard Canonico, reprise their performances on the Main Stem. A karaoke album was also released earlier this year.
Leading the cast on Broadway is Will Roland as Jeremy, with Salazar as Michael, Hsu as Christine, Canonico as Rich, Katlyn Carlson as Chloe, Tiffany Mann as Jenna, Lauren Marcus as Brooke, Britton Smith as Jake, Jason SweetTooth Williams as Mr. Heere/Mr. Reyes/Scary Stockboy, and Jason Tam as The Squip. Each of them appeared in the musical’s Off-Broadway bow last year.
“The original cast recording of Be More Chill changed my life. It was the launchpad for this entire crazy journey which has led myself and my collaborators all the way to Broadway,” said Iconis. “I couldn't be more excited that the new material written for the show since our 2015 recording will finally be preserved, along with the performances of our brilliant current cast.”In addition to Iconis, the music team includes music director Emily Marshall and orchestrator Charlie Rosen. Iconis and Rosen will produce the album with Ghostlight’s Kurt Deutsch, with Marshall co-producing with Ian Kagey.
Directed by Stephen Brackett and based on the novel by Ned Vizzini, Be More Chill tells the story of Jeremy Heere, an awkward high schooler who succumbs to the influence of the Squip, a pill-shaped supercomputer purported to make its user more chill.