The cast of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s performance of Jagged Little Pill rehearses for its opening night on Sept. 17. Credit: Alexa Baker
A musical featuring complex themes of identity and representation will take the stage Thursday to open the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s 2026-2027 season.
1995 Grammy Award-winning artist Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill: The Musical,” inspired by her discography, will open at the Riffe Center’s Studio One Theatre, located at 77 S. High Street in downtown Columbus, Thursday. The musical follows “the seemingly perfect Healy family as buried tensions erupt and hard truths come to light,” according to the theatre’s website. “This two-time Tony Award-winning musical is an unforgettable, deeply human experience.”
The musical is inspired by and features songs from Morissette’s album of the same name. David Hap Cremean, who plays supporting love interest Phoenix, called it “an interesting vehicle” to hear the artist’s songs.
“The songs themselves already were very theatrical, and almost all of them tell a very clear story,” Cremean said. “I think how they’ve done it is so smart.”
Skylar Kyser, assistant stage manager for the production, said the story addresses topics like drug addiction, sexuality, interracial relationships, class disparity and substance abuse, some of which she has personal experience with.
“As somebody who is Black and queer, and has definitely experienced a lot of environments with class disparity, this show means a lot to me in the sense that I see myself in so many of the characters,” she said.?
Kyser, an Ohio State alum who graduated in 2023 with degrees in theatre and African American studies, said she thinks the musical will feel relatable to students.?
“I think there are a lot of students that will identify with feeling singled out or othered,” she said. “I think that this is such an enjoyable and relatable show to watch, coming from many different intersections of life.”
The production aims to make attendees feel seen and understood through its themes, Kyser said.
“It’s harping on a lot of topics that are prevalent in everyday life for a lot of people,” she said. “I think that it means a lot to me because I see myself in these characters and their struggles that are touched on in the show.”?
Cremean said he relates to the musical and its overarching messages.
“I think that a very relatable conversation that we have multiple times in the show is ‘Am I good enough?,’” Cremean said. “‘Am I good enough for my parents [or] for the expectation that society has put on me?’ I think that’s a really relatable message, especially for young people.”?
Cremean said the production uses Morisette’s music and lyricism to tell its story.
“I’ve had a huge love for this music since starting this show,” Cremean said. “The songs themselves, already, were very theatrical, and almost all of them tell a very clear story.”
Kyser said audiences should expect show-stopping performances from the cast.
“I’ll get chills when I’m watching from backstage, and I’ve seen it every day,” Kyser said.
Kyser said it is the training that she received from Ohio State’s theatre program that helped her take on her role in the production.
“With my experience in the Ohio State theatre department, specifically, I think that has prepared me for a show like this, at least in a very work-oriented manner,” Kyser said. “I was set up with the proper skills to be able to tackle a glitz and glam kind of production where there’s so many great songs and such a high level of production with the scenery, the props, the sound [and] a live band.”
Kyser said the cast of the show is one of the most memorable parts of the production.
“The actress that plays Mary Jane, the lead character, Sabrina Lynn Gore, is phenomenal,” Kyser said. “I’ve been extremely happy to work with her and see her process, and she’s a phenomenal singer. She just brings it to life as such a touching part of the show.”
Cremean said the cast, which includes 16 ensemble members, has fostered a warm and accepting environment, which can be seen through the show itself.?
“I grew up in Columbus, so I had a lot of connections in this cast already, which I was very thankful for,” Cremean said. “It was a very welcoming and inviting room.”
Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill: The Musical” has preview performances beginning Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., and officially opens for the season Saturday at 8 p.m. The show will run Thursdays through Sundays through Oct. 4.?
“Pay-What-You-Want” tickets will be available two hours before the preview performances Thursday and Friday, according to the theatre’s website, and $20 student tickets will be available two hours prior to all regular season performances, beginning Saturday, for anyone with a valid student ID.
The article was updated on Sept. 16 at 8:31 p.m. to correct David Hap Cremean’s name.
