Review Roundup: JAGGED LITTLE PILL on Tour; Read All of the Reviews!

The National Tour of Jagged Little Pill is now underway! The tour opened in Las Vegas on September 6.

Heidi Blickenstaff (she/her) reprises her role from the Broadway production as Mary Jane Healy, joined by Lauren Chanel (she/her) as Frankie Healy, Chris Hoch (he/him) as Steve Healy and Dillon Klena (he/him) as Nick Healy. The cast also includes Jade McLeod (they/them) as Jo and Allison Sheppard (she/her) as Bella.

The ensemble includes Lee H. Alexander (he/him), Delaney Brown (she/they), Jada Simone Clark (she/her), Lani Corson (she/her), Rishi Golani (he/him), Jason Goldston (he/they), Zach Hess (he/him), Cydney Kutcipal (they/them), Jordan Leigh McCaskill (they/she), Alana Pollard (she/they), Daniel Thimm (he/him), Kei Tsuruharatani (she/they), and Jena VanElslander. Maya J. Christian (she/her), Claire Crause (she/her), Sean Doherty (he/him) and Charles P. Way (he/him) join the cast as swings.

Learn more here.

Let's see what the critics are saying...

Pantages Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Evan Henerson, BroadwayWorld: JAGGED LITTLE PILL ultimately concludes on a more upbeat note than one might expect, but amazingly the resolution does not seem false or disingenuous. Ultimately, forgiveness, growth and a new self-awareness can be powerful tools, and anger can give way to something else. If the makers of Jagged Little Pill can live with this, then we certainly can as well.

Talia Sajor, Daily Bruin: When it comes to jukebox musicals, many struggle with performing songs as mere accessories that are unrelated to the overall narrative rather than an aid to propel the story forward, but "Jagged Little Pill" overcomes this hurdle. Between the powerful themes tackled, Morrisette's meaningful songwriting and alternative-rock instrumentals, the album serves as a strong accompaniment to the script and overall show. Along with added harmonies to make her songs more suitable for a stage show, these elements formed one homogenous, joyous and heartbreaking performance.

Cori Graham, SoCal Thrills: Heidi Blickenstaff (Mary Jane) is an absolute legend. MJ's internal struggles are demonstrated early on in her performance of "Smile" which was a hauntingly beautiful performance. "Forgiven" was visually and vocally amazing, but Uninvited was the most chillingly beautiful number Blickenstaff performed. Her vocal performances were both strong and vulnerable, truly embodying who MJ is. Dillon Klena's performance of "Perfect" was heartbreaking.

Golden Gate Theatre - San Francisco, CA

Lily Janiak, Datebook: "Jagged Little Pill," which has a book by Diablo Cody (Oscar-winning screenwriter of 2007's "Juno"), also suffers the standard difficulties of jukebox musicals. Scenes feel reverse engineered to justify the inclusion of pre-existing songs. Focus keeps spiraling outward on new tangents, only to fizzle out entirely. In one especially egregious example, the setup the show comes up with for "Ironic" is a high school poetry recitation. Poetry gets one more throwaway reference, then nothing.

Jay Barmann, SFIST: That said, this is a terrific, exuberant, well written and artfully constructed show with lots to recommend it, whether you count yourself a superfan of Morissette or not - though if you hate when her songs come on the radio, it's probably best you stay away.

Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA

Jay Irwin, BroadwayWorld: All told, this show is for a certain type of theatergoer. A Morissette fan, for sure. And as a fan, someone who already knows the lyrics of her songs. And someone who wants to have all the feels with as many hot topics as possible and isn't picky about how they're delivered. If you are any of those people, then you'll probably have a great night. Unfortunately, none of those people are me. And so, with my three-letter rating system, I give "Jagged Little Pill" at the Paramount Theatre a "I recognize the talent on stage and in the songs, but it was just too overblown for me" MEH. Not every songbook needs a jukebox musical. Just like not every issue from the headlines needs to be addressed in a single show.

Blumenthal Performing Arts Center: Belk Theater - Charlotte, NC

Penny Tannenbaum, BroadwayWorld: Duke grad Heidi Blickenstaff shows us how - and why - she won the lead role of Mary Jane on Broadway after the COVID hiatus, bringing us an affecting mix of maternal warmth, diligence, cluelessness, and neurosis. Paired with Chris Hoch as a decidedly corporate-looking Steve, Blickenstaff as MJ struck me at times as somewhat surreal delving with her partner into the marrow of Morissette's songbook.

Hippodrome Theatre - Baltimore, MD

J. Wynn Rousuck, WYPR: Based on singer Alanis Morissette's hit 1995 album of the same name, this new Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical tells a more complex story of "a perfectly imperfect American family," wrapped in renditions of songs from the potent, platinum-selling album.

Timoth David Copney, MD Theatre Guide: Book writer Cody weaves the narrative around the songs on the eponymous album and, as with any jukebox musical, the fit is usually acceptable. Though at times, it does rather fall into the round peg in the square hole mode-"we have to use this song, so let's just jam it in right here." But the story, though predictable, is nonetheless compelling, and the fact that Cody won a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical makes it obvious that it's well constructed. It would have been nice to give Dad a little greater say, but I can forgive that.

Academy Of Music - Philadelphia, PA

Danielle Ohman, West End Best Friend: Jagged Little Pill the Musical is unapologetically raw with the topics of suicide, depression, rape, trauma, and self-identification at every turn of the play. This is not a musical that you will leave feeling hopefulness and happiness; rather you might wonder what truths or demons you hiding to make yourself conform to those around you?

Providence Performing Arts Center - Providence, RI

John McDaid, BroadwayWorld: Morisette's dense, trenchant lyrics are used to excavate the angst lurking beneath the surface of a "perfect" Connecticut family. We meet opioid-popping supermom Mary Jane Healy (played with devastating perfection by Heidi Blickenstaff, reprising her Broadway appearance), her workaholic porn-addict husband Steve (Chris Hoch) and their kids: Ivy-bound senior Nick (Dillon Klena) and adopted Black teenage daughter Frankie (Lauren Chanel). Nick struggles with ethical blind spots and Frankie explores their racial and gender identity while hiding, like their parents, behind the walls of their impeccable suburban house (and those each has created around themselves.) Rounding out the principals are Jo (Jade McLeod, whose rendition of "You Oughta Know" is a breathtaking showstopper) and Nick's classmate Bella (Allison Sheppard, in a devastating turn). The ensemble -- who populate the scenes as students, housewives, protesters, and dancers -- are uniformly excellent. Rishi Golani steps out of the chorus with a fine performance as Phoenix, Frankie's emerging love interest.

Kimberley Rau, 997 WPRO: The cast is perfection. The ensemble exists as both a type of Greek chorus and a visual delight, executing complicated dance numbers that are just as integral to the feel of the music as the singing. Lauren Chanel as Frankie is a talented actor and singer. Her vocal strengths particularly shine during "All I Really Want" and "Unprodigal Daughter." The men in the show do not get as many power numbers as the women, but Chris Hoch as Steve, Dillon Klena as Nick and Rishi Golani as Phoenix, Frankie's love interest, are all fantastic actors and vocalists.

Ken Abrams, WUN: Yes, you'll hear solid renditions of songs from the album, but don't expect to see "The Alanis Morissette Story." The production is a step up from most jukebox musicals, a genre that typically focuses on a band's origin story. In this case, the plot has nothing to do with Alanis Morisette's life any more than it does yours or mine. What you get is an authentic story centered around a suburban Connecticut family, seemingly perfect on the outside, but undoubtedly troubled from within.

Benedum Center for the Performing Arts - Pittsburgh, PA

Sue, PghLesbian: I don't want to give too much away in this "review" but I want to state that this was one of the best musicals I have seen. It was sad, funny, powerful, uplifting. To try and review this musical is a bit hard because there was just so much packed into it. The musical follows a fictional family, the Healy family, a white, upper class suburban family from Connecticut. There's mom, Mary Jane, dad Steve, son Nick and daughter, Frankie, who is adopted. The plot, in two acts with an intermission, is of course centered around the songs from Jagged Little Pill. The actress who performs as Mary Jane, Heidi Blickenstaff, was just outstanding-her vocals and acting were at the heart of the musical. (She reminded me of Martha Stewart, and her singing voice was very close to Alanis Morissette's voice.) Mary Jo's daughter, Frankie, played by Lauren Chanel, also had an amazing voice and was the moral center of the musical. One of the most powerful songs in the musical, "You Outta Know) was sung by an LGBT character, Jo (Jade McLeod). The song was at the center of Jagged Little Pill, the album, and is a powerful "kiss off" to a partner who abandons you.

Scott Tady, The Times: "Jagged Little Pill" touts itself as a story about "a perfectly imperfect American family," so maybe an imperfect opening night was apropos. The Benedum crowd didn't get flustered, and that eight-minute delay drifted deep into afterthought after a rousing stage performance that earned a lengthy standing ovation.

Fisher Theatre - Detroit, MI

Carmichael Cruz, Click On Detroit: Jagged Little Pill manages to bring to light a cornucopia of modern-day hot button issues in its two-and-a-half hours. From consent, to LGBTQIA+ rights, to addiction, these themes are explored through the lens of the Healys and how each family member handles the cracks that are unraveling after an incident that shakes up this perfect Connecticut town.

Emily Schenk, BroadwayWorld: One of the true markers of an unforgettable musical is a show that can make you feel so moved emotionally while also making you chuckle with relatable anecdotes. I loved how this show didn't shy away from the social issues but ultimately spotlighted things we often overlook. For example, the play mentions school shootings, addiction, sexual assault, and real trauma many still face while trying to express their true sexual orientation.

Ronelle Grier, The Detroit Jewish News: Given the themes of the story, it is fitting that the female characters are the backbone of the show, and these actors do more than simply meet that challenge - they exceed it by leaps and bounds. Heidi Blickenstaff, reprising her Broadway role as Mary Jane, is a fierce and versatile performer, equally effective at repressing her emotions to maintain her shaky cover as she is at belting them out in the powerful song "Forgiven" at the end of Act One.

National Theatre - Washington, DC

Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide: The performances in this production transcends good and verges on spectacular because of two key components: the actors and the music of Morissette. Bringing these elements together seamlessly and in a riotously entertaining way certainly would seem to be no easy feat, but director Diane Paulus pulls it off and what's more, she makes it look effortless. Heidi Blickenstaff as Mary Jane Healy leads an incredibly talented cast of actors. Blickenstaff's vocal range is impressive to say the least.

Ken Kemp, BroadwayWorld: The show tries too hard, and can't figure out what it wants to be: is it a jukebox musical? A play with music that deals with socially relevant contemporary issues? (Cody's book is filled with great dialogue and strong themes. Stripped of the music, focused more tightly on Mary Jane's struggle with addiction and how that impacts all of her family, it would be a powerful work about dysfunctional, on par with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? And absent the need to have a traditional, musical theatre happy ending, it would have allowed Cody to explore different endings for the piece.) Similarly, Morrissette's music speaks for itself, and a more autobiographical take would make for a great jukebox musical in the mold of TINA - The Tina Turner Musical. (There are moments when the creative team have chosen to punctuate the more powerful anthems with blaringly bring lights and concert-style lighting effects like chases, which further confuses the concept.)

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park - Cincinnati, OH

Taylor Clemons, BroadwayWorld: Bligh Voth (filling in for Heidi Blickenstaff) did an absolutely phenomenal job as MJ. The role requires everything she has, and Voth left it all on the stage. From the highs of her comedic chops and jaw dropping vocals to her dramatic and heartbreaking lows, Voth leads the show like a seasoned professional. Chris Hoch as Steve is great in the show. His character is arguably the most underwritten, but Hoch finds great moments of sincerity throughout the show. Lauren Chanel is scrappy and ferocious as Frankie. She plays the character with a lot of sass, pathos, and teenage naïveté- all the while showcasing her smooth and fluid vocals. Dillion Klena as Nick is sincere and charming. Klena was a great voice, and his scenes with Voth's MJ are particularly moving and devastating.

James M. Nederlander Theatre - Chicago, IL

Ashley Bihun, WGN Radio: To call Jagged Little Pill a jukebox musical does not do this masterpiece justice. It is so much more that trying to define is an impossible task. Indeed, Jagged Little Pill is one of the most poignant and meaningful productions to take the stage in a very long time. Candidly, I was not sure what to expect going in but I was blown away by the power of the story, the integration of Alanis Morisette's music and the fantastic performances. Heidi Blickenstaff gives the performance of a lifetime and one of the most powerful I've seen in many years. She is, in a work, astounding!

Tristan Bruns, New City Stage: Using nostalgia like a bludgeon, the cast delivers a knockout performance while telling a story that questions existential dogmas and touches on pressing social issues of inequality. "Jagged Little Pill" exposes the hypocrisies of the "American dream" and reveals the wounds we all carry yet keep hidden, told through the grunge-soaked, passionate anthems of Morissette.

Lied Center for Performing Arts - Lincoln, NE

Analisa Swerczek, BroadwayWorld: Leading the cast of young performers is Broadway veteran Heidi Blickenstaff, who is known for such hits as Something Rotten, Little Mermaid, and Disney's stage and television adaptations of Freaky Friday. Frankly, Blickenstaff is simply on a different level than others, with soaring and pitch-perfect vocals, comedic timing that is both unexpected and appreciated, and a sincerity brought to some challenging emotional moments that just wouldn't land if not handled with the care and professionalism she possesses. Her performance of "Uninvited," complemented by a stellar contemporary dance by Jena VanElsander and some haunting harmonies by Allison Sheppard, is reason alone to hit that purchase ticket button, as it's sure to leave even the most skeptical theatergoer in awe.

Proctor's Theatre - Schenectady, NY

Berkshire Eagle

Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts - Hartford, CT

Hartford Courant

Straz Center [Carol Morsani Hall] - Tampa, FL

Deborah Bostock-Kelley, BroadwayWorld: I did not expect to be so emotionally invested in the musical. The storyline magicians masterfully merged Morisette's music into a raw and harrowing tale of pain and absolution, using full songs and fragments to set the stage and made the Healey family's destruction and redemption cathartic. As they learn to confront their secrets, they discover strength in each other. When the musical closes as it opened with a Christmas newsletter, it is healing, humorous, and with an entirely different perspective.

National Arts Centre - Ottawa, ON

Courtney Castelino, BroadwayWorld: I can’t tell what is more staggering: the fact that the writers attempted to tackle so many difficult subjects in one show (addiction, sexual assault, and gender identity – to name just a few) or that they accomplished such an ambitious objective without ever feeling insincere or preachy. That being said, there is no room for haters in this musical. If themes of gender diversity, social injustice, and female empowerment make you clutch your pearls or cry “woke”, don’t even bother showing up.

Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen: The characters, especially the female ones, are well-developed and nuanced, with my favourite being the lead role of Mary Jane, wonderfully played by Blickenstaff, a performer in her 50s who’s a terrific singer and dancer and has a knack for delivering a well-timed wisecrack.

Shea's Performing Arts Center - Buffalo, NY

Michael Rabice, BroadwayWorld: Heidi Blickenstaff leads the tour as MJ, just as she did in the Broadway production. Her struggle with addiction to pain killers after a car accident pervades all of her family life. She resorts to seeking street drugs to maintain her addiction, while trying to carry on her outward June Cleaver role. Blickenstaff is the perfect amalgamation of a grounded woman, with a knack for cynicism that makes her endearing and hard to dislike. Her quest for perfection for her children is palpable, while her marriage slowly unravels. Blickenstaff is wholly at home with the edgy rock style, getting to show her vocal chops best  in Morissette's haunting "Uninvited." 

Peter Hall, Buffalo Rising: I loved the book very much, which is not always the case with jukebox musicals, where often the plot seems forced to give an excuse for a particular song.  Here the songs seemed to, as they are supposed to, move the plot forward and expand on the emotions portrayed.  I say “seemed” because, except for a few hits that used to get heavy rotation on the radio, I’m not familiar with Alanis Morrisette’s lyrics.  Pretty much everyone in Shea’s that I spoke with agreed that the words were hard to understand in the choral versions.  But what I could make out I liked.

Boston Opera House - Boston, MA

R. Scott Reedy, BroadwayWorld:  Blickenstaff keeps M.J. on tenterhooks, masterfully placing tinges of sadness in her soaring vocals on act one’s “Smiling” and “Forgiven” to make the character not unlike people audiences know in their own lives. Also complicating Mary Jane’s unraveling life are her Harvard-bound son, Nick (Dillon Klena), and adopted daughter, Frankie (Lauren Chanel). Klena – terrific on the descriptively titled “Perfect” – plays Nick as the classic high achiever, but with a conscience instead of an inflated ego, fawned over by his parents and sought after by his friends. And if Klena looks familiar, it may be because his real-life brother, Derek Klena, originated this role in Cambridge and on Broadway.

Jacquinn Sinclair, wbur: Blickenstaff leads an excellent cast of actors and singers who soar through Morissette’s songs with ease. The choral arrangements are a lot sweeter than Morissette’s original tracks, but they’re enjoyable just the same. Blickenstaff’s piercing vocals, Frankie’s flame Jo’s (Jade McCleod) glorious growls, and Bella’s (Allison Sheppard) beautiful vocal tone in their performances make them consistent scene stealers. Lauren Chanel’s lovely soprano should not go without mention. McCleod’s “You Oughta Know,” which starts with a simmering, quiet rage before its final explosion, and Blickenstaff’s heartfelt rendition of “Forgiven” with gorgeous choreography from Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui still haunts.

Kansas City Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO

Vivian Kane, KC Studio: There are no surprises to be had in Cody’s script. But that does not mean there isn’t lots to enjoy in this Broadway touring production directed by Diane Paulus. There is a captivating, pulsating energy running throughout the entire show, channeled largely via the cast of dancers and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s fevered choreography. The simplicity of Riccardo Hernández’s set—tall moving video panels (designed by Lucy MacKinnon) set within the frame of a typical house-shaped pentagon, with the live band tucked up in the A-frame of the attic—is a clean backdrop for Justin Townsend’s frenetic lighting design and the raucous energy of the cast.

Brock Wilbur, The Pitch: For each delightfully cringy modern parent joke like a mother asking her kids which Insta filter to apply to her photo of breakfast, there’s an equal amount of unintentional cringe when the show opts to take self-aggrandizing, unearned victory laps, or clumsily comes right out to say its thesis. Nothing here is unforgivable in its delivery, but asking the audience questions like “What do YOU think a drug user looks like?” has the air of late 90s progressivism, not any sort of genuine challenge to the beliefs or understanding of complicated social issues that a 2023 theatre audience is mostly equipped with. This performance at Starlight follows on the heels of a gender-swapped, trans-inclusive production of 1776, so a musical that has a difficult time tip-toeing around the concept of bisexuality isn’t breaking new ground as much as it is retreading rebuked backward thinking.

Orpheum Theatre - Minneapolis, MN

Bev Wolfe, Twin Cities Arts Reader: The show has an outstanding cast including Heidi Blickenstaff as the addicted, sexual assault survivor mom and Lauren Chanel as the daughter.  These two have most of the songs in the musical.  Chris Hoch as the neglected husband and Dillon Klena as the Harvard-bound son also succeed in carving out their own part of the show.  Jade McLeod shines whenever she gets the spotlight with both her humor and her singing voice. Allison Sheppard as Bella, a teenage friend of the family, also establishes a unique presence even though her storyline is right out of a Law & Order SVU TV episode.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts - Denver, CO

Jon Bee, BroadwayWorld: The cast of Jagged Little Pill is absolutely outstanding. Allison Sheppard, Jordan Quisno, and Rishi Golani each appear in supporting roles yet bring a leading role attitude. The characters they play are pivotal to the story at large and they step into the roles with such care and confidence. All of them are also superb singers and I can only imagine each will have great careers ahead. As Jo, Jade McLeod perfectly brings a rock style to the musical theater stage. McLeod doesn't just bring the house down - they burn it to the ground and rise like a phoenix from the ashes. They earned a well deserved standing ovation following their powerful rendition of "You Oughta Know."

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts - Houston, TX

Brett Cullum, BroadwayWorld: The script from Diablo Cody is a fun conglomeration of witty dialogue married with a ton of social problems that seems to try to address far too much.  The show goes on for two hours and thirty minutes, and man does it feel stuffed to the brim with hot topic issues.  Any audience member prone to using the word “woke” is probably going to feel alienated quickly.  But the show does work admirably when it mines the personal problems of addiction or teen angst on a character level.  There is a crispness to it that is refreshing even if it is overstuffed with a large agenda.  Cody understands the heartbreak of a teenager and a mom well enough to make those two very realistic.  

Jessica Goldman, Houston Press: Did Jagged Little Pill need to pack itself with so many issues? No, of course not. It’s a hat on a hat as they say in the comedy world to describe going over the top with too much. But remarkably, the musical still works and even entertains thanks to Morissette’s extraordinary songwriting prowess, the immense talent onstage in this touring production, and a set design that has finally figured out the right balance between video projection and set pieces.

Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Center - Fort Myers, FL

Dave Elias, NBC2: The show deals with addiction, trauma, racism and finally empowerment which ultimately leads to the slow but necessary path of healing, and it is filled with some powerful and talented actors who pour emotion into this Tony Award-winning performance that tackles more social issues than perhaps one performance can handle.

Kravis Center for the Performing Arts - West Palm Beach, FL

Mary Damiano, Palm Beach Daily News: Although it incorporates pre-existing songs by Morrissette and Ballard, mainly from Morrissette’s iconic 1995 album of the same name, “Jagged Little Pill” defies the definition of a juke box musical. The songs and story never feel shoe-horned to make each fit the other. Rather, the musical is an original show drawn from important issues facing society and families today.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - Sarasota, FL

Shanti M. Kennedy, BroadwayWorld: Jagged Little Pill takes on so many present-day social and political issues and it is thought provoking on many levels. From everyday matters that impact all of us or those we know, including addiction, sexual assault, race, sexism in general… this list does go on, but these are just a slight mention. Pondering the overall message of this show, well there seems to be so much more than even those just mentioned! My favorite subject addressed was the “perfection” that we all strive to exude to the public view of our own private lives. The veneer of this attitude of perfection, and showing everyone else that you have everything together.

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts - Orlando, FL

Aaron Wallace, BroadwayWorld: It’s admirable, really. When’s the last time a jukebox musical gave me this much to mull over? And not only do they manage to tackle an A-to-Z of Societal Ills, but Morissette and librettist Diablo Cody even somehow render the lyrics reasonably on point. (Morissette contributes two new songs to the score, along with two dozen of her preexisting compositions, some of them gently but cleverly reworked.) A notable exception is “Head Over Feet,” which, ironically enough, trips over itself to become both a teens-falling-in-love number and an expression of seething marital angst.

Andy Haynes, Attractions Magazine: Now, full disclosure, I am not a big fan of Jukebox musicals and “Jagged Little Pill” falls victim to many of the style’s pitfalls. First, if you have any familiarity with the music, then many of the show’s main plot points are spoiled and worse, are telegraphed a mile away. For instance, “You Oughta Know” is such an iconic song about a bad breakup that it’s not hard to guess such a breakup will happen and you pretty much exactly when it will occur. (To be fair, this doesn’t stop “You Oughta Know” from being an absolute smash in this show, completely bringing the house down due to the song’s driving style and powerful lyrics, as well as the passion brought to the piece by the singer, Jade McLeod.)

Seth Kubersky, Orlando Weekly: Thankfully, this dark story dovetails well with the heartache and angst encapsulated by Alanis Morissette’s late-’90s albums. All of her big hits are here, from “All I Really Want” to “Ironic” (which gets a hilarious mid-song grammatical mansplaining), and orchestrator Tom Kitt has given them a theatrical lushness without sacrificing their grungy alt-rock origins, much as he did for Green Day’s American Idiot. Crucially, the key cast members are capable of matching Morissette’s mezzo-soprano singing range, while also echoing her aching intensity. In that regard, the most striking member of the talented Equity ensemble is Jade McLeod (as Frankie’s jilted first love Jo), who powerfully delivers “You Oughta Know” with a raw primal rage that rattles the rafters.