McCarter presents Carol Heikkinen and Zoe Sarnak’s Empire Records: The Musical

This film, following a motley crew of outcast employees uniting over their love of vinyl and the corporate takeover of their record store, was a musical adaptation in the making. Its alternative soundtrack is a veritable who’s who of 90s bands, including the Gin Blossoms, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Better than Ezra. Original film cast member and musician Francis "Coyote" Shivers wrote the earworm "Sugarhigh," which his character sang in the closing scene. While the movie initially bombed, the soundtrack sold two million records.

New bangers

Unsurprisingly, new music by Zoe Sarnak, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction by Trip Cullman prove the new musical’s strongest assets. “Welcome to the Empire,” “Another Hometown Story,” “Our Son the Criminal,” “Scissors,” and “One Thirty-Seven” are just a few of the bangers. The cast’s nervous energy becomes fully focused in the musical numbers, and they come alive whenever they interact with the audience through aisle dance numbers. As Corey, Lorna Courtney’s vocals have a raspy Alanis Morissette quality. I love the choreography of AJ’s (Liam Pearce) rooftop undulations, synchronized to the record store crew’s movements in “Another Hometown Story.”

Settling into the show

The opening pace felt frantic the night I attended. The leads frequently over-projected their dialogue, apparently forgetting they wore face mics. Every punchline felt forced with try-hard energy, including more laid-back characters like store manager Joe (Michael Luwoye) and rebel Deb (Analise Scarpaci), and especially Liam and Corey’s opening lines. It felt like watching scripted Broadway stars rather than ordinary teens. Only Tyler McCall (Lucas) stayed grounded and avoided rushing his delivery. And Mark (Eric Wiegand) felt adorably awkward thanks to his silent comedy, not the script.

Luckily, after the 40-minute mark, the pace slowed, the cast came together, and the script focused on the core of Empire Records, a family of misfits protecting each other. Damon Daunno’s deadpan delivery grounded his washed-up yet overdramatic musician Rex Manning (shout out to his initial entrance). AJ’s interactions with Deb, Corey, and Gina were lovely, especially his natural delivery of “that could not have gone worse.” The cast confrontation with Lucas was emotional and unforced.

Mostly improving the movie

In revisiting these characters, Heikkinen nicely fleshed them out. She retooled Gina as a musical enthusiast and not an oversexualized stereotype. Similarly, costume designer Paloma Young took inspiration from AJ’s checkered cardigan and Corey’s angora crop top and plaid miniskirt, but instead of playing to the hypersexual 90s teen, she gave theatrical Corey a full-coverage blue sweater and a plaid skort.

I’m glad Heikkinen dropped the Berko character. (The original actor, Coyote Shivers, harassed his exes until the LA Superior Court ruled him a vexatious litigant.) The adjustment allows AJ to interact with more of the female cast than just Corey. Also, the characters detail their musical interests throughout rather than suddenly declaring them in the final five minutes. My only disappointment is the show maintains the statutory rape scenes. It feels less creepy than in the movie, but I didn’t need to see a high-school character remove her panties on stage to have sex with a 30-something man (even if she just turned 18).

Calling all 90s souls

Just as the film launched the careers of contemporary A-Listers like Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, and Tobey Maguire, the musical features a young yet highly seasoned cast of Tony nominees and former Hamilton cast members. As an African American Gen-Xer who loved Daria and Janeane Garofolo, I’m glad the casting reflected a 90s I lived in and not the mostly white one portrayed in films like Reality Bites.

So if you're spiritually a 90s kid, you own the original Empire Records VHS/DVD, loved flicks like Go, High Fidelity, and Swingers, and you enjoyed the adaptation of Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill into a Broadway musical, then Empire Records: The Musical is for you.