Be More Chill Is a Candy-Colored Musical for the Internet Age

At first, it seemed as if the current Broadway phenomenon Be More Chill was going to be condemned to regional-theater status. "We only had a four-week limited engagement in New Jersey," says music and lyrics writer Joe Iconis of the show's initial run in 2015. "For us to go beyond that, we'd need a good review from the New York Times." Instead, the Times panned the production. "That meant we were done."

Then the Internet had its way.

At first, it seemed as if the current Broadway phenomenon Be More Chill was going to be condemned to regional-theater status. "We only had a four-week limited engagement in New Jersey," says music and lyrics writer Joe Iconis of the show's initial run in 2015. "For us to go beyond that, we'd need a good review from the New York Times." Instead, the Times panned the production. "That meant we were done." Then the Internet had its way.