When writer Daniel Waters and director Michael Lehmann released their teen black comedy "Heathers" into the theaters in 1989, they were likely hoping for critical and financial success, and a devoted fanbase for their work. What they likely weren't expecting was for others to find inspiration in their work and transform it into an off-broadway musical nearly 30 years later. While "Heathers: The Musical" (adapted by Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy) shakes the story up through an incredible soundtrack, their adaptation also hides seemingly small revisions that brilliantly transforms the way their audience experiences the tragic tale of Veronica Sawyer. In this episode of Bright & Ambitious, young adult author Kailey Bright walks us through the differences between editing and revising, how Heathers the Musical utilize both to improve upon the original cult classic film, and how aspiring authors (or screenwriters!) can use its example to perfect their own work.

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