Isabella Esler and John Cardoza have been cast as the new Veronica Sawyer and Jason “JD” Dean in Heathers the Musical.
Both actors will begin performing at New World Stage on April 27th. They replace Kuhu Verma and Casey Raikes, who headlined the hit show. Velma will perform her final performance as Veronica Sawyer on April 12th. Standby Sarah Al Bazari will play Veronica from April 13th to April 26th. Raikes will perform his final performance as JD on April 26th.
Esler will make her off-Broadway debut in “Heathers.” She recently made her Broadway debut as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice after a year and a half of touring with the company. She also appeared in the new Canadian musical Life After, for which she was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award.
Cardoza also made his off-Broadway debut in Heathers. He created the role of Young Noah in the original Broadway production of The Notebook. He recently starred as Christian in Moulin Rouge! It plays on Broadway and in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theater. John made his Broadway debut in the original cast of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill.
“Heathers” began performances at New World Stages on June 22, 2025, marking the venue’s biggest foray in the venue’s 21-year history and breaking the house record four times. The production recently extended its run for a third time and now runs through September 6, 2026.
The show is based on the 1989 cult film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. The film sees Veronica taken under the wing of the Heathers (three beautiful and impossibly cruel classmates, all named Heather). At the same time, she becomes entangled with J.D., a mysterious teenage rebel with a really, really dark side.
“Heathers” features book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy (“Reefer Madness the Musical”) and Lawrence O’Keefe (“Legally Blonde the Musical”).
Esler is repped by CESD and LBI Entertainment. Cardoza is repped by Paradigm Talent Agency and McKegney Management.
