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A HOME FOR ARTISTS: The CHILL History of Joe Iconis & Two River Theater

As a central part of our mission, Two River Theater is committed to contributing to great American theater by nurturing and producing the classics of tomorrow. Since its founding, Two River has commissioned more than 18 original plays, adaptations, and musicals. Many productions that started at Two River Theater (including plays that we have commissioned, developed and premiered) have gone on to acclaim in other theaters around the country and internationally.

We’re also happy and honored to be an artistic home for artists, providing the support and resources (and excited audiences!) to help them cultivate their work over the years. Musical theater composer and Tony Award nominee Joe Iconis is one such artist we’re happy to have a part of our family.  Global musical theater hit Be More Chill started as a TRT commission with a world premiere in 2015 before heading all the way to Broadway, and romantic rock musical Love in Hate Nation shook the Two River Theater stage with sha-la-las in its world premiere production in 2019!

Here’s a timeline of Two River Theater’s history with Joe Iconis, the definitive musical theater cult sensation of the 20th century, and what we’re looking forward to going into the 2020s.

Be More Chill is fresh and fun, but with a lot of heart. With an infectious soundtrack, bags of energy and a brilliant cast, this is a unique and entertaining production deserved of its revival. It’s easy to see why Be More Chill is a fan favourite, and long may it last.

—LONDON THEATRE REVIEWS

PHOTOS

A HISTORY

CRITIC REVIEWS

HEY EVERYBODY HAVE YOU HEARD? LONDON CRITICS LOVE BMC, NOW GO SPREAD THE WORD!

It feels a bit like a high school play, in a good way: in-jokes, visual gags, messy hormone-fuelled energy that sweeps you into its weirdly retro world.

—TIME OUT

A phenomenon somewhat unprecedented in the theatre busines

—BROADWAYWORLD

A sleeper hit bolstered by an inordinate number of album streams on Spotify after its initial premiere in New Jersey in 2015, it has all the edgy, nerdy verve that draws teens and tweens like moths to a flame

—WHAT’S ON STAGE

Be More Chill is fresh and fun, but with a lot of heart. With an infectious soundtrack, bags of energy and a brilliant cast, this is a unique and entertaining production deserved of its revival. It’s easy to see why Be More Chill is a fan favourite, and long may it last.

—LONDON THEATRE REVIEWS

If you are a parent of a teenager who is trying to navigate the trials of school life, social media and the popularity game in general, this show is worth taking seriously.

—TIMES

Be More Chill is far from a neat continuation of a trend. Arriving from Broadway, it feels gloriously like its own thing, filled with astute observation alongside delightfully silly humour and storming performances.

—THE GUARDIAN