In 1995, Canadian-born alternative rock / pop artist Alanis Morissette released her third studio album. Titled Jagged Little Pill, the album was a departure from her debut and sophomore albums, which, while successful, leaned heavily towards dance-pop. With Jagged Little Pill, Morissette broke new ground. She blossomed into a masterful songwriter with lyrics that tapped directly into the cultural zeitgeist of the millennial generation, many nearing their twenties. Songs such as “You Oughta Know” and “Hand in My Pocket” fed right into the angsty vibe the kids were feeling. Her songs told stories, stories of damaged youth, abusive relationships, sometimes angry, sometimes grateful. On top of that, the sound was big, driving, and yes, hummable. Put an Alanis Morissette Essentials playlist on in the car and you’ll be surprised at how familiar many of the tunes are. The album, which contained six hit singles, went on to win five Grammys, including the coveted Album of the Year award.
With all that greatness in one album, it’s no wonder Broadway came calling. In 2018, the first production of Jagged Little Pill opened at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts with a book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and direction by Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin), later moving to Broadway after some plot tightening and tweaking. In 2020, a year when COVID preoccupied the world, it won two Tonys and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. Jesse Green of The New York Times raved about it, saying, “…it’s clear in its priorities, rich in character, sincere without syrup, rousing and real.”
And now, starting June 13, it’s our very own Slow Burn Theatre Co.’s turn to bring Morissette’s expansive music and lyrics to life on the Amaturo stage at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The story is set in the upper-middle-class Connecticut home of the Healy family, where everything is not so perfect, even though mom Mary Jane continues to paint a rosy picture to cover up the cracks. However, in the end we discover it’s our bad decisions that help make us better people.
Slow Burn Artistic Director Patrick Fitzwater is excited about bringing this exhilarating new musical to the Amaturo stage. “Jagged Little Pill is a story about what happens when the image of perfection starts to crack, and the courage it takes to face what’s underneath. Alanis Morissette’s music gives voice to that tension in a way that is raw, honest, and deeply human. It’s exactly the kind of fearless storytelling we want to bring to our stage.” The show features Kimberly Doreen Burns as Mary Jane Healy and Lauren Chanel as Frankie Healy.
The show, with matinee and evening performances, runs from June 13 to 28, 2026 in the Amaturo Theatre at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. An open caption performance will take place on Sunday, June 21 at 2:00 PM, where spoken dialogue scrolls across a digital screen, ensuring accessibility for all audience members. Tickets are available online at BrowardCenter.org, Ticketmaster.org, or SlowBurnTheatre.org; by phone at 954.462.0222; or in person at the Broward AutoNation Box Office.
