Heather Chandler

In the summer of 2014, Irvin and his friend Janet became obsessed with Heathers the Musical, and a year later, they were still Corn Nuts through and through.  That's when they decided to attempt the Heathers for Halloween, and recruited three other friends (only one of whom had seen the musical).  Irvin's dream costume from the very beginning was Heather Chandler, the "mythic bitch" and leader of the Heathers.  Janet was Heather Duke, and Britney was Heather Macnamara - their personalities actually perfectly matched their characters.  Rounding out the ensemble where Jennifer as Martha and Nader as JD.

This was by far the most ambitious costume Irvin had ever attempted.  First of all, literally everything for Heather Chandler had to be bought - only the wig was readily available.  Second of all, Irvin had never tried a group costume larger than two people before, and the logistics of a 5-person costume were daunting.  But the group rallied, swapping clothes and accessories, going thrift-store shopping, and pouring all they had into the costumes.  But the week before Halloween, there was a plot twist!

In a case of life imitating cosplay, Irvin got appendicitis five days before Halloween.  Rather ironic, given that Heather Chandler is the first to die in the musical.  After one surgery and one hilarious email thread about taking cosplay too far, the demon queen of high school had decreed it: Halloween would go ahead, appendixes be damned!  After a day and a half of rest (about all that could be stomached the week of Halloween), Irvin resumed his busy social life, and Halloween went ahead as planned.

There was a bottle of blue Drain-O for Heather Chandler to drink, and naturally Irvin did a death scene that hit really close to home.  There was singing, there was swearing, there were photo ops with pills and corn nuts, slushies and scrunchies.  It was a perfect night to yell at people to shut up, or request they "Fuck me gently with a chainsaw!"  Nothing keeps a good Heather down on Halloween!

Three years later, Irvin decided to bring back Heather Chandler for the inaugural Broadway DJ Night - there were hopes of a group costume again, but it didn't pan out.  However, Irvin made the most of it, dancing all night despite the number of sweaty layers he was wearing.  He also gave a performance of "Candy Store," because that song is pretty much the main reason to wear the outfit.

In another three years, Irvin once again corralled a group of Heathers.  The Green Room was doing a concert of the music of Heathers the Musical, and Irvin would obviously be there with blazer on.  But he recruited three new friends to join him: Roxi as Heather Macnamara, Allie as Heather Duke, and Reenie as Veronica (at long last!).

At the concert, everyone from the concert's producers to the original production's stage manager was as excited about the costumes as Irvin was to be there!  Many many photos were taken, as can be seen here, and there was even an integration of the cosplayers into the concert when Reenie was summoned to the stage to be the Veronica in "Blue!"  And after the concert, and the performers who were the Heathers took many Double Heathers photos with the gang!  

Naturally, after the concert, Irvin led the Heathers on a field trip to 7-Eleven for a photo shoot.  They even got a blue slushy, that could helpfully stand in for Heather Chandler's Drain-O.  Roxi even made an impromptu transformation into JD (at least from the waist up, by virtue of a black coat) for a "Freeze Your Brain" photo op.

Heather Chandler returns every couple years, so Irvin brought her back in 2024 when Alamo Drafthouse was doing an '80s costume party for the release of Lisa Frankenstein.  Irvin didn't even realize how appropriate a costume it would be, since the movie is very reminiscent of Heathers!  When all of the costumed attendees were called forward for a costume contest, Irvin joined the fun, and (by measure of applause) was crowned the winner of the contest.  How very!