''American Psycho'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

with music and lyrics by

Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and composer. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single " Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has composed ...

and a book by

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (born 1973) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and for the television series ''Glee'', ''Big Love'', '' Riverdale'', ''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'' a ...

. It is based on the controversial 1991 novel ''

American Psycho ''American Psycho'' is a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the first person by Patrick Bateman, a serial killer and Manhattan investment banker. Alison Kelly of ''The Observer'' notes that while "some countr ...

'' by

Bret Easton Ellis Bret Easton Ellis (born March 7, 1964) is an American author, screenwriter, short-story writer, and director. Ellis was first regarded as one of the so-called literary Brat Pack and is a self-proclaimed satirist whose trademark technique, as a w ...

, which also inspired a 2000 film of the same name, which starred

Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including ...

. Set in Manhattan during the

Wall Street Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for t ...

boom of the late 1980s, ''American Psycho'' is about the daily life of

Patrick Bateman Patrick Bateman is a fictional character created by novelist Bret Easton Ellis. He is the villain protagonist and narrator of Ellis' 1991 novel '' American Psycho'' and is portrayed by Christian Bale in the 2000 film adaptation.Guardian Unlimi ...

, a wealthy young investment banker who is also a serial killer. The musical received its world premiere at

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325-seat producing house with an international reputation, which takes its name from the street on which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diver ...

in 2013, directed by

Rupert Goold Rupert Goold (born 18 February 1972) is an English director who works primarily in theatre. He is the artistic director of the Almeida Theatre, and was the artistic director of Headlong Theatre Company (2005–2013). Early years Goold was ...

and starring ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' actor

Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the Eleventh Doctor, eleventh incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the BBC series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targarye ...

. A Broadway production began preview performances on 24 March 2016, at the

Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, formerly the Plymouth Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 236 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was ...

, directed by Goold and starring Benjamin Walker as Patrick Bateman.

Background

The musical is based on the 1991 novel ''

'' by

. In 2008, producers David Johnson, Jesse Singer, Nate Bolotin and Aaron Ray purchased the stage rights and were developing a musical adaptation of the novel to appear on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

. In 2010, the project had rounded out the key elements. Duncan Sheik, who won a

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

and two

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for writing the songs in the Broadway hit '' Spring Awakening'', and playwright

had completed the first act. A workshop took place in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

in 2011, with Benjamin Walker playing the lead role of

. In April 2012, London theatre company Headlong was set to stage the musical's world premiere at the Almedia Theatre during their 2012–13 season. At the same time a

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...

campaign was launched to raise $150,000, to allow them to have a live orchestra and extend the rehearsal period for the production to seven weeks.

Plot

''From the 2016 Broadway production'' Act I

is a 26-year-old investment banker living in New York City at the end of the 1980s. As the show begins, Bateman documents his morning routine, which involves fastidious grooming, tanning and carefully selecting a designer suit, before travelling to Wall Street ("Opening (Morning Routine)"/"Selling Out"). He arrives at Pierce & Pierce, the elite bank for which he works, and is greeted by his doting secretary, Jean ("

Everybody Wants to Rule the World "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears. It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hughes. The song was first released on 22 March 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury, ...

"). He anxiously enquires about the Fisher account, an exclusive account that is highly sought after by Patrick and his colleagues. Later, Patrick has lunch with his coworkers, Tim Price, Craig McDermott, Luis Carruthers and David Van Patten. They exchange fashion tips and critique restaurants before another colleague, Paul Owen, enters. Patrick learns that Owen has secured the Fisher account as well as reservations at Dorsia, New York's most exclusive new restaurant. Absurdly jealous, Patrick attempts to save face by showing everyone his new business card, which leads Owen to show his ("Cards"). Owen mistakes Patrick as Marcus Halberstam, another coworker of Bateman's. Patrick then invites him to his birthday dinner, thrown by his girlfriend Evelyn Williams and Courtney Lawrence, her best friend and Luis Carruthers' girlfriend. Patrick calls Evelyn, telling her about Owen coming to the party. Evelyn hates the idea of having an odd number at her table, so Patrick also invites Jean to appease her. Evelyn, Courtney and the female ensemble then sing about how expensive their clothes are, showing how materialistic they are. ("You Are What You Wear"). Patrick and Price arrive at Evelyn's townhouse late, which irritates Evelyn. Over dinner, the party blandly pontificate about social and political issues, such as

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and urban planning, planning. Gentrification ...

and the Sri Lankan Civil War. Patrick makes a scene by butchering his birthday cake with a huge knife he is carrying. After dinner, Patrick and Price go to a club, where they dance and snort

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

(" True Faith"/"Killing Time"). Suddenly overcome with despair and an awareness of the hollowness of his existence, Patrick leaves the club and angrily vows to never go clubbing again ("

In The Air Tonight "In the Air Tonight" is the debut solo single by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released as the lead single from Collins's debut solo album, '' Face Value'', in January 1981. Collins co-produced "In the Air Tonight" ...

"). Patrick meets a homeless man on the street, offering him money before taunting him and killing him. At the gym, Patrick's coworkers work out and comment on the physiques of their female instructors ("Hardbody"). Meanwhile, it is revealed that Patrick is having an affair with Courtney. After having sex, Courtney decides to end the affair, telling a dismissive Patrick that they are betraying their respective partners. He meets his friends at the gym and attempts to strangle Luis in the steamroom. Luis interprets Patrick's actions as a sexual advance and begs him to continue; disgusted, Patrick flees. During the intermission of a showing of ''Les Misérables'', Evelyn broaches the subject of marriage with Patrick, who is not convinced by the prospect ("If We Get Married"). Patrick heads to the

Meatpacking District The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan that runs from West 14th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River east to Hudson Street. The Meatpacking Business Improvement District along ...

and picks up a prostitute named Christine, introducing himself to her as Paul Owen. He hires another prostitute named Sabrina and pays the two to engage in violent, sadistic sex with one another and with him ("Not A Common Man"). On Christmas Eve, Patrick waxes lyrical about ''Les Misérables'' to Jean and the two discuss their plans for the holidays. Patrick escorts his mother to Evelyn's Christmas party, where he binges on drugs and alcohol ("Mistletoe Alert"). He runs into Paul Owen at the party and invites him back to his apartment. The two dance to "

Hip to be Square "Hip to Be Square" is a song by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Bill Gibson, Sean Hopper, and Huey Lewis, and released in 1986 as the second single from the multi-platinum album ''Fore!''. The song features Pro Football Hall of Famers and t ...

". Patrick spikes Owen's drink, puts on a raincoat and begins a long one-sided analysis of the artistic and commercial merits of the band

Huey Lewis and the News Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...

. After stating that "the world is better off with some people gone" (implying, at once, both himself and Owen), Patrick slaughters Owen with an axe. Act II Patrick takes Owen's body to an apartment he owns anonymously and dissolves it in a bathtub with a bag of lye. Afterwards, he lets himself into Paul's apartment and stages his disappearance by resetting his voicemail and packing many of his possessions into a suitcase ("Clean"). Months pass, during which Patrick murders several people ("Killing Spree"). One afternoon, Patrick's mother arrives on

expecting to have lunch with her son; Patrick, who has totally forgotten about the appointment, panics and begs Jean to get rid of her. Jean convinces Patrick to attend the lunch and offers to join the pair. Much to Jean's delight, Mrs. Bateman tells her stories about Patrick as a child, and says they would make a good couple ("Nice Thought"). Back at Pierce & Pierce, Detective Donald Kimball calls on Patrick to question him about Owen's disappearance. Uneasy, Patrick tries his hardest to evade questioning and asks Kimball to keep him updated about the manhunt. Keen to disentangle himself from New York, Patrick calls Evelyn and suggests a holiday, and so the two take a short break in the

Hamptons The Hamptons, part of the East End of Long Island, consist of the towns of Southampton and East Hampton, which together comprise the South Fork of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. The Hamptons are a popular seaside resort and one of ...

. The idyllic setting cannot heal Patrick's psyche, however; while Evelyn flourishes amid garden parties and

Pilates Pilates (; ) is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". It is practiced worldwide, especially in countries suc ...

classes, Patrick's grasp on reality loosens further ("At The End of An Island"/"Hardbody Hamptons"). He promises Evelyn that if they return to New York he will marry her. On his return, he appropriates Paul Owen's apartment as a place to host and kill more victims, beginning with Sabrina and Christine ("I Am Back"). Luis runs into Patrick at a

Barneys Barneys New York Inc. is an American luxury brand founded in New York City in 1923. It has introduced major designers including Armani, Azzedine Alaïa, Comme des Garçons, Christian Louboutin, and Ermenegildo Zegna to the US market. Barneys N ...

store and begs Patrick to run away with him. Patrick responds aggressively, assaulting and hissing at Luis. With his appetite for murder now totally unchecked, Patrick targets Jean, offering to take her to dinner at a restaurant of her choice. His sense of inferiority is piqued once again when she suggests Dorsia, where he is still unable to get reservations. Patrick gives Jean the rest of the day off and she wonders about her feelings for Patrick ("A Girl Before"). At Patrick's apartment that night, the pair discuss her hopes and aspirations. As he is preparing to murder her, Jean tells Patrick that she is in love with him; her confession causes him great distress and he implores her to leave. He leaves a long voicemail for Kimball confessing to the murder of Paul Owen and countless other people ("Clean (Reprise)"). The next morning, Jean apologises to Patrick for what happened the night before. He forgives her and tells her that he will be recommending her for a junior executive program through a company scheme. Tim Price unexpectedly arrives at Patrick's office, having been AWOL from Pierce & Pierce since Patrick's birthday. Patrick asks him where he's been; Price responds by saying that he's been in New York the whole time, but their paths haven't crossed. He also asks Patrick about Paul Owen's disappearance. Patrick and Evelyn have their engagement party at Tunnel nightclub ("

Don't You Want Me "Don't You Want Me" is a song by British synthpop group the Human League (credited on the cover as The Human League 100). It was released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album, '' Dare'' (1981). The band's best ...

"). Patrick is noticeably ill at ease and is desperate to go to dinner. Price says he is able to get reservations at Dorsia, which impresses the guests. Patrick sees Kimball at the bar and approaches him, asking him about the voicemail confession. Kimball breaks into laughter, stating that he found Patrick's 'joke' "hilarious", despite Bateman's protestations that the confessions were genuine. Kimball tells Patrick that his narrative of what happened to Owen is impossible, as Owen is in fact in London; Kimball allegedly had dinner with him there twice. The next day, Patrick goes to Paul Owen's apartment, expecting it to be full of decomposing bodies and cordoned off by the police. Instead, he finds the apartment vacant and in pristine condition; the real estate agent, Mrs Wolfe, deflects all of Patrick's questions about Paul Owen and the bodies that were left in the apartment, before asking him to leave and never return. He marries Evelyn and resigns himself to a pointless existence in which the punishment and notoriety that he craves will forever be denied him ("This Is Not An Exit").

Production history

''American Psycho'' began previews on 3 December 2013, at the Almeida Theatre,

, before holding its official opening night on 12 December, with booking initially until 25 January, but later extended by a week to 1 February 2014, when it closed. The show has a book by

with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik, and is directed by

, with choreography by Lynne Page, set design by

Es Devlin Esmeralda "Es" Devlin (; born 24 September 1971) is an English artist and stage designer who works in a range of media, often mapping light and projected film onto kinetic sculptural forms. Early life Devlin was born in Kingston upon Thames, ...

, lighting design by Jon Clark, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, video by

Finn Ross Finn Ross (born 1982) is a Scottish video designer working internationally. He works primarily on stage productions in the London's West End and on Broadway in the USA. He has also worked extensively in opera throughout Europe and has collabor ...

, musical direction by David Shrubsole and sound by

Paul Arditti Paul Arditti is a British sound designer, working mainly in the UK and the US. He specialises in designing sound systems and sound scores for theatre. He has won awards for his work on both musicals and plays, including a Tony Award, an Olivier Aw ...

. Tickets for the world premiere production sold out. Notable casting for the show included

Susannah Fielding Susannah Glanville-Hearson"Drama: High profile OB actors"
...

as Evelyn Williams,

Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor. Known for his comedic, dramatic, and musical roles on stage and screen, he is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award and a nomination for a Evening Standard Theatre Award. Bai ...

as Tim Price, Ben Aldridge as Paul Owen and

Lucie Jones Lucie Bethan Jones (born 20 March 1991) is a Welsh singer, musical theatre actress, and model. Jones first came to prominence while competing on series 6 of ''The X Factor UK'' in 2009, where she finished eighth. She represented the United Ki ...

as Victoria. A typical London performance ran 2hrs 40mins, including one interval of 20 mins. Following its premiere production, a workshop of the musical was held in January 2015 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The same year, the musical was scheduled to open in

in March 2016, following previews from February 19, at a yet unknown Shubert theater. Lead casting would include Benjamin Walker in the lead role of Patrick Bateman, reprising his role from the 2011 workshop. The musical had a preview performances at the

on March 24, 2016. Tony Award winner

Alice Ripley Alice Ripley (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress, singer, songwriter and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Next to Normal'' (2009 T ...

joined the cast as Patrick Bateman's mother and Mrs. Wolfe, along with Tony Award nominee

Jennifer Damiano Jennifer Damiano (born May 12, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 2006 as an ensemble member in the original production of ''Spring Awakening'', and went on to originate the role of Natalie Goodman in the mus ...

as Jean, and

Heléne Yorke Heléne Yorke is a Canadian-American actress, writer, singer, and dancer. Yorke is known for her work on television. She currently plays Brooke Dubek on the HBO Max series '' The Other Two''. She has also played the roles of Jane Martin on the ...

as Evelyn Williams. Damiano previously worked with Sheik in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' on Broadway, as well as with co-starring opposite Ripley as Mother and Daughter in the original production of ''

Next to Normal ''Next to Normal'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing ...

''. The musical had a closing date of June 5, 2016 for the Broadway production, after 27 previews and 54 regular performances. The Australian premiere production opened at the

Hayes Theatre The Hayes Theatre is a 111-seat theatre specialising in music theatre and cabaret in Potts Point, Sydney, Australia. It is named after the Australian performer Nancye Hayes. Hayes Theatre Co was established at the former Darlinghurst Theatre afte ...

in Sydney on May 10, 2019, and played until June 14, completely selling out their season. This production was directed by Alex Berlage and starred

Ben Gerrard Ben Gerrard (born 15 August 1988) is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as Toby in the ABC television series '' Outland'' (2012). He also appeared as Constable Brian O'Connor in ''Wolf Creek 2'' (2013) and as multiple characters on the ...

as Patrick Bateman. The production received nine

Sydney Theatre Awards The Sydney Theatre Awards are annual awards to recognise the strength, quality and diversity of professional theatre in Sydney, Australia. They were established in 2005 by a group of major Sydney theatre critics. The awards recognise mainstage and ...

, and transferred to the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

's Playhouse for a season in June 2021 before a limited Australian tour.

Musical numbers

Sheik's music features an original electronic score, with extracts from

1980s File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 420px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ease tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the ...

songs in-between. The London cast album was released in March 2016.

London

;Act I * "Opening (Morning Routine)" - Patrick Bateman * "Cards" - Patrick, Paul Owen, Tim Price, and Businessmen * "You Are What You Wear" - Evelyn Williams, Courtney Lawrence, and Women * "Oh Sri Lanka" - Patrick and Party Guests * " True Faith" - Company * "Killing Time" - Patrick and Tim * "

In the Air Tonight "In the Air Tonight" is the debut solo single by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released as the lead single from Collins's debut solo album, '' Face Value'', in January 1981. Collins co-produced "In the Air Tonight" ...

" - Company * "Medley: Hardbody / Hardbody Luis" - Luis Carruthers, Courtney, Patrick, and Company * "If We Get Married" - Evelyn, Patrick, and Jean * "Not A Common Man" - Patrick * "Mistletoe Alert" Patrick and Company * "

Hip to Be Square "Hip to Be Square" is a song by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Bill Gibson, Sean Hopper, and Huey Lewis, and released in 1986 as the second single from the multi-platinum album ''Fore!''. The song features Pro Football Hall of Famers and t ...

" - Patrick and Paul ;Act II * "Clean (reprise)" - Patrick and Company * "Killing Spree" - Patrick, Evelyn, Luis, and Company * "A Nice Thought" - Patrick's Mother, Jean, and Women * "End of An Island" - Patrick, Evelyn, and Company * "I Am Back" - Patrick and Company * "A Girl Before" - Jean * "

" - Company * "This Is Not an Exit" - Patrick, Paul, and Company

Broadway

;Act I *"Opening (Morning Routine)" - Patrick Bateman *"Selling Out" - Patrick and Company *"

Everybody Wants To Rule The World "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears. It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hughes. The song was first released on 22 March 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury, ...

" - Jean and Company *"Cards" - Paul Owen, Patrick, Timothy Price, David Van Patten, Craig McDermott, and Luis Carruthers *"You Are What You Wear" - Evelyn Williams, Courtney Lawrence, and Women *"True Faith" - Vanden and Company *"Killing Time" - Patrick and Price *"In The Air Tonight" - Women Soloists and Company *"Hardbody" - Hardbody Trainer, McDermott, Van Patten, Carruthers and Men *"You Are What You Wear" (reprise) *"If We Get Married" - Evelyn, Patrick, Jean *"Not A Common Man" - Patrick *"Mistletoe Alert" - Evelyn, Patrick, and Company *"Hip To Be Square" - Patrick and Paul ;Act II *"Clean" - Patrick and Company *"Killing Spree" - Patrick *"Nice Thought" - Mrs. Bateman, Jean, and Women *"At The End Of An Island" - Evelyn, Bateman, and Company *"I Am Back" - Patrick and Company *"You Are What You Wear" (reprise) *"A Girl Before" - Jean *"Clean" (reprise) - Company *"Don't You Want Me" - Paul, Sean Bateman, Carruthers, and Company *"This Is Not An Exit" - Patrick and Company

Principal roles and cast members

Critical reception

The London production of ''American Psycho'' received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

Awards and nominations

Popular culture references

In 2022, an amateur production of the musical is the focus of the sixth-season episode titled "Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: American Psychos" in '' Riverdale'', a series created by

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 2013 musicals Musicals based on novels Broadway musicals Kickstarter projects American Psycho Crimes against sex workers in fiction