About 20 years ago, when I finished my script for a movie called Teeth, my manager advised me to never show it to anyone, fearing it would end my career. He then stopped returning my calls.
A Cult Film Gets a Stage Musical—and a Dark Twist
The story behind the unsettling 2007 horror-comedy “Teeth” and its surprising transformation into a stage musical, complete with a chilling new ending.
- The film Teeth, initially met with resistance, gained a cult following for its exploration of female power and societal fears.
- A stage musical adaptation, spearheaded by Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson, emerged unexpectedly, embracing a bolder tone.
- The musical diverges from the film in key character portrayals and culminates in a darker, more cautionary ending.
- The core concept—the vagina dentata myth—remains central, serving as a lens to examine male anxieties surrounding female sexuality.
The journey from a rejected screenplay to a celebrated film, and now a stage musical, was fraught with challenges. Early attempts to secure production were met with skepticism, and even casting proved difficult, with some agencies refusing to submit their clients for consideration. Production continued despite the unusual opposition to the subject matter. A scouting trip to Texas hit a snag when a Film Commission representative, initially welcoming, abruptly canceled a second day of location scouting after reading the script, deeming it pornography.
What is the vagina dentata myth? It’s an ancient and pervasive idea—often involving a female creature with teeth in her genitalia—that a male hero must “conquer” to restore societal order. The myth appears in various forms throughout culture, from the Greek myth of Medusa to the Alien Queen in Aliens.
The film’s genesis lay in a college class taught by Camille Paglia, where I first encountered the vagina dentata myth. I was struck by the underlying male fear of female sexuality and power. My goal with Teeth was to expose and subvert this myth, portraying the protagonist, Dawn, not as a monster to be tamed, but as a heroine whose unique anatomy is a source of strength.
The idea for a musical adaptation came as a surprise. I was initially skeptical, but a meeting with Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson, fresh out of NYU, changed my mind. Their enthusiasm and evident sense of humor suggested a non-didactic approach, something I felt a musical uniquely offered.
Their workshop presentation revealed a boldness that contrasted with the film’s more demure tone. The musical diverges from the screenplay in significant ways, particularly in the reimagining of the characters Brad and Ryan.
In the film, Brad’s obsession with Dawn stems from a childhood infatuation that becomes taboo when their parents marry. In the musical, Brad’s anger arises from a traumatic encounter with Dawn’s vagina dentata, transforming him into a woman-fearing incel. Similarly, Ryan, initially presented as a heroic figure, is revealed to have ulterior motives. While in the film he bets with a friend, in the musical, he live streams their encounter to prove he is not gay.
However, the most striking divergence—and initially the most unsettling—was the musical’s ending. Where the film concludes with Dawn embracing her power, the musical takes a darker turn, transforming her into a villain. It took multiple viewings to appreciate the brilliance of this twist.
The musical’s final moments offer a cautionary tale about power and its potential for corruption. It’s a reflection of how far society has come—and how much further it has to go—since 2007. The story becomes a dark and timely statement.
Mitchell Lichtenstein is a filmmaker, producer, and actor whose films include Teeth, Angelica, Happy Tears, and Resurrection. He is a graduate of Bennington College and the Yale School of Drama.
