Character guide
The Squip
from Be More Chill
The Squip is the supercomputer pill turned commanding presence that reshapes Jeremy Heere's life in Be More Chill, Joe Iconis's rock musical about teenage identity and conformity.
- Show
- Be More Chill
- Broadway premiere
- 2019
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Joe Iconis
The Squip: role facts
- Originated on Broadway by
- Jason Tam (2019)
- Notable performers
- Eric William Morris created the role at the 2015 Two River Theater premiere, and Stewart Clarke played it in London (2020 Off-West End, 2021 West End).
- Voice type and range
- Tenor (rock, pop)
- Songs The Squip sings
- Be More Chill Pt. 1 (with Jeremy)
- Be More Chill Pt. 2 (with Jeremy)
- Sync Up (with Jeremy and company)
- A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into (with Christine and Jeremy)
- Upgrade (with Brooke, Jeremy and company)
- The Pitiful Children (with Jeremy and Jenna)
- The Play (with company)
Who is the Squip?
The Squip is a tiny supercomputer, swallowed as a pill, that appears to Jeremy Heere as a commanding, controlling figure feeding him constant instructions on how to dress, talk, and behave in order to become popular. Modeled loosely on a celebrity of the user's choosing, the Squip presents itself as a helpful guide while gradually asserting more and more control over Jeremy's choices and relationships.
As Jeremy becomes increasingly dependent on its guidance, the Squip's influence turns from useful advice into outright manipulation, functioning as the show's satirical stand-in for social pressure, technology, and the seductive promise of an easier path to acceptance.
The Squip's role in Be More Chill
The Squip is a lead role in Be More Chill, functioning as both antagonist and constant on-stage presence once Jeremy activates it. The part calls for a performer with a commanding, almost hypnotic stage presence, able to shift between charm and menace as the character's control over Jeremy tightens.
Audiences remember the Squip as one of the show's most theatrically inventive elements, giving physical form to an internal, technological influence in a way that became a defining image of the production.
The Squip: frequently asked questions
What does SQUIP stand for?
SQUIP stands for Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor, a pill-sized supercomputer. In the musical, Rich tells Jeremy it implants itself in the user's brain and tells them exactly what to do and say to become popular.
Why does the Squip look like Keanu Reeves?
Keanu Reeves is simply the Squip's default look. The joke comes from Ned Vizzini's 2004 novel, in which the SQUIP first speaks to Jeremy in Keanu Reeves's voice as its default avatar, and the musical keeps it: critics described Jason Tam's Squip as a Keanu Reeves-like presence.
Who played the Squip on Broadway in Be More Chill?
Jason Tam originated the role of the Squip when Be More Chill opened on Broadway in 2019, having already played the part in the show's 2018 Off-Broadway run. The character was first performed by Eric William Morris at the show's original 2015 premiere at Two River Theater.
What show is the Squip from?
The Squip is a lead character in Be More Chill, which opened on Broadway in 2019.
Is the Squip a lead or supporting role?
The Squip is a lead role, the supercomputer that takes control of Jeremy's life.
Who wrote the music for Be More Chill?
Joe Iconis composed the music and lyrics, with a book by Joe Tracz.
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