“Heated Rivalry” musical parody recreates Shane and Ilya’s ‘Boy Aquarium’ in first production photos (exclusive)

Key Points

• Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody has revealed its first official production photos.

• In them, Jimin Moon and Jay Armstrong Johnson recreate fan-favorite scenes as Shane and Ilya.

• Ryann Redmond, Cherry Torres, and Ryan Duncan portray various other roles in the Off Broadway show, including the three narrators — dubbed the Susans.

Known as the Susans, the three Minnesotan wine-mom narrators of the new Off Broadway Heated Rivalry musical parody say what their audience is probably thinking: We won’t be getting another season of the hit Canadian romantic drama or another book from author Rachel Reid until 2027.

But that gets to the heart of the new production, running at the Culture Club in New York City’s Chelsea district. The show is about keeping the spirit of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov alive, actress Ryann Redmond announces as the chief Susan in its opening number.

Now, Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at the show’s first production photos, which offer a sense of how its stars are doing just that.

Broadway vets Jimin Moon and Jay Armstrong Johnson headline Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody as Canadian hockey all-star Shane and Russian dark horse Ilya, respectively. Created by writer and director Dylan MarcAurele and directed by Alan Kliffer, the stage work also features Redmond, Cherry Torres, and Ryan Duncan in various roles. In addition to the Susans and some of Shane’s hockey teammates on the Montreal Voyageurs, they portray Ilya’s bestie Svetlana, Shane’s celebrity beard Rose Landry, smoothie barista Kip, Kip’s friend Maria, Ilya’s ailing father, and more.

“This is a love letter, 100 percent,” Kliffer tells EW. “We’re just trying to meet the entire fandom where they’re at.”

Preview performances for Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody began at the Culture Club on May 12, but its official opening night is tomorrow, May 26. The show will run through Sep. 7.

See the new photos from the riotous parody below.

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Jay Armstrong Johnson as Ilya Rozanov and Jimin Moon as Shane Hollander

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Cherry Torres, Ryann Redmond, and Ryan Duncan as the show’s three Susans

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Jimin Moon as Shane

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Jimin Moon as Shane

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Jimin Moon and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Shane and Ilya

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Jay Armstrong Johnson as Ilya

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Cherry Torres, Ryann Redmond, and Ryan Duncan as the Susans

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Jimin Moon as Shane

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Jimin Moon as Shane

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Jay Armstrong Johnson as Ilya

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Cherry Torres as Maria and Ryan Duncan as Kip

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Ryann Redmond as Susan

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Ryann Redmond as Rose Landry and Jimin Moon as Shane

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Jimin Moon as Shane and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Ilya

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