“Mean Girls”: From Script, to Stage, to Schools.
It all started when comedian, writer, and director Tina Fey had an idea for a “film depicting relational aggression amongst teen girls but with cool cars and cool clothes.” This eventually became the 2004 smash hit “Mean Girls”. According to the New York Post, “‘Mean Girls’, was a surprise hit and grossed $130 million worldwide.” Beyond this commercial success, over the past two decades, the film has become a cultural phenomenon across the world.
Fey drew most of her inspiration for the script from Rosealind Wiseman’s “Queen Bees and Wannabes”, a book that aimed to help parents guide their teenage daughters through the drama of high school.
Fey also used her own experiences to inform the story, even using the names of several people she knew in real life. Surprisingly, Fey admitted in an interview that she was the mean girl! According to ABC News, she told Net-a-Porter’s The Edit, “I was [the mean girl], I admit it openly. That was a disease that had to be conquered.”
Following the immense popularity of the movie, “Mean Girls” the musical was created by and first premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 31st, 2017. It arrived on Broadway in April 2018. The show featured music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. It was once again an instant hit, and earned Fey a Tony Nomination.
“A film depicting relational aggression amongst teen girls but with ‘cool cars’, and ‘cool clothes.’”
“Mean Girls” has now been selected by Roosevelt Theatre program directors Katie Greve and Benjamin Stuart as the next show to hit the RHS stage this spring.
When Greve and Stuart saw “Mean Girls” on Broadway, they “could not wait for it to get released to high schools,” said Greve.“The songs are catchy, the heart of the story remains intact, and it’s just a fun night out at the theater!”
She said the musical differs from the movie, with the message of anti-bullying from “Queen Bees and Wannabees” “shin[ing] through much more clearly and directly in the musical,”.
Greve added that the theater department is finally getting in their “post-Covid groove after ‘Cinderella’.” She’s looking forward to choreographing “Where Do You Belong”, as she “loves a good prop incorporated into a dance.”
Students are already excited, with Camille Rochon ’25 saying, “I was going to do hair and makeup for the musical, but I wanted to do ‘Mean Girls’ so bad that I’m gonna change my whole schedule [to] be in it!”.
Marcel Sezgin ’24 had been predicting the musical since last year, saying he “got $5 off a bet because of it.”
He echoed Greve’s sentiments of the musical’s positive message. “It has a message, but it’s also a very silly show that you’re not supposed to take seriously.”
Sezgin added, “I hope [‘Mean Girls’] encourages more people to do theater, because I think theater is one of those extracurriculars that anyone can benefit from because it encapsulates so many different fields.” Sezgin “hopes people watch, [and]…enjoy the show.”
