Mean Girls: Broadway Musical vs. the Movie
It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since Tina Fey and Lindsay Lohan hit the big screen with beloved cult classic Mean Girls. With Fey returning as writer, Mean Girls is back and better than ever on Broadway, opening April 8. Check out why the musical is just as “fetch” as the movie, and buy your tickets on SeatGeek now!
Tina Fey! I Love Your Work!
In 2004, Tina Fey blessed us with the movie’s screenplay after reading the parenting bestseller, “Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends & Other Realities of Adolescence.” She even co-starred as our favorite math teacher, Ms. Norbury.
What inspired her to write the musical? Copyright-infringing college kids! “I started seeing like, college guys writing their version of it — illegally — and I was like, ‘Oh heck no!’” Fey told ABC News. “I was like, ‘I’ve done too many different drafts of this screenplay for some junior boy in college to write this.’”
You Go Glen Coco!
The movie may have brought more lines into pop culture than any other, with “You go Glen Coco!” and “She doesn’t even go here.” Even the White House tweeted for Obama dog, Bo, to “stop trying to make fetch happen”.
The musical treats us with all our favorite lines, expanding Karen’s “I’m a mouse, duh” into a whole song. However, there’s no shortage of creativity with brand new Mean Girls references for us to love for years to come.
Jingle Bell Rock
There’s far more song and dance in the musical than the movie’s iconic Jingle Bell Rock and Spring Fling. The cast runs through a modern mix of pop, hip hop, rock, jazz, African, and musical theater styles. Composer Jeff Richmond is married to Fey and teamed up with her for 30 Rock. Lyricist, Nell Benjamin, has relevant experience with work on Legally Blonde.
The Greatest People You Will Ever Meet
Janis and Damian, the self-proclaimed “greatest people you will ever meet,” are elevated to lovable narrators. They take Cady and the audience under their wings as they guide us through the school year.
Damian’s personality was made for Broadway and finally gets the spotlight it deserves. He gets his own lively number, “Where Do You Belong?” about lunch table cliques. Janis’s momentous speech from the movie evolves into her inspirational “I’d Rather Be Me” solo.
I Just Have a Lot of Feelings
Fey goes deeper into characters’ vulnerabilities with the musical. She explained how motherhood gave her new empathy for “cool mom,” Mrs. George. The audience learns that adults judge each other too, and can struggle with their children growing distant.
Nearly everyone can relate to insecure Gretchen, who sings the ballad, “What’s Wrong With Me?” after rejection from Regina.
On Wednesdays We Wear Millennial Pink
Fey wanted the 2018 production to accurately reflect today. She showed early versions to high schoolers, asking questions such as the meanest social media platform (Snapchat won). The mighty Burn Book reclaims its throne, but modern culture is integrated as well.
One not so updated aspect? The fashion. Gretchen Weiners still rocks her plaid skirt. But isn’t early 2000s style making a comeback anyway?
Don’t Let the Haters Stop You From Doing Your Thang
The musical drives the the movie’s core messages home. Through comical cattiness, we learn that putting others down won’t make us any better. Along with kindness, the story promotes being yourself and not caring what others think.
That’s Just Like, the Rules of Feminism!
The movie has cemented its feminist status, and the musical is sure to do the same with modern relevance to #metoo. New scenes include Karen teaching young boys to respect girls and a powerful speech by Regina on how women should never apologize for their worth and strength.
Whether you watched the movie or not, this Broadway musical is bound to make you laugh and learn from the valuable messages underneath all that pink. Get Mean Girls tickets here.
(All giphs courtesy of Giphy.com)
