Plan a date with Mean Girls on Broadway in New York City
Planning a trip to New York City? Attending a Broadway show ranks as one of the top things to do on a visit to the Big Apple. Since Broadway shows are my jam, I was thrilled to score tickets to Mean Girls, an updated and more in-depth version of the 2004 high school-angst movie written by comedy powerhouse Tina Fey. It also features a Tony Award-nominated original score by her husband Jeff Richmond.
The Mean Girls cast includes (L-R): Erika Henningsen (Cady Heron), Ashley Park (Gretchen Wieners), Taylor Louderman (Regina George), and Kate Rockwell (Karen Smith) Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Mean Girls is so fetch
The storyline follows Cady Heron, a teenager raised in the wilds of Africa with her zoologist parents, who must learn how to adapt to a new habitat —North Shore High School in the Chicago burbs. The naïve newbie struggles to find her place in this new environment as she learns about the high school pecking order and her place in it. Cady ends up taking on a catty trio of popular girls, called The Plastics, by preying on their insecurities. As she claws her way to the top of the food chain, Cady ultimately learns about the importance of loyalty, friendship and being true to herself.
The film version of Mean Girls defined a generation and those who grew up on its endlessly quotable one liners will not be disappointed with this updated version for the stage. In fact, anyone who lived through high school will be able to relate to the subject matter, no matter if they graduated in 1959 or 2019. The biggest change has been how the Mean Girls stage production incorporates the immediacy of social media and the role it plays in disseminating hurtful information. Man, it really makes you empathize with kids who are growing up in the digital age.
Taylor Louderman plays Regina George, the leader of the The Plastics and the nemesis of Cady Heron. Photo credit: Joan Marcus
Perhaps the best part about seeing a Broadway show is being able to immerse yourself into an alternative universe for a few hours, which can only be made possible by convincing performances by some of the best actors and actresses in the theater world. I was blown away by the high-energy cast of Mean Girls, many of whom are relatively new to Broadway.
Over the many years I’ve been seeing Broadway shows in New York, I’ve been introduced to performers who have gone on to have great careers, some of them beyond the Great White Way. Before Lea Michele became a household name with the television show Glee, I watched her perform as Wendla in Spring Awakening with Jonathon Groff. Before the name Alexander Hamilton was sung to the tune of a hit musical, I watched Lin Manuel-Miranda honing his skill in In the Heights. And during The Mean Girls performance I attended, I watched understudy (and fellow Kent State University alum) Tee Boyich boldly took on the leading role with very little time to prepare.
I found Boyich’s talent even more impressive when I read online that she had earned the title “understudy goddess” last March when she stepped into a role for which she wasn’t even an understudy. For that performance as Janis, she had four hours to prepare. And she nailed it, of course.
The rest of the sensational cast includes Erika Henningsen, who normally plays Cady, Ashley Park as Gretchen, Taylor Louderman as Regina and Kate Rockwell as Karen. Stand outs include Barrett Wilbert Weed and Grey Henson, who play friends Janis and Damian — the outsiders who long to be in the inner circle.
How to score tickets to Mean Girls
Mean Girls is playing at the August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St. in New York City. For tickets, go to meangirlsonbroadway.com. Even if you’re not planning a trip to New York City anytime soon, the show will hit the road this fall with tour stops throughout the country.
Where to stay in New York City near the theater district
It’s been years since I’ve gone to New York City and actually stayed in Manhattan. I’ve been AirBnBing it or crashing on the couch with family in Brooklyn for the last decade. So on the most recent trip to the Big Apple, I found a lot of surprisingly affordable options for the budget minded. Hell’s Kitchen is a great spot with decent lodging options that are close to the theater district. I stayed at Pod Times Square, a practical choice with small and clean smart rooms with bare-bones amenities and a price point under $100 per night. Pod Hotel is located one block from the subway, so visitors can zip anywhere in the city with ease.
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