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Tina Fey Will Take Break from 'Kimmy Schmidt' to Work on MEAN GIRLS Musical!

By: Apr. 20, 2016
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At last night's Tribeca Film Festival, Tina Fey finally addressed the question on everyone's mind - will there be a musical stage adaptation of the hit 2004 film MEAN GIRLS?

Variety reports that the former SNL star revealed to the packed audience that she will take a break from her hit Netflix series UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT and focus on getting the musical project completed. Fans of the movie can thank 'Schmidt' star Ellie Kemper for conveniently getting pregnant between Season 2 and Season 3, giving Fey a chance to buckle down with husband and composer Jeff Richmond and lyricist Nell Benjamin, and get the job done.

Fey told Tuesday night's audience, "We're working on the musical adaptation, and thanks to Ellie Kemper's pregnancy, we have this whole summer to work on it." Asked if the tale of a group of stuck up girls and their Queen Bee would be updated to include new references to social media (which didn't exist in 2004), Fey replied, "The thing about social media is, it doesn't dramatize well"

Fey went on to imagine what a hip-hop musical version of MEAN GIRLS might look like, borrowing a riff from the Broadway smash hit HAMILTON. "I was joking around for my own amusement the other day," she began, before rapping, "How does a mathlete, chess king..."

Read the article in full here.

The MEAN GIRLS musical has been in development for several years. At the10th Anniversary celebration of the comedy film, Fey and her husband, composer Jeff Richmond, said they were hoping MEAN GIRLS will hit the stage in time for -- or ahead of -- its 15th anniversary, which will be in 2019.

The 2004 feature film MEAN GIRLS was written by Fey, and directed by Mark Waters. The film followed the NEW GIRL in town, Cady Heron, and her attempt to navigate the cliques of high school, including 'The Plastics,' led by Regina George. The film starred Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried (in her film debut), and featured Fey. The film was a box office success, grossing $129,042,871 worldwide.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos




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