MEAN GIRLS Previews- Page 4

[frapp2latte2]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 3:08am

WhizzerMarvin said: "I think Mean Girls will have a Legally Blonde-esque trajectory and eventually become a popular choice to put on in high schools."

I saw a local production of Legally Blonde in my country and actually quite enjoyed it. I was in college then so I guess I was the target age in a way. I enjoyed the songs and humor in that one. If asked to compare Mean Girls and Legally Blonde, which one's the better musical in your opinion?

Deciding whether I should watch Mean Girls or Waitress this April. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 3:43am

I'm.....very upset with the changes they've made. The new version of Till Someone Gets Hurt is a fine song, but it pales in comparison to the old version. It feels a bit more sinister, but it feels like it's pushing too hard. Isn't the whole point of Regina to be a manipulative, secret mean girl? Even Cady says that she likes her at first, and THEN she manipulates Aaron with Till Someone Gets Hurt. But this new version is too Bond villain, not enough teenage girl. I LOVE the Bond villain vibe with the opening Plastics number and Regina's Revenge - but those two songs are internal. It's just overdone and it doesn't fit the character. It's even highlighted when she talks to Mr. Duvall - she goes from singing about ruining Cady to immediately cutting herself off by talking with her innocent, breathy baby voice. That being said, very glad Regina's Revenge made it out fairly untouched. I get that they wanted to add more meaty material for Regina, but I feel like everyone was suggesting that they added more to the book for Regina. Her material in the music was pitch perfect and so in character. Now it feels confused.

I didn't love Wildlife at first listen, but now I sorta miss it. It was charming, and it made me really love Cady right off the bat.

The biggest thing I'm upset about is what they did to Revenge Party. Perhaps my favorite number in the score, and truly one of the most catchiest, it packed a punch with Janis' verse about Regina's birthday party and someone scratching "dyke" on her locker with a key. Now, the exposition is moved to the beginning of the song, any mention of "dyke" is removed, and there's no emotional punch. It's just.....it's still catchy. But it's not as good. I really, really hope Revenge Party will be restored to how it was on closing night of DC.

Sorry, did any of that make sense? I'm just really upset. This was my favorite new score and it was near perfection in DC - but unfortunately, they went backwards. And I'm very sad about it.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 3:49am

WTF? Can someone fill me in on why these sad fans would have an issue with this performer?

If it is true that she was egged , then as others suggested- the whole cast should absolutely refuse to stage door from now on. I simply do not get the hysteria around the whole thing.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 4:00am

Oh wait- looking at reddit , it sounds like someone threw eggs down from above the stage door so she wasn’t targeted specifically. Maybe just someone pissed off at the noise happening below. A noise they will have to get used to I guess

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 6:34am

I totally understand the sadness of finding out a favorite song was replaced out of town or in previews, but without having seen the run in DC, I can say that these new songs don’t stick out in a bad (or good) way here. They fit right in with the rest of the score.

In fact, after hearing from a friend who saw it in DC that the score was disappointingly mediocre and then reading some comments here that it felt generic, upon hearing the opening number last night I thought, “this isn’t so bad.” I was bracing myself for inept, but it’s far from the embarrassing scores we’ve heard of late like First Date, Scandalous and Amazing Grace. (Yikes, what a trio is that list!)

Comparing this to Legally Blonde- Well I think Legally Blonde has a better story, even just comparing the two films, but I think if you liked the previous show you’ll like this one too. I find Legally Blonde’s score to be highly inconsistent. The good stuff- mostly for Elle- like Omigod/What You Want/So Much Better is candy coated pop confection that is, well, so much better than anything in Mean Girls. Then again, Mean Girls doesn’t make us suffer through any Blood in the Water clunkers either. It maintains its level of quality throughout. Mean Girls desperately needs some Omigod You Guys type catchy number. There’s just no real earworm, and for a pop show like this there should be one.

Another problem Mean Girls inherits from the film is that Cady is the least interesting character of the four female leads (five, if you now count Janis). Unlike Elle, who is clearly the lovable lead and heart of Legally Blonde, we watch Mean Girls for the Plastics. They’re the stars of the show. I think the musical could have helped tip the scales back in Cady’s favor by giving her some knockout numbers, but they’re just not there. She nearly needs a So Much Better to close out the act and solo in the math class about being stupid in love (sorry, no song list in the Playbill) is the reason people are calling the score generic.

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 8:42am

GeorgeandDot said: "Teen broadway fans are f*cking crazy."

I know. I am a teen myself, and it really sucks. 

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 9:14am

As a teen broadway fan myself this is just ridiculous. What happened to Barrett last night is absolutely horrible, though I’m not sure the fans were at fault someone mention the egg came from above the stage door. I love meeting actors and I always stagedoor after I see a show. But, this is not okay. I just wait there, thank the actors for their great show (if I’m a big fan, maybe I’ll talk to them a bit and get a picture) thank them for their autograph and when everyone is done signing, leave. I don’t understand why people just can’t be respectful. I hope that when I make my return visit (after seeing the show in DC) in June that there will be a calm, easy stagedoor experience for the actors and fans alike.

Updated On: 3/14/18 at 09:14 AM

[frapp2latte2]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 10:38am

Thank you for your in-depth input, @WhizzerMarvin! I've heard the same thing, that Mean Girls lacks any real bops (which is disappointing), and that it lacks fresh material, relying too much on recycled jokes from the movie. Might end up checking out Waitress instead as many users here have vouched for that over Mean Girls, too. 

[itsahopi]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 11:46am

frapp2latte2 said: "Thank you for your in-depth input, @WhizzerMarvin! I've heard the same thing, that Mean Girls lacks any real bops (which is disappointing), and that it lacks fresh material, relying too much on recycled jokes from the movie. Might end up checking out Waitress instead as many users here have vouched for that over Mean Girls, too."

I saw it in DC and loved it. I found that it relied much more on new jokes, and saved only the most iconic lines from the movie. I'd personally recommend it over WAITRESS, but they are not the same at all, so it depends on what you think is a better show for you. MEAN GIRLS is the most fun I've had at a musical in a long time. It's funny from start to finish, with just the right amount of pockets of heart.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 12:19pm

frapp2latte2,

I personally found Waitress to be a better show, if only because I think the score is stronger and certainly more varied, but I do think both show are on the same branch of the musical family tree, along with Legally Blonde and the like. If you lined up everything from Company, Fun Home, The Rink, The Girl in Pink Tights, Marie Christine, Mame, Lady in the Dark and A Time For Singing, you would find that Mean Girls and Waitress share a lot more DNA than not.

[rjm516]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 12:26pm

Thanks for all these reviews, guys! I'm still trying to decide between this, Frozen, Carousel, or one of the new plays so please keep them coming. I might just leave the decision to fate and see if I win any lottos.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 12:41pm

If you’re choosing from Carousel, Frozen and this, well Carousel obviously is the best show based on book and score alone. This new revival may not be perfect, but at least you’re starting out with one of the better recipes in the cookbook. Between Mean Girls and Frozen, Mean Girls is far better, thought none of these three can compare with the splendor of Glenda Jackson in Three Tall Women. (Talk about apples to oranges, but it’s a performance that comes rarely in life and is not to be missed.)

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 12:57pm

"If you lined up everything from Company, Fun Home, The Rink, The Girl in Pink Tights, Marie Christine, Mame, Lady in the Dark and A Time For Singing..." Hysterical, Whizzer! I'm at a loss to find the through-line in these shows, but this must be the first sentence in history to string those particular ones all together. 

[Great Dame]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 2:09pm

frapp2latte2

I didn't love Waitress to be honest. I remember liking the movie ok, but to me the musical was sort of blah. I like big flashy effects and/or dancing though so take that with a grain of salt. It's a mellow show. I also have a hard time with the story, which for me doesn't feel like a woman-empowerment story at all. I know people who react the total opposite and I don't want to spoil things if you haven't seen it, I just don't love it. Mean Girls sounds way more fun to me.

 

[Great Dame]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 2:11pm

rjm516 said: "Thanks for all these reviews, guys! I'm still trying to decide between this, Frozen, Carousel, or one of the new plays so please keep them coming. I might just leave the decision to fate and see if I win any lottos."

If you can see Frozen I would absolutely see it. I LOVED it! I saw it 4 times in Denver and am seeing it twice in May when I visit NYC. I am a fan of the movie so that doesn't hurt, but I absolutely loved the new material. I thought the effects were great and love the actual story and Caissie Levy's voice is basically made from fairy dust and angel tears.

[tgirl16]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 2:15pm

novinovia said: "LxGstv said: "Did a lot of people show up for the in person lottery?"



There was quite a lot of people, I would say around 100."

 

Does anyone know how many online lottery seats there are? In person lottery seats?

 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 8:25pm

If anyone is looking for decent tickets without a discount code, Wednesday matinees after opening through 5/30 have reduced prices on many seats. In particular, the last 4 seats in rows A-E of the side mezzanine sections are $129.50, down from $169.50 at other performances. I exchanged my $129 side orchestra MGMAIL discount ticket for mezzanine A 14 at a later date.

 

Updated On: 3/14/18 at 08:25 PM

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 9:37pm

I was at the show last night-Always an honor to be at the theater the same night as Whizzer.

Count me in the camp that really likes this one, but let me acknowledge that I grew up with the film, and can recite large chunks of the script verbatim. 

The show is long, not helped by the 25 minute intermission due to the absurd length of the ladies restroom line. Each act could use to lose a song, or a verse each from a few songs, to tighten the piece.

The piece does a nice job of acknowledging everyone of the quotables from the film, and infusing the modern references. This does make obvious the plot gaps, but there is no fixing that without fully rewriting the concept of the story.

The music is catchy enough, and I am a sucker for Casey's choreography. I am the first to say that he was the wrong choice as a director for the intimate piece that Tuck Everlasting should have been, but he was a good choice for this, obligatory tap number and all. I only wonder how he will differentiate this one from The Prom when it opens in the fall-I watched back the Prom rehearsal clip that someone posted earlier today, and the style is very similar, not to mention that half of the ensemble did Prom at Alliance, and I'm not sure if they plan on recasting Mean Girls or Prom in the fall.

A thought on this ensemble-Casey has had a good number of ensemblists who have traveled from show to show with him. This is a largely new group, and will be his core for shows which need a younger look.

Erika is a find-killer voice, and similar look to Lohan, without being a carbon copy. Taylor and Kate a fine-they could have put any of a number of younger female performers into these roles and it would work just as well. The real find is Ashley as Gretchen-She manages to bring a real level of emotion to a role that really had none in the film. Kpop was one of my favorite shows from the fall, and I couldn't help but think that Gretchen grew up to be Mwe-She's clearly drawing from the same place internally.

Grey and Barrett are a hoot as Damian and Janis, and the audience eats them up. I feel like if anyone ends up with a performance nod, it will be these two.

Kerry is hilarious as Regina's mom, and effective at playing Tina Fey as the teacher, but I feel that she reads too young to play Cady's mom-they read as sisters from where I was sitting in the third row, maybe she reads older from further back.

Casey and his team were sitting center orchestra on the left side, 8 rows back so that is probably the ideal location to watch the show from downstairs, but I feel this is a good one to watch from the front mezz-there are a few moments where there is a whole lot going on.

Some shows don't work with projections as the primary scenic, but I feel generally that shows set in the digital age tend to work OK with digital scenery, and this is a good example. It allows them to maintain the number of different locations from the film, without each being just a couch or table.

I think this will have a similar trajectory to Legally Blonde but with better reviews. A respectable run on Broadway, decent touring life, and then it will be done by every high school and college theater in the country.

 

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 10:03pm

Anyone know where to sit? (reasonable cost)

This show is so expensive. Normally i splurge for front mezz, but $250 is a lot. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 10:07pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Here's the cast board tweet in question.

Pretty clear that somebody Photoshopped over her name to create a little social media drama. Dumb."

Apparently someone stole her name plate and they’ve replaced it with the one from DC. I feel like this tweet is coming from a place of sarcasm.... so stupid.

Updated On: 3/14/18 at 10:07 PM

[frapp2latte2]

Posted: 3/15/18 at 5:35am

Thanks itsahopi, WhizzerMarvin and Great Dame!

I think I may have been swayed to watch Mean Girls instead as at least I know I'm sure to have a good laugh.

By the way, what's a good place to buy tickets for this, straight off of Ticketmaster? How reliable is buying tickets through TodayTix? You won't end up getting far side tickets, right? I'm thinking whether the few dollars discount I can save through TodayTix is worth the mystery of not knowing what exact seats I'll be getting until the purchase has been made.  

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/15/18 at 10:57am

TodayTix doesn't usually sell limited-view seats. You'll probably be fine.

[ccbway]

Posted: 3/15/18 at 11:54am

rjm516 said: "Thanks for all these reviews, guys! I'm still trying to decide between this, Frozen, Carousel, or one of the new plays so please keep them coming. I might just leave the decision to fate and see if I win any lottos."

I've seen this and Carousel, and Mean Girls was much more entertaining.  Carousel, IMHO, was a dated mess.  Strong dancing and singing, but unless you have some kind of fondness for the show, seems like something that didn't really need to be revived.

That said, Mean Girls musically is no great shakes, but is probably just a more entertaining show.

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 3/15/18 at 8:31pm

I saw Mean Girls in DC and really enjoyed it. I left thinking about what changes they would make for Broadway so thank you to everyone who is posting with what they are seeing now for us that are unable to see the new version. 

I'm a big Casey Nicholaw fan and have been since Spamalot. I left Mean Girls in DC thinking it was pretty light on tap for a Casey Nicholaw show, so that's why I'm glad to hear they cut Bossed Up (a musical turducken of every tune in the first act) and added a tap number for Damien to open act 2! My question for those who have seen the latest previews is, would you say this new number is a big Casey Nicholaw production number? Or is it smaller with just Damien and a few other people tapping?

[Golenboybway]

Posted: 3/15/18 at 8:58pm

Does anyone have an audio from DC so i can hear the old songs?