Review: MEAN GIRLS Makes 'Fetch' Happen in Vancouver For the First Time

MEAN GIRLS couldn’t have come to Vancouver at a better time. Donning the same iconic story and famous one-liners used in the 2004 cultural touchstone movie, MEAN GIRLS is everything you would expect and more, all wrapped up in a Broadway musical form. This week, the touring production of MEAN GIRLS the musical made its debut in Vancouver on behalf of Broadway Across Canada. Playing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from January 23rd to 28th, this “grool” show filled with upbeat dance numbers, toe-tapping tunes, and hilarious Broadway magic is one that absolutely demands your attendance. 

The musical follows the same plot as the 2004 hit film written by Tina Fey (SNL and 30 Rock). New student Cady Heron navigates the hustle and bustle of the American high school experience after being homeschooled and living in Africa. After being introduced to the social hierarchy that exists within North Shore High by her new friends, Janice and Damien, she quickly learns of the popular girl clique, “The Plastics.” The 3 girls of the group led by Regina George, take a liking to Cady early on and invite her to sit with them at lunchtime. Chaos quickly ensues as Cady befriends “The Plastics,” while secretly conducting a social experiment against them for both Janis and Damien. Through betrayal and navigating through the complexities of teenage friendships, Cady learns about her true values and the consequences of her actions. MEAN GIRLS explores the high school experience with humor while emphasizing the impacts of bullying and importance of self-reflection and growth. 

Photo: The touring cast of the Mean Girls. Photo by Jenny Anderson. 

MEAN GIRLS was filled with humor and wit, approaching serious topics in a lighthearted way without discounting the powerful messages the story delivers. The musical kept the iconic lines such as “you can’t sit with us” or “the limit does not exist” and brought something new to the table to match the thoughts and times of our current generation. Looking at the show from the perspective of someone who is obsessed with the 2004 movie, I can see how they could be quick to criticize the show for being tacky as it does not carry the same shock factor or intensity. Despite this possible view, the musical is both a new take and approach to the story. Under the upbeat and happy-go-lucky note the musical may begin on, both the show and the characters evolve into something more, letting go of the past and embracing harsh realities of the present. 

As someone who has seen the 2018 original Broadway production, the current touring production had some differences within the lyrics, music, and the show overall compared to the original. These changes such as those that were evident in Cady’s opening song, “It Roars,” didn’t hinder the overall vibe of the show and were obviously made to better portray the story without any miscommunications. In addition, this touring production of the show did not have the large screens in the background of the set compared to the original production. This change to the show was also positive as it allowed for a slightly more stripped down feel with more focus on the actors and physical sets designed by Scott Pask. 

Photo: from left, Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George), Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith) and Natalie Shaw (Cady Heron) in the touring production of Mean Girls. Photo By Jenny Anderson. 

What tied the show together was the music by Fey’s husband, American composer Jeff Richmond with lyrics by Nell Benjamin. The show begins with characters Janis and Damien giving a brief summary of the show with the song, “A Cautionary Tale.” The song contains a hook that is used throughout the show tying everything together from start to finish. What sets the hooks of this musical apart from others is the uniqueness and recognizability of them all. Benjamin’s lyrics are as quirky and clever as ever. From the lyrics of “Meet the Plastics” to the fan-favourite song, “Revenge Party,” Benjamin’s ability to connect people closer to the story with the show’s music is unmatched. 

The show’s costume design by Gregg Barnes added colour to the show. Although the clothing was probably not what current high school students would choose to wear to school, it did pay homage to the 2004 movie, while adding its own new flavour to the mix. Again, playing into the theme of recognizability, the costumes were definitely outfits that one could remember long after seeing the show for the first time.

There were a few moments and musical numbers in the show that really embraced the true meaning of the word, “iconic.” The first was the feeling of seeing “The Plastics” enter the stage in their debut song, “Meet the Plastics” for the first time. Entering the stage on a cafeteria table through a smoke cloud and introducing themselves through musical verses matching their character, was exactly what you would expect from the creative team behind the show. Further along, the song, “Revenge Party” was another fan favourite moment. Along with the contagiously funny song, we see a bit of theatre magic with an on-stage costume quick change and the use of a very memorable mascot that puts emphasis on the fact that 2 people were, “both in the costume.” Lastly, special mention also goes to Maryrose Brendel as Karen Smith and her song, “Sexy.” This song had some peak comedic moments and allowed Brendel to shine as bright as Kate Rockwell did in the original Broadway production. 

Photo: Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith) and the touring company of Mean Girls. Photo by Jenny Anderson.

MEAN GIRLS was not a show that had large, over-the-top musical numbers playing into the flashy Broadway stereotype. A majority of the numbers were simple, yet effective by putting more emphasis on the talent and abilities of the cast to shine on stage rather than shadowing them with fancy effects and lighting. The choreography by Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Aladdin) was upbeat and fitting for the overall feeling of the musical. Perhaps the number where the choreography was most memorable was in the song, “Fearless.” Kristen Amanda Smith in her role as Gretchen Wieners, was the highlight of that number, knocking the choreography out of the park during her lead moment in that number. In addition, dance captain Emily Ann Stys and assistant dance captain Ryan Vogt were also notable members of the dance numbers. Their dedication to the dance numbers brought up the energy of each song and did not go unnoticed amongst the rest of the cast. 

Opening night in Vancouver had two of the leading roles in the show covered by understudies. Megan Arsenau took the stage as Cady and Mikey Corey Hassel went on as heartthrob Aaron Samuels. Arsenau played a very confident Cady. If it wasn’t mentioned that she was the understudy for the part, it would have been assumed that she played the role regularly. Hassel was also a great fit for the role. His approach to Aaron Samuels was softer and caring. My only criticism would be that it was a shame that we didn’t hear him sing more. During the few times the audience heard his voice, it had a very unique and soulful tone that deserved to be showcased more. 

Photo: from left, Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George), Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners), and Natalie Shaw (Cady Heron) in the touring production of Mean Girls. Photo By Jenny Anderson. 

The two standout performances of the night were from Maya Petropoulous as Regina George and Ethan Jih-Cook as Damien Hubbard. Petropoulous was the perfect fit as Regina as she was both intimidating, yet humorous in a way that was unique to her role. She played the role very closely to how Taylor Louderman (the original Broadway Regina George) did, yet added her own touch as the lead of “The Plastics.” Petropoulous’ vocals were strong, especially in songs such as “Someone Gets Hurt” and “World Burn.” Pertropouslous was revengeful, manipulative, and was a perfect representation of a true “mean girl.” While I’m very sure she is nowhere near as vicious in real-life, she stepped into that persona very well, which takes a lot of acting chops. 

Photo: from left, Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George), and Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners) in the touring production of Mean Girls. Photo By Jenny Anderson. 

Similarly, Ethan Jih-Cook was another actor that executed their role very well. Shining in songs such as “Where Do You Belong?” and “Stop,” Jih-Cook proved himself as a very well rounded performer with outstanding dance and vocal abilities. His comedic timing was perfect and acting was very authentic to his character. With a smile that lit up the whole theatre, Jih-Cook was very well loved in Vancouver. 

Photo: Ethan Jih-Cook (Damien Hubbard) and the touring company of Mean Girls. Photo by Jenny Anderson.

MEAN GIRLS was a feel-good musical that was easy-to-follow with memorable songs and good humor. Whether you have hopped onto the bandwagon and have seen the 2004 film and/or the recent 2024 movie-musical or not, it is very clear that the musical version is arguably the best out of those 3 options. So what are you waiting for? Head to the theatre and let’s “do this thing!” 

The North American tour of MEAN GIRLS  presented by Broadway Across Canada played at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC from January 23rd to 28th. The show will play in Lawrence, KS at the Lied Center of Kansas on January 31st and in Bartlesville, OK at The Center for Arts, Events & Community on February 1st. To see the full list of the show’s tour stops and to purchase tickets, visit the link below! 

Top Photo: from left, Natalie Shaw (Cady Heron), Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George) and Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith), in the touring production of Mean Girls. Photo By Jenny Anderson. 

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