Mean Girls will not return to Broadway when venues re-open in New York, it has been announced.
The Broadway production’s record-setting run at the August Wilson Theatre held its final performance on Wednesday evening March 11, 2020, having played 805 performances and 29 previews.
Based on Tina Fey’s 2004 film, Mean Girls takes place in one the world’s most treacherous jungles: high school. After her parents’ research funding runs out, Cady Heron (Erika Henningsen) moves back to Illinois from Kenya, where she was raised among the animals, and must assimilate herself into a vicious landscape unlike anything she experienced on the Serengeti.
This ferociously funny musical was brought to the stage by an award-winning creative team, including director & choreographer Casey Nicholaw (Disney’s Aladdin, Dreamgirls, The Book of Mormon), composer Jeff Richmond (30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), costume designer Greg Barnes (Something Rotten!, Aladdin), scenic designer Scott Pask (The Book of Mormon) and book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock, Bossypants, SNL).
Joining Erika Henningsen in originating the cast were Taylor Louderman as Regina George, Ashley Park as Gretchen Wieners, and Kate Rockwell as Karen Smith along with Kerry Butler (Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George), Grey Henson (Damian Hubbard), Cheech Manohar (Kevin Gnapoor), Kyle Selig (Aaron Samuels), Barrett Wilbert Weed (Janis Sarkisian), and Rick Younger (Mr. Duvall).
Read a round up of reviews from the Broadway run
Whilst the Broadway show may not be returning, the Mean Girls North American tour, which had been playing sold out houses across the country since it launched in 2019, plans to relaunch this summer or as soon as performances can resume.
Issuing a statement just as the Broadway production announces its closure, Michaels (who co-produces the show with Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman, and Paramount Pictures) said: “We remain excited to bring this musical to the big screen, relaunch the tour and prepare for a London production. I look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when theaters can open their doors again.”
It was also confirmed the film version of the musical in development at Paramount Studios would proceed.
Click here for info on the London production of Mean Girls – The Musical in the West End.
