National tours of Broadway shows allow theater fans who live far from Manhattan to see productions that would otherwise be out of reach, and in most cases, the tours are a good copy of the original productions.
But that's not the case for “Mean Girls,” which is currently playing onstage through Sunday at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
Directors: Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr.
Writer: Tina Fey
Stars: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Jon Hamm
This “Mean Girls” is a non-Equity tour that dispenses with elements that were crucial to making both the original Broadway production and the tour so good and fun. Gone were the excellent projections by Finn Ross and Adam Young that provided much of the scenic backdrop for the show, setting the venue and quirky tone in a joyful and fluid manner. That video design is replaced with uninspired scenic design that doesn't always make sense; A scene in the second act that, according to the dialogue, takes place outside a character's house is done with the interior background of the school. The lighting design, as interpreted here, is chaotic, unflattering to the actors, and often distracting.
What remains is Jeff Richmond's music, Nell Benjamin's lyrics, and Tina Fey's book about the consequences of bullying and trying to fit in. “Mean Girls” began as a 2004 film with Lindsay Lohan, which was successful both critically and commercially. It was adapted into a stage musical and made its Broadway debut in 2018.
The story follows Cady Heron, played on this tour by Natalie Shaw, a 16-year-old girl who grew up in Kenya and was home-schooled by her biologist parents. When Cady's mother takes a job in Illinois, Cady goes to school for the first time. Her initial friends are Damian (Ethan Jih-Cook) and Janis (Alexys Morera), who show Cady around her and tell her all about the various high school cliques.
Although Cady is a math genius, she eschews mathematicians in favor of the Plastics, presided over by queen bee Regina George (Maya Petropoulos), who rules over her minions Gretchen Weiners (Kristen Amanda Smith) and Karen Smith (MaryRose Brendel). like a dictator. Cady's desire to fit in leads her to be unfaithful to herself as she slowly transforms into her plastic personality.
Cast standouts include Jih-Cook, who lights up the stage every time he appears; Morera, who has a powerful voice; Shaw, who imbues Cady with an affability that's hard to resist; and Kristen Seggio, who plays Mrs. Heron, Mrs. George and Mrs. Norbury, the calculus teacher and voice of reason. Seggio creates three distinct characters and is notable for the flamboyance of Mrs. George and the dry, no-nonsense wit of Mrs. Norbury.
Fans of the film may enjoy this production, but this scaled-down version lacks the sparkle and dazzle that made the original Broadway show and tour so wonderful. These “Mean Girls” deserve a failing grade.
If you go, “Mean Girls” runs through Sunday at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.
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