Scoring 12 Tony nominations, shattering a Broadway record, and supporting young women — way to make fetch happen, “Mean Girls!” You go, Glen Coco! The musical adaptation of the classic 2004 Tina Fey-penned comedy has made quite the splash since its premiere last month.
The production has broken a box office record at its home, the August Wilson Theatre. “Mean Girls” took in $1,565,923.70 for the week ending May 27, making it the venue’s highest-earning production for an eight performance week. The previous record holder was “Jersey Boys.”
A press release has also announced that the musical is partnering with Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) on its yearly “Fearless Leaders” initiative. YWLN supports The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS), a network of five NYC all-girls 6th-12th grade public schools that “empower young women to achieve their dreams of higher education, and to fulfill their learning and leadership potential.”
As part of “Fearless Leaders” this year, 500 students will be able to attend “Mean Girls” at a significantly-reduced ticket rate and meet with the cast. This will mark many of the students’ first time at a Broadway show. TYWLS teachers will have the opportunity to see the show prior to the student trip in order to design lessons related to the show’s depiction of bullying and female aggression. The “Mean Girls” cast will also visit the TYWLS schools and participate in workshops and discussions inspired by the show’s themes.
“Mean Girls'” features a book by Fey, music by Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Like the original film, the show centers on Cady (Erika Henningsen), a teenager who was raised in Africa and homeschooled by her academic parents. Her life changes dramatically when she begins attending high school in Illinois and gets drawn into the world of the Plastics — the most popular and vicious group of girls in school, led by Regina George (Taylor Louderman).
The show is up for 12 Tonys, including best musical, best book of a musical (Fey), and best original score (music and/or lyrics) (Richmond and Benjamin). Louderman is nominated for best actress in a musical, and Ashley Park, who plays Gretchen, scored a nod for best featured actress in a musical.
