More “Mean Girls” is always better!

The hilarious National Tour of “Mean Girls” left Baltimoreans yearning for more this week in a production that can only be described as Fetch!

Whenever I see a National Tour, I always compare it to the version I’m familiar with in my head. There were many differences from this show’s Original Broadway run that I felt made this classic story only more entertaining.

I normally don’t enjoy when tours alter the soundtracks, simply because I go into the show with one version already stapled in my brain, but I love how the minor song changes made it all the more dramatic. I live for ballads and appreciate when shows take the moment to be theatrical – something this production has done surprisingly well. While the “Mean Girls” storyline moves quickly, the changes made to this production allowed us to better soak in the little moments.

I also appreciated seeing the majority of the plastics being actresses of color. All three of the actresses had powerful voices and amazing stage presence, but Morgan Ashley Bryant’s take on Karen Smith allowed the audience to cackle every time she opened her mouth. She showed us that it’s easy to make fun of being dumb and sexy while cleverly timing jokes written within a script.

The main difference between this production and the last one I saw at the Hippodrome was something I could feel right off the bat – the increase in volume. When I’m in a theatre, I love being encapsulated by the music. Thankfully, this performance allowed me to feel every beat in my bones (it’s important to note that this was a difference two other people mentioned that they also appreciated).

Part of the reason I was so motivated to see the Broadway version a few years back was because of my love for Barrett Wilbert Weed, who originated the role of Janice, yet I was beyond pleased with Lindsay Heather Pearce’s rendition, who, in my opinion, had the best voice in the show. Perhaps, this is because she chose to opt up at the perfect places within a song – something a few of the actors chose to do, which I adored!

I also admired the smooth transitions that flawlessly transferred the audience from one scene to the next. The clever use of projections is something these tours are integrating quite well, especially this production. I also need to note how perfectly crisp all of the harmonies were (but maybe that was due to the volume as well). Overall, all of the technical aspects of this show were divine and left the audience wowed.

“Mean Girls” is a contemporary comedy that still finds a way to work in those theatrical moments that every theatre-goer craves. The main takeaway I get from this show and one that is the biggest pillar in my life is that you need to be able to find the humor in everything. Regina gets hit by a literal bus and is still able to laugh about it in the end. If you love humor and theatrical music, this is the perfect show for you to catch.

The National Tour of “Mean Girls” runs at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore from July 12-17th.

Grade: A

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Chris Draghi

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