Review: MEAN GIRLS at The Fox Theatre St. Louis

High school can be Hell. This is especially true for new kids who find themselves thrown into new surroundings. For them, finding friends and navigating the world of cliques and bullies can be hazardous.

This harrowing situation is the basis for Mean Girls, a theatrical adaption of Tina Fey's 2004 film. Now playing at the Fox Theatre, this dazzling musical focuses on Cady Heron, an intelligent but nebbishy teen who has recently enrolled at Chicago's North Shore High School. Arriving from Kenya, where she was homeschooled, she is apprehensive about making new friends. Luckily, her new friends Janis Sarkisian and Damian Hubbard are around to show her the ropes.

Bonding with her BFF's quickly, she is advised to steer clear of The Plastics, a clique of mean-spirited bullies, led by Regina George. Self-centered, and brutal, she causes anxiety and misery for North Shore's student body. Armed with her "burn book" (a collection of vile notes about her classmates). Regina's wrath is omniscient, putting her fellow students on edge.

Eager to remove the class system The Plastics have created; Janis and Damian convince Cady to embed herself in their inner circle. Joining Regina's retinue, Cady quickly learns the absurd rules she must observe to remain in the Queen Bee's favor.

Their best-laid plans hit a snag after Cady meets Aaron Samuels in calculus class. Intrigued by the popular jock who is terrible with numbers, Cady deliberately fails her coursework. As their friendship deepens, Cady becomes more attracted to North Shore High's big man on campus. Crushing hard, her hopes are dashed when she learns that Aaron is Regina's former beau.

After deploying a series of dirty tricks, including giving Regina protein bars that add more weight, Cady takes control of The Plastics, much to the chagrin of Janis and Damian who have noticed a drastic change in their friend.

Finding the acceptance and popularity she has often craved, Cady slides into materialism, narcissism, and a need for power. Lashing out at her schoolmates and friends, Cady's individuality fades away, as she evolves into a different person, a meaner one. Turned off by her change in attitude, she loses the support of her closest mates.

Now ostracized and unpopular, Regina plots her revenge. Determined to destroy Cady's newfound popularity, she distributes pages from the Burn Book throughout the school. Once found, they cause havoc amongst the teachers and student body. Then, she eschews blame by slandering herself in one of the pages. Her actions work better than she imagined as anger erupts, causing fights and rioting to break out.

A student assembly is convened to restore order. During the proceedings, students apologize for the malice they caused and make amends. However, tensions rise when Janis fesses up to her plot to destroy Regina. Making fun of her tormentor, she joins other students in turning the tables and making fun of their former nemesis.

Embarrassed, Regina runs from the school with an apologetic Cady behind her. Paying no attention to where she is going, Regina is it by an oncoming bus and knocked unconscious. After coming to and eventually regaining her mobility, she finally understands the ramifications of her actions. Reformed, Regina embraces the friendship of those she once scorned.

Debuting in St. Louis, this touring version of Mean Girls is an exhilarating tale of adolescent angst that celebrates individuality and equality. Utilizing an uptempo songbook that includes the opener, A Cautionary Tale, the blazing Apex Predator, Fearless, and World Burn and climaxing with the rousing finale, "I See Stars." Collectively, these musical numbers help Mean Girls achieve Straight A's.

Onstage Danielle Wade (Cady) and Nadina Hassan (Regina) give dynamic performances that showcase their immense individual talent. Mary Kate Morrissey shines as Janis, providing the show with some of its most emotional high notes. Eric Huffman's brilliantly funny Damian serves as a moral compass in a role filled with exceptional singing and outrageous comedy.

Fetch in every way, Mean Girls mixes social media sass with wildly catchy musical numbers to create a twist on traditional teen drama tropes. An altogether enjoyable theatrical experience, Mean Girls sits at the head of the class, sending other film-to-stage musicals to detention.

Mean Girls runs through February 27th at the Fox Theatre. For more information, visit https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/mean-girls

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