It's been 20 years since Tina Fey's iconic film Mean Girls was a box office hit. Now, Young Actors Theatre (YAT) is debuting middle and high school versions of the stage show in Tallahassee.
The performing arts school on Glenview Drive is setting records with the number of cast members ahead of its 50th anniversary celebration next year.
Here's the press release from YAT:
TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Friday, July 19, Mean Girls: High School Version will premiere at Young Actors Theatre and run through July 28, 2024. Based on the movie-turned-Broadway show-turned-movie musical, Mean Girls remains a cultural phenomenon with whatever “makeover” it receives.
Isabel Chistoni, YAT’s Director of Dance and the Director of Mean Girls says, “I find it fascinating that 20 years after Tina Fey’s original hit motion picture was released, the Mean Girls franchise is experiencing a renaissance and seems to be more popular than ever. I mean, most of our cast members weren’t even born when the original movie came out!”
In fact, Chistoni and her team welcomed record-breaking numbers of high school and middle school students at auditions for its summer intensive Main Stage program.
The run of Mean Girls: High School Version features 73 high school actors in two casts that alternate performance dates, and Mean Girls Jr. – for the younger set – boasts a group of 48 middle school performers.
On the timelessness of the story, Chistoni explains that the protagonist “Cady learns the hard way that the price you pay for changing yourself to fit in is losing who you truly are.” The director furthers, “Everyone needs community. It is how we cultivate that community that determines its value.”
As the organization approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025, it is centered on student success. The program nurtures an environment where every young artist can thrive – whether they dream of performing professionally or simply wish to build confidence and creativity.
YAT CEO Sarah Roy says, “The world can be tough, and students sometimes walk into Young Actors Theatre wearing its weight on their shoulders — but they walk out confident, illuminated by an inner glow. Watch for it at Mean Girls.”
Sponsored by The Printery Family and “Gretchen Wiener” (the nonprofit youth theater’s Board Members Gretchen Jones and Wendy Wiener), Mean Girls High School Version is rated PG-13 for language and Mean Girls Jr. is rated PG. Opening night is sold out, as is Saturday evening’s performance.
Tickets for Mean Girls are on sale now and start at $20, to learn more visit www.youngactorstheatre.com.
