Making Fetch Happen: Scenic Projections and Choreography Guides
Making Fetch Happen: Scenic Projections and Choreography Guides
Mean Girls has long reigned as queen bee in pop culture. Full of snarky humor and iconic one-liners, Tina Fey’s screenplay is still adored to this day. In 2017, Fey created a wild and hilarious musical adaptation of the movie: Mean Girls the Musical.
After premiering in Washington D.C., the musical moved to Broadway in 2018, playing 833 performances at the August Wilson Theatre. Now in 2024, Mean Girls is still “grool” (great + cool) with a movie musical reboot, a current London production, and the rights for the High School and JR version available in the US/Canada.
So how do you introduce the Plastics to your stage? Through innovative scenic design - where “the limit does not exist!”
Making Mean Girls “Roar” on Broadway
In an interview with Disguise, Finn Ross of FRAY Studio explained that Director/Choreographer Casey Nicholaw had a very clear vision for the stage design. Casey saw video as a crucial element to the production due to the varying scenes and quick transition needs of Tina Fey’s script. Their design approach had to balance this speed with the choreography and as an extra layer of narrative. The content had to move and change in time with the performers, yet still convey a believable environment.
Video projections solved the dynamic scenic design with cohesive settings and seamless transitions, from the hallway to Regina’s bedroom. FRAY Studio also worked closely with the Broadway Set Designer, Scott Pask, to bring Mean Girls to life on stage. The studio created detailed designs and animations to depict the environments for each location. Even with a large number of scenes, there’s a clear continuity of style that keeps the audience immersed in the story, which contributed to the success of the show.
Get in, we’re going (work)shopping!
In developing the Broadway musical for licensing, MTI hosted a workshop with the NV Thespians and the Smith Center Education Department to test Mean Girls: High School Version materials. Students aged 12-18 auditioned from all over Clark county schools to participate, perform, and provide feedback on the script.
Our partner, Broadway Media, was thrilled to be a part of this workshop as well. Broadway Media utilized the exact original video projections from the Broadway production to develop their Scenic Projection show package for Mean Girls: High School Version. The workshop provided a better understanding of adaptations and modifications to the projections for high schools. For instance, the curtain warmer’s Burn Book pages were adjusted to reflect more appropriate themes for student audiences. The workshop also rented a Stage Projector from Broadway Media to premiere the projections, which gave a better understanding of how high schools would premiere the projections.
“It was wonderful to know that our locations and different scenic moments would be displayed no matter what,” Jennifer Hemme, the workshop director, said. “Literally all we had were acting boxes [but] there was no fear in my mind that people would know where we were. We had a clear picture for the audience.” Jennifer previously worked with Broadway Media for projections for Roald Dahl’s Matilda, noting they were “always wonderful" and “such a great tool, whether you use it as the set or a layer upon the set.”
To ensure script accuracy, Broadway Media programmed the projections into their software, StagePlayer, and ran extensive QA tests. Every production is unique, so an important objective in creating these projections is allowing for customization. The climactic bus scene features an animation of Regina flying through the air with different ethnicities to choose from to reflect the performer’s appearance.
You Can Dance With Us!
In addition to Scenic Projections, Broadway Media also developed Choreography Guides for Mean Girls: High School Version/JR. These video guides help solve for building and adapting dance and movement for your show.
“What I love about the choreography in Mean Girls is that it offers something for everyone,” Paul Canaan, co-creator of Broadway Media’s Choreography Guides, commented.
The high-energy choreography is brought to life by Karla Puno Garcia, one of New York's top dance teachers. Her credits include Hamilton, West Side Story, Gigi, Hot Feet, and the 2023 Tony Awards. Karla brings the youthful energy and skilled technique that this show demands, alongside some of Broadway’s best dancers who demonstrate how it all comes together.
From North Shore to Spotswood High
Mean Girls was - and still is - a “fetch” title for school productions. In March, the Spotswood Troupers Drama Club at Spotswood High School in New Jersey put on their production of Mean Girls: High School Version utilizing Broadway Media’s Scenic Projections. This was the first time the drama club utilized animated projection as a backdrop for its spring production.
Their performance space was unique. Rather than a standard auditorium, their school had a cafetorium, which is much smaller and needs to be flexible for multiple environments. This is where video design can really help strengthen a production, as described by Director (and Drama/English Teacher) Anne Rackzo: “Our stage space is great, but nestled in a cafetorium, so having your backgrounds elevates our performance.” Not only can projections take your production to the next level, but truly make it possible to perform anywhere.
“We LOVE the projections,” Anne continued. The drama club celebrated getting their projections on Instagram, with the caption raving that it took their show from “fine to FETCH!”
The production was a hit among audiences, earning a nomination for the Central Jersey Marquee Awards. Best of all, it provided a solution that enhanced their production value. Anne concluded her feedback with this: “Because of Broadway Media, this is the best show I have ever directed in my 11 years at Spotswood High School in NJ.”
Bring the world of Mean Girls to your stage!
Thinking of bringing Mean Girls to your program? Start by obtaining your license - we offer licensing for Mean Girls: High School Version and Mean Girls JR. Bring your show to life with Broadway Media’s Scenic Projections and Choreography Video Guides to make producing Mean Girls: High School Version and Mean Girls JR more fetch than ever!
