In Mean Girls, Cady joins the Plastics in performing an uncomfortably sultry holiday tune for the Winter Talent Show (“Jingle Bell Rock” in the film, a new tune in the upcoming musical). At a recent press event, Playbill asked the cast and creative team to relive their high school talent show days. See what acts haunt their past in the video above.
The cast is replete with musical theatre stars and expert singers, but some confessed to additional talents from their high school days.
“I tried to teach myself tuba for a semester,” admits Ashley Park (Broadway’s Gretchen Wieners). “I don’t know why I wanted to be in a marching band. I really did, though.” Barrett Wilbert Weed, who takes on the role of Janis Sarkisian, gave a taste of some special voices she would have performed.
And what about the film’s screenwriter, Tina Fey, who makes her Broadway debut penning the musical’s book? “I convinced my friend, who could sing, that we should sing ‘To Sir With Love’ to the teachers. I don’t know if you know ‘To Sir With Love.’ It’s longer than you think; it does not really rock the house.”
Mean Girls, directed by Casey Nicholaw, features a score by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. In addition to Park and Weed, the cast includes Erika Henningsen as Cady Heron, Taylor Louderman as Regina George, Kate Rockwell as Karen Smith, Kerry Butler as Ms. Norbury, Grey Henson as Damian Hubbard, Cheech Manohar as Kevin Gnapoor, Kyle Selig as Aaron Samuels, and Rick Younger as Mr. Duvall.
Performances begin March 12 at the August Wilson Theatre, where the musical will officially open April 8.
