Roars of delight greeted the opening curtain last Friday evening when the national tour of Mean Girls began a three-day run at the Fox. It was clear that many people in the audience were eagerly anticipating the musical. which is based on the 2004 film of the same name that Wikipedia calls “a pop culture phenomenon.”

Tina Fey adapted her own screenplay for the stage. The music is by Jeff Richmond, Fey’s husband; the lyrics are by Nell Benjamin. The delightful songs fit in splendidly with the clever humor and storytelling of Fey’s book.

The central character is Cady Heron. She and her parents are new arrivals in Chicago. The family moved there after spending many years in Kenya, where Cady was home schooled. The show is about the challenges Cady and all teenager face when trying to find new friends, fit in with the social hierarchy, and connect with their true selves.

The director and choreographer of the original Broadway production was Casey Nicholaw, whose work was adapted for the tour by director Casey Hushion and choreographer John MacInnis. Their work is thoroughly delightful and involving.

The talented young performers clearly relish their roles. The cast includes Katie Yeomans as Cady Heron, Maya Petropoulos as Regina George, Kristen Amanda Smith as Gretchen Wieners, MaryRose Brendel as Karen Smith, Alexys Morera as Janis Sarkisian, Joshua Morrisey as Damian Hubbard, José Raúl as Aaron Samuels, Kabir Gandhi as Kevin G, Tym Brown as Mr. Duvall, and Kristen Seggio as Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury, and Mrs. George.

The show has a distinctive, appealing atmosphere thanks to Scott Pask’s set design, Gregg Barnes’s costumes, Kenneth Posner’s lighting, Brian Ronan’s sound, Josh Marquette’s hair, and Milagros Medina-Cerdeira’s make-up. Music director Julius LaFlamme conducts the fine orchestra

The major technical difference between the current national tour and the first one is in the projections. The most striking loss is the astonishing video for the bus accident that is mentioned at the beginning of the show. The prop that replaces the video gets the job done but less spectacularly than before.

—Gerry Kowarsky

Photo by Jeremy Daniel
From the left, Cady Heron (Katie Yeomans), Gretchen Wieners (Kristen Amanda Smith), Regina George (Maya Petropoulos), and Karen Smith (MaryRose Brendel) discussing the Burn Book in Mean Girls.