Broadway's 'Mean Girls' closes permanently
The Broadway production of Mean Girls has just announced that it will not reopen as a result of the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The production's final performance was Wednesday evening March 11, 2020, having played 805 performances and 29 previews in a record-setting run at the August Wilson Theatre.
The show’s Twitter account posted the following:
Mean Girls features a book by nine-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tina Fey, based on her screenplay for the film, music by three-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Jeff Richmond, lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin, and direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw. The show opened on Broadway on April 8, 2018 following a five-week world premiere at The National Theatre in Washington D.C. in late 2017.
As previously announced, the musical is set to be adapted to a major motion picture from Paramount Pictures produced by Lorne Michaels and Tina Fey, with a script by Fey and featuring music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. More details to be announced.
Lorne Michaels said, "Thank you to the brilliant creative team, cast, and crew that brought Mean Girls to life from our first reading to final performance. We remain excited to bring this musical to the big screen, relaunch the tour and prepare for a London production. I look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when theaters can open their doors again."
On behalf of the Creative Team, Tina Fey said, "The chance to bring this show to Broadway, with such a talented young ensemble and five astounding female leads, has been a dream come true. And to our fierce and dedicated fans-- the limit of our gratitude does not exist."