The dialogue is mesmerizing, the characters are adored, and the memes are plentiful. The movie “Mean Girls” has become a classic among younger generations, and now the “Plastics” have come back to conquer Broadway almost two decades later. The musical has a similar storyline with the addition of songs and dancing. Based on the small amount of details provided, it seems that the musical will try to expand the plot of the movie by updating its storyline. The movie was released 16 years ago, and while it remains timeless, there are still a few things that the musical could improve in order to give the movie a fresh new taste.
PG-13 Content
“Mean Girls” is known for its racy commentary giving the movie a PG-13 rating, yet the musical is recommended for ages 10 and up. There are some lines from the movie that would be inappropriate for such young viewers. In one of the first scenes when Cady is explaining the stigma against homeschooled children, some country boys say “On the third day god created the Remington bolt-action rifle so that man can fight the dinosaurs and the homosexuals.” This terrible line is just the beginning of a movie filled with racial stereotypes such as the famous line “If you’re from Africa, why are you White?” and offensive words like “retarded” that Regina George says three times throughout the movie.
Social Media
The musical should also integrate social media into the plot. Since 2004, the reliance on social media has increased drastically. Social media now runs a major part of not only high schoolers lives, but everyone’s lives overall. Seeing the nuances social media could add to the power of the Plastics’ popularity could be a fresh new way to drive the plot forward. Implementing the effects of social media in scenes like the infamous three way calls or the Burn Book itself would provide the musical the modernization it needs.
Representation in STEM
One of the main problems Cady faced in the movie was the stigma that came with her aptitude for math. In the early 2000s, it was uncommon to see young females exploring STEM fields. When Cady expresses an interest in math, Dameon exclaims, “Eww why?” When she wants to join the math team, both he and Regina warn her of the social suicide. To get Aaron Samuels to like her, she thinks she has to be dumb and almost ends up failing math. Now in 2020, girls are being encouraged to pursue STEM. It would be an empowering moment to see Cady embrace her math skills, showcasing a powerful lesson for younger girls in the targeted audience that the limit truly does not exist.
As new generations form, the modernization of classics seems essential to establishing younger viewer’s interest. Remakes are as popular as ever, and “Mean Girls the Musical” has come just in time to become a new favorite for the younger generation and a nostalgic memory for the older. No matter how the musical differs from the movie, hopefully it will bring the nostalgia of a classic with a funny, fresh twist and catchy show tunes to sing in the shower.