Mean Girls
Mean Girlswas a phenomenon in part because of Lindsay Lohan ’s iconic role of Cady Heron , but the 2024 musical remaking reduces Cady ’s fictional character at the expense of the film ’s substance while elevating another character to teller position . The musical movie is free-base on the2018 Broadway melodic adaptation of the 2004 originalMean Girlsfilm . Many necessarychanges are made in theMean Girlsremake , but the rest between the ensemble does n’t quite sing .
The 2004 original movie is free-base on a non - narrative self - help book , Queen Bees and Wannabesby Rosalind Wiseman .
The original picture uses Cady ’s voiceover to chronicle her journeying from “ homeschooled hobo camp freak to glistening charge plate to most detest individual in the world , ” but in the musical , Janis ‘ Imi’ike ( the updated Janis Ian ) becomes the narrator . Musical theatre ’s strong point lies in express aloud an interior soliloquy , but the 2024Mean Girlschooses to trim many of Cady Heron ’s Song dynasty from the Broadway version and even transfer one song of them to Janis . This weaken the audience ’s understanding of Cady ’s inner view , all-important to grasping the nicety between pretending to be a mean girl and actually becoming one .
Mean Girls' 2024 Remake Changed The Original Movie & Musical To Give Janis A Bigger POV
Janis’ Backstory Is Expanded And Much Darker
In the original , high school is seen through Cady ’s genus Lens , stylistically represented when she opine problem being solve in the “ animate being world ” as opposed to “ girl world . ” In the melodious remaking , the hatchway and closing framing machine is literally “ A Cautionary Tale ” sung by Janis to the audience . There is an asymmetry between the 2024 remake ’s intended lead , Angourie Rice as Cady , and the screen time and musical numbers given to Auli’i Carvalho ’s Janis . Auli’i is billed third in the end credit , while Lizzy Caplan from the originalMean Girlswas billed 7th , foreground this discrepancy .
Janis ’ backstory with Regina George in the 2004 movie was always a number developing . The musical remaking elaborate on a much darker friends - to - enemy storey . AfterJanis comes out as gayto the school , Regina uses her to get a male child ’s attention , say she knows Janis is “ obsessed ” with Regina . calendar month subsequently , Janis realizes the nickname Regina had been using , “ Sissy Liz , ” was short for Obsessed Lesbian . This layered betrayal makes Janis ’ decision to use Cady as a tool for revenge long time later feel much more powerfully motivated .
Not only is Janis ’ relationship with Regina deepened , butCady ’s connection with Aaron Samuels is weakened . In the stage melodic , Aaron , the amatory interest of both Regina and Cady , apportion a duet with Cady , “ More is Better , ” where he expresses his appreciation for her identity and his letdown in her adjust to Regina ’s standards . Cady ’s relationship with Aaron is deepened in theMean Girlsstage musical , but both strain they partake are cut from the movie musical , undermine this powerful message .
Which Broadway Cady Songs Are Cut Or Changed In Mean Girls’ 2024 Movie
Many Musical Numbers Are Cut or Sung By Different Characters In Musical Remake
Cady has three solos in theMean Girlsremake . Three more of Cady ’s songs are reduce in the 2024 remake , two of which were duets with Aaron , leaving their love affair feeling empty compared to the Broadway show . Cady ’s songs are clustered at the beginning and destruction of the flick , not afford a windowpane into her mentality through her journeying with the Plastics .
Christopher Briney only agreed to take the role of Aaron Samuels after being guaranteed he would n’t have to sing .
There is only one original song in the 2024 remaking : Cady ’s ingress song , “ What Ifs ” . In theMean GirlsBroadway melodic , Cady has a much more powerful ballad , “ It Roars ” , about Cady feeling fate to do outstanding thing . It ’s a subtle remainder that give Cady more bureau in her musical introduction . The new song was potentially added so the film could give in a song for Original Song for the Oscars .
Mean Girls is a reimagining of the 2004 classic comedy film as a musical, directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. When Cady Heron and her family move from Africa to the United States; she experiences a culture shock when she enters the public school system for the first time. While trying to fit in, she is roped into the popular but superficial and cruel clique, the Plastics.
Mean Girls Songs – Broadway Vs . Movie
Song Title ( Broadway )
Character ( Broadway )
Song Title ( Movie )
Character ( Movie )
A Cautionary Tale
Janis & Damian
Janes & Damian
It Roars
Cady & Ensemble
What Ifs
Cady
Meet the plastic
Regina , Gretchen , & Karen
Regina
dazed with Love
Apex Predator
Janis & Cady
Stupid with Love ( reprise )
Aaron & Cady
n / a
Someone Gets Hurt
Regina , Aaron , & Ensemble
Revenge Party
Janis , Damian , Cady & Ensemble
Janis , Damian , Cady , & Ensemble
Fearless
More Is Better
Cady & Aaron
n / a/
World Burn
Regina & Female Ensemble
I ’d Rather Be Me
Janis , Damian , Cady , & Company
Janis & Female Ensemble
Do This Thing
Cady & Mathletes
I See ace
Cady & Company
In the flick , Janis has four birdsong with no major cuts . In the phase musical , “ Apex Predator ” is a duet between Cady and Janis , exploring Cady ’s captivation with Regina . But in the film , Janis duets the Sung dynasty with Damian , reframing the song as them premise Cady to the power dynamic that rules the schoolhouse . It is one of the most inhale piece of choreography in the remake , where the bookman organic structure embodies hobo camp fauna through movement . Movie Janis gets the high-pitched - energy group numbersat the emotional turning full stop of the story , emphasizing her new purpose .
How Mean Girls Changing Cady’s Songs Hurts The Story & Meaning
Story Is Not Exclusively Told From Cady’s Perspective
Cady goes from being the narrator and point - of - perspective lineament in the 2004 movie to someone whose journey is being told , if not puppeteered , by Janis in the remaking 20 years after . Cady ’s character feels dampen becausethere is not a textual exploration of her country of mind as she becomes democratic and then reviled . Janis belts “ I ’d Rather Be Me ” over Cady and Regina ’s climactic fight after Cady ’s duplicity is revealed . This encapsulates the sense that Mean Girls has a well understanding of Janis ’ headspace than that of either Cady or Regina .
melodic theater of course provides outer space for characters to blab out their feelingswhen speech are n’t sufficient . “ Fearless ” is a Cady identification number cut from theMean Girlsstage melodious , a power ballad after Cady dethrone Regina as Queen Bee where Cady sing to the school that they do n’t have to endure in fear anymore . This could be cheesy as negotiation , but somehow it ’s powerful in birdsong . Cutting this number is a mark of how Cady ’s character is continually de - emphasized . Janis ’ songs are fun , but order the story from her point of view undermines the audience ’s understanding of Cady ’s journey .
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Mean Girls is a reimagining of the 2004 classic drollery film as a musical , directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. When Cady Heron and her family move from Africa to the United States ; she experiences a culture shock when she enters the public schoolhouse system for the first time . While trying to fit in , she is rope into the pop but superficial and brutal camp , the Plastics .
