Mean Girls: The Complete Musical & Audition Guide

Get in, loser, we’re going to an audition. Mean Girls takes Tina Fey’s much-quoted 2004 movie about a new girl, a cafeteria ruled by the Plastics, and a Burn Book that gets loose, and turns it into a big, funny pop musical. It has music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), and a book by Fey herself.

Mean Girls (the movie) was one of my sister’s favorites growing up, and it was on a lot. So I was prepared when my teen daughter, Vanessa, was cast in Mean Girls Jr a few years back. More recently, Daniel music directed a production of the full version!

It’s one of the most popular titles for high schools and youth theatres right now, with a cast full of teenage roles, belty pop songs, and a message about being yourself and being kind to others…and getting hit by a bus.

Whether you’re getting ready to audition for the show, or deciding whether your theatre should take this show on, read this guide to learn about the plot, characters, songs, and production demands. Looking for an audition song? Our Audition Song Finder can match you with songs for your role, voice, and age.

Mean Girls at a Glance

What Is Mean Girls About?

Cady Heron grew up in Kenya, homeschooled by her biologist parents. When her family moves to suburban Illinois, she finds that high school is its own jungle, with predators, prey, and strict territories. Two outsiders, Janis and Damian, take her under their wing, then talk her into spying on the Plastics, the school’s most powerful clique, led by queen bee Regina George.

The plan works too well. The more Cady plays Plastic, the more she becomes one. By the time the Burn Book is out and the whole school is at war, Cady has to figure out who she really is, and how to make things right with the friends she hurt.

Mean Girls Synopsis

Act One

Janis and Damian break the fourth wall to warn the audience about the story they’re about to tell (“Mean”). Cady arrives at North Shore High ready to take on the challenge (“It Roars”), but nobody notices her. In calculus she falls hard for Aaron Samuels and humiliates herself (“It Roars (Reprise)”). Hiding in the bathroom, she meets Janis and Damian, who walk her through the school’s cliques (“Where Do You Belong?”), including the Plastics: Regina, her anxious second-in-command Gretchen Wieners, and sweet, clueless Karen Smith.

The Plastics decide Cady will eat lunch with them (“Meet the Plastics”), and Janis talks her into saying yes so she can report back. Janis warns Cady that Regina is dangerous, but Cady is thrilled by her new power (“Apex Predator”). At Regina’s house, Cady meets Mrs. George, Regina’s “cool mom,” and sees the Burn Book, where the Plastics write cruel things about their classmates. Gretchen admits that being Regina’s friend has wrecked her confidence (“What’s Wrong With Me?”).

Cady pretends to be bad at math so Aaron will tutor her (“Stupid With Love”), and he invites her to his Halloween party. Karen explains the rules of Halloween costumes (“Sexy”). When Gretchen tells Regina about Cady’s crush, Regina wins Aaron back just to prove she can (“Someone Gets Hurt”). Furious, Cady joins Janis and Damian in a plan to take Regina down, from tricking Gretchen into spilling secrets to swapping in weight-gain bars (“Revenge Party”). By the end of the act, Cady has turned the Plastics against Regina and kicked her out of their lunch table.

Act Two

After winter break, Cady has taken Regina’s place as queen bee (“Mean (Reprise),” “I’m Blowing Up”), even though she’s failing calculus and blowing off her real friends. Gretchen notices that Cady is starting to treat her just like Regina did, while Mrs. George wonders why her daughter won’t confide in her (“What’s Wrong With Me? (Reprise)”). With her mom away, Cady throws a party that spins out of control (“Whose House Is This?”). Aaron is hurt when he learns she pretended to be dumb (“More Is Better”), and Janis and Damian confront her for skipping Janis’s art show and becoming a Plastic (“Someone Gets Hurt (Reprise)”).

Regina gets her revenge by scattering Burn Book pages all over the school, and the junior girls turn on one another (“World Burn”). At an assembly, Ms. Norbury tries to bring everyone together, and Janis inspires the girls to stop apologizing for who they are (“I’d Rather Be Me”). When Regina storms out, she’s hit by a school bus. Cady takes the blame for the Burn Book, apologizes to everyone she hurt, and earns back her grade by joining the Mathletes, who win the state championship (“Stupid With Love (Reprise)”). Crowned Spring Fling Queen, she breaks the plastic crown into pieces and shares it with the other girls (“I See Stars”), then makes up with Janis, Damian, and Aaron.

Mean Girls Characters and Casting

MTI’s breakdown has 10 roles plus a large ensemble of named students and teachers. The ages and vocal ranges below come from MTI. Notice how many roles sit high for belters: Cady, Regina, and Karen all go up to a G♭5 or G5.

Principal Roles

Ensemble

The ensemble plays the whole school: Mathletes, band geeks, the debate and dance teams, teachers like Mr. Buck and Coach Carr, and named students with small featured moments, including Glenn Cocco, Shane Oman, Kevin’s fellow Mathletes, Caroline Krafft, and the “Teary Girl.” It’s a great place for strong dancers and character actors.

Mean Girls Song List

These are the songs in MTI’s current version, in the order of MTI’s song list.

Auditioning for Mean Girls

Directors casting Mean Girls usually look for contemporary pop and belt singing, sharp comic timing, and actors who can find the person underneath the stereotype. Here are some tips:

• Pick a contemporary song. A pop, pop-rock, or contemporary musical theatre song fits this score far better than a Golden Age ballad. Our guide on how to choose an audition song can help.
• Know your belt. Cady, Regina, and Karen go up to a G♭5 or G5. Show a healthy, comfortable belt or mix, and don’t push past what your voice can do on audition day.
• Play it real, not cartoonish. Regina is scariest when she’s calm, Gretchen is funniest when she’s truly desperate, and Karen works best when she means every word. Casting teams look for honest choices.
• Janis and Damian are a team. They narrate the show and talk directly to the audience, so expect to read with a partner, and show that you can build rapport fast.
• Bring personality for the ensemble. The ensemble is made up of named students with small featured bits, so a clear, specific choice in a dance call or reading gets noticed.
• Be ready to move. Numbers like “Where Do You Belong?” and “Revenge Party” are big ensemble dances, so expect a dance combination. Here’s what to expect at musical theatre callbacks.

Want ideas for a particular role? See our audition song picks for every Mean Girls role, or let the Song Finder suggest songs matched to your voice and age.

Hoping to play Cady, Regina, Karen, or Janis? You’ll find plenty of options in our list of songs for belters. The actress going for Mrs. George, Ms. Norbury, and Ms. Heron can look through our alto picks.

Producing Mean Girls in Community Theatre

This is a big, fast, contemporary show. It moves quickly between dozens of locations (the cafeteria, classrooms, the mall, Regina’s house, a Halloween party, a talent show), and the score needs singers who can belt pop music night after night. With smart choices about scenery and content, it’s very doable for high schools, youth theatres, and community companies.

Choose Your Version

MTI licenses two versions: the full-length show and Mean Girls Jr, a one-act, 60-minute version for younger performers. For the full-length show, the authors have supplied a list of optional, pre-approved script changes, the same edits that used to make up the separate High School Version. Any production can use them, and if you do, you may bill the show as Mean Girls High School Version (MTI’s logo pack includes both logos). No other changes to the script or music are allowed. Read the list early, and decide with your board, school, or audience in mind.

Cast

Start with Cady, who carries the show, and a Regina who can be magnetic and frightening without trying. Cast Janis and Damian as a pair, since their chemistry drives the narration. Gretchen and Karen are comic gold for strong character actors, and one versatile adult (or older teen) can play the tripled moms-and-teacher role. The ensemble can be as big as your stage allows.

Sets and Scene Changes

With so many locations, many productions use a unit set with moving pieces such as rolling cafeteria tables, desks, and lockers, plus projections. MTI’s site lists scenic projections, and its Community Marketplace lists set and table rentals. Smooth, quick transitions matter more than detailed scenery.

Costumes

Costumes help tell the story: the Plastics’ color-coordinated looks (pink on Wednesdays), Cady’s change from homeschooled newcomer to queen bee, Halloween costumes, a talent-show number, and Spring Fling formalwear. Plan quick changes for Cady and the Plastics, and for the actress playing all three adult women.

Music

The score is contemporary pop, so plan for a solid rock-and-pop band if you can staff one. If you can’t, MTI offers a Performance Accompaniment Recording, professionally recorded performance tracks you can use for the show itself. For rehearsals, MTI has a Performance Accompaniment Recording (Rehearsal Tracks Only) and RehearScore, a handy app that lets your cast run songs anytime, even without a rehearsal pianist. Ask MTI about adding the option that fits your production when you apply.

If this is your first time producing this show, reach out to other theatres in your area that have done it. Many will rent or loan costumes, props, and set pieces like cafeteria tables, or share how they handled the scene changes.

Is Mean Girls a Good Choice for Community Theatre?

For theatres with a deep bench of teen and young adult performers, absolutely. Mean Girls is a recognizable title that sells tickets, and its message about kindness and being yourself lands with young casts and audiences. It’s a great fit if you have:

• A Cady, Regina, Janis, and Karen with strong contemporary belts
• Sharp comic actors for Gretchen, Damian, and Kevin G.
• An energetic ensemble that can dance
• A plan for fast scene changes across many locations
• A clear decision about the optional High School edits for your audience

Mean Girls is the classic fitting-in story that people identify with — which is why it has maintained its popularity over the past 20+ years. It’s about the courage it takes to be yourself. And getting hit by a bus. (I’m sticking with that joke.)

The show gives young performers great songs, big laughs, and something important to say, and that makes it a joy to put on stage.

What would you sing for a Mean Girls audition? Which role is your dream part? Tell us in the comments!