Mean Girls is leaving Broadway. Based on the Tina Fey-written coming-of-age classic, the musical closed its doors back in March due to COVID-19. The musical opened in 2018, and for its two-year run, made over $124 million.
It’s another loss for Broadway, an industry and major source of tourism for New York City that’s bleeding money everyday. Mean Girls, the musical, is ending its time on Broadway, meaning people involved in the musical won’t have their job to return back to when theaters reopen likely later this year.
Saturday Night Live creator and Mean Girls’ producer, Lorne Michaels, didn’t comment on all the lost jobs. The producer did make note the musical will become a film. “We remain excited to bring this musical to the big screen, relaunch the tour and prepare for a London production,” said Michaels. “I look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when theaters can open their doors again.”
Fey wrote the book for the musical, which had music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw. Fey thanked the fans in her statement about the unfortunate closure. “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,” Fey said. “And to our fierce and dedicated fans – the limit of our gratitude does not exist.”
Mean Girls ended its run on March 11th, 2020, almost a year ago now. During its two-year run, there were 805 performances and 29 previews at the August Wilson Theater, which is a lovely theater. Before Mean Girl’s time on Broadway, it debuted at the National Theater in Washington D.C.
Broadway is still in the dark on when theaters can reopen. Theater owners expect to remain closed until June 1st, although others expect a return in the fall at the earliest. The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States has been slower than anticipated, plus New York City is one of the largest hotspots for the coronavirus in the country.
The news about the Mean Girls musical is another blow to Broadway. The live theater industry in New York City involves over 87,000 jobs and brings in millions of audience members a year. Over 1,100 actors and managers lost their jobs. With 41 theaters shut down, the industry will lose over a billion dollars, maybe even more than two billion. Broadway generates on average $1.8 billion a year. With a shutdown of theaters lasting well over a year, the financial loss is disastrous.
Originally, when New York City first went on lockdown, Broadway theater owners were hopeful the shows would go on in a matter of weeks and be back by Easter. A year later, theaters won’t even return for Easter in 2021. The business started declining even before the shutdown, too, as residents and travelers were wary of attending a live performance with hundreds of others.
Several shows, like Mean Girls, have either been canceled or delayed from opening. The great playwright, Martin McDonagh, had his production of Hangman starring Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) canceled from returning. A new production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? was canceled as well. The well-liked Beetlejuice musical is now without a home on Broadway, although producers want to find a new venue. The Tony Awards, of course, have still yet to happen. The list of cancellations and delays goes on and on for Broadway, sadly.
