You’re not a regular mum, you’re a cool mum… or dad, or partner. Whoever you are, you’re cool. That’s why you want to know more about the stage adaptation of Tina Fey’s classic comedy, Mean Girls.
Join Cady as she gets to grips with her new life in America and has to navigate high school and the mean girls who run it. With a brand new score by Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin, it’s totally fetch. But what are these new Mean Girls songs? Before you go (Glen Coco) to see Mean Girls, find out more about the score below.
All the Mean Girls songs in order
Mean Girls Act One songs
A Cautionary Tale
Our pair of misfits and Cady’s true friends, Janis and Damian, use their dark comedy to open the show and set the scene. As the title suggests, A Cautionary Tale foreshadows the show's events.
It Roars
When we meet Cady, she tells us about her life in Africa and what she’s been missing out on. As the song progresses, we learn that Cady and her family will return to America. But when she arrives at the quintessential high school, she learns it’s not easy being the new kid. It’s the first of the Mean Girls songs that has a reprise. Unusually, it’s immediately after its first appearance. On the cast recording, they’re rolled into one song.
Where Do You Belong?
As Damian and Janis take the rejected Cady under their wings, they guide her through the school’s social hierarchy. As she learns more about the different cliques, Damian encourages her to find where she belongs. It’s a glitzy number that’s reminiscent of shows like The Producers.
Meet The Plastics
Though Cady has learned about the school groups, she’s yet to meet the popular girls, the eponymous Mean Girls. In an ominous rock number, we meet Regina. The song folds into an up-tempo tune to introduce Gretchen. Lastly, we hear a simple, child-like verse from Karen.
Like many other Mean Girls songs, you can hear influences from other musicals, including Next To Normal, the complex arrangements of Sondheim, and the big show tunes of Kander and Ebb
Stupid With Love
After Cady meets the heartthrob Aaron, she tells us about her disastrous dating history. She compares her academic intellect to her romantic stupidity.
Apex Predator
Cady is adopted by The Plastics. Janis warns her about the leader, Regina, but despite the red flags, Cady is overwhelmed with the dopamine hit popularity brings and ignores the warnings.
What’s Wrong With Me?
As Cady integrates into The Plastics, they begin to confide in her. Vulnerable and lacking confidence, Gretchen confesses she thinks Regina is a bad friend.
Stupid With Love (Reprise)
As the show progresses, we discover how influential Regina is in the school. Her negative impact even spreads to Cady’s crush, Aaron. As she tries to get closer to him, Cady pretends to be bad at maths so he’ll tutor her. But while they get to know each other, he reveals that he’s sworn off love due to his past experiences with the queen Mean Girl.
Sexy
When Cady is invited to a Halloween party, Karen explains the rules of Halloween. It's Karen’s only solo number and one of the funniest of the Mean Girl Musical songs.
Someone Gets Hurt
After Regina discovers Cady has feelings for Aaron, she manipulates him to spite the newest member of The Plastics. The power ballad has a Bond theme feel, plus main character energy.
Revenge Party
Regina’s betrayal makes Cady realise Janis and Damian are right about the Plastics. After the trio reunites, they come up with a revenge plan to get back at the meanest girl in school and destroy The Plastics from the inside.
Fearless
Regina is ostracised from the group due to Cady, Janice and Damian's plans. Without a tyrannical leader, Gretchen gains confidence and imagines what her life will be like now she doesn’t have to answer to anyone.
Someone Gets Hurt (Reprise)
Cady tries to apologise to Regina, but she rejects the olive branch. Closing out Act One, this reprise is one of the more ominous of the Mean Girls songs.