Leaving the wilds of Africa for the jungles of a Chicagoland high school, transfer student Cady Heron learns quickly that the food chain of the American teenager is dominated by the apex predator herself: Regina George. Convinced by her new friends to infiltrate Regina’s Plastic pride, Cady is soon caught in a web of lies, fakers, and insecurity. But can she make it out again before someone gets hurt? Returning to Washington, DC, after its world premiere here in 2017, the national tour of Mean Girls: The Musical at the National Theatre — based on the 2004 movie and adapted for Broadway by Tina Fey (book), Jeff Richmond (music), and Nell Benjamin (lyrics) — is here to make fetch happen. Stepping into the role of Cady Heron for the evening was understudy Carly Ameling. Bringing technical chops to the vocally demanding role, Ameling appeared a bit nervous/disconnected at first (which did suit the newly arrived Cady) but eventually settled into a rhythm. By “Fearless,” a new stride had taken over and Ameling helped Cady decide if she is made of plastic or of stronger, brighter stuff. Alexys Morera (Janis Sarkisian) and the Tour Company of ‘Mean Girls.’ Photo by Jenny Anderson, 2023. Guiding Cady through her new suburban life were best friends Janis Sarkisian, played by Alexys Morera, and Damien Hubbard, played by Joshua Morrisey. A standout duo, these two had almost all of my favorite moments of the show — including “Where Do You Belong?” and “Revenge Party” — to really get the party going in the theater. Morera in particular brought a fun punk rocker vocal vibe to her songs that played up Janis’ alternative, I don’t care “I’d Rather Be Me” core. Nailing the nods to the original movie as well as updating for a world that is now 20 years older, their quirky friendship was amusing to watch. The Plastics — Regina George played by Maya Petropoulos, Gretchen Wieners played by Kristen Amanda Smith, and Karen Smith played by Mayrose Brendel — were as cool and as sparkly as their clique’s name. Petropoulos nailed the ice pop diva vocals and the calculating poise of Regina — on full display in “World Burn” — while Smith delivered a Gretchen that was so high-strung that you could feel the tension radiating from her, particularly in her standout number “What’s Wrong with Me?” Smith’s precise physical comedy throughout added further layers of twitches and anxious screams. Not to be outdone in the shining trio, Brendel was having a great time playing the self-admittedly dumb Karen. From the wide variety of blank stares to the ad lib-like moments of mental malfunctioning (“Sexy” as a great example), Brendel was consistently fun to watch. Another favorite actor of mine from the production was Kristen Seggio as Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury, and Mrs. George — characters with only a few minutes on stage for each, and yet Seggio found ways to make them memorable. “What’s Wrong with Me? (Reprise)” as Mrs. George in particular was an impressive micro-moment example of Seggio’s dexterity and complexity. Only a few bars but in them, you saw her Mrs. George (a character who is easy to write off or phone in) flit from nostalgia to embarrassment to wishing for the relationship she hoped for with her daughter… and the relationship she actually enabled. Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George), and Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners) in ‘Mean Girls.’ Photo by Jenny Anderson, 2023. Rounding out the touring cast were Shawn Mathews (Kevin G), José Raúl (Aaron Samuels), Tyler Jung (Martin J), Kevin Ivey Morrison (Tyler K), Tym Brown (Mr. Duvall), Armani Brown, Tay Marquise, Thalia Atallah, Paloma D’Auria, Kayla Goins, Chase Graham, Brandom Moreno, Emma X. O’Loughlin, Ariel Shani, Jocelyn Darci Trimmer, Ryan Vogt, and Connor Buonaccorsi. The large ensemble gave it their all dancing from high school halls to house parties and back again. While they never lacked enthusiasm or big facial expressions, there were a few moments where better synchronization and sharpness of choreography across the ensemble would have helped focus what was a blurred flurry of mismatched steps instead. Creatively, the production team successfully translated much of the spirit of the Broadway production into the smaller, movable stage with flair. Original direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw had people in constant motion, lending to the overall visual of cliques, prides, and herds in the halls. Lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Brian Ronan helped to designate different zones in the pared-down (though wheelie forward) set design by Scott Pask. And costume design by Gregg Barnes contained a delightful number of musical theater, Chicago sports, and Drag Race T-shirts. A cool comedy of savage high school politics, friendship, and social missteps, Mean Girls: The Musical is back at the National Theatre for one week only. So whether you’re an art freak, a band geek, a jock, or even a Plastic, this is your chance to see where you belong. Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.   The national tour of Mean Girls: The Musicalplays through October 20, 2024, at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington. Tickets (starting at $59) are available online or at the box office. Enter the Digital Lottery for a chance to purchase $29 tickets. Learn more here. The cast and creative credits for the touring production are here. COVID Safety: Masks are strongly recommended but not required for all ticket holders. For full COVID protocol, go here.