Introduction
From film…to Broadway musical…to musical film! This 2024 version incorporates music and musical numbers while creating fun and fabulous visual depth. Set Decorator Jessica Petruccelli SDSA provides insider information on the production design.
From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic. New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the social elite group "The Plastics," ruled by queen bee Regina George. When Cady falls for Regina's ex-boyfriend, she finds herself targeted. With help from outcast friends Janis and Damian, she navigates high school's cutthroat social dynamics.
Working on MEAN GIRLS
The production filmed in a defunct high school in Middletown, New Jersey. Most musical numbers were filmed like music videos with choreographed Steadicam shots and dancers, requiring careful consideration of set dressing size and shape.
This 2024 version took the challenge of incorporating song and dance elements from the Broadway musical while honoring the cult following of the original 2004 film. Directors chose to weave musical numbers in naturalistic ways, creating heightened real-feeling spaces through lighting, special effects, and camera work.
Regina's Bedroom
Producers wanted iconic pink hues befitting Regina's personality with a contemporary aesthetic. Influenced by influencer culture and social media teen room tours, they created a minimal space with bold accent colors, unique furniture forms, and shiny acrylic details honoring "The Plastics."
Karen's Room
A maximalist teen girl room filled with cute, fun bubbly items. The design included specific nods to stuffed animals from the original film, creating a space more overflowing with character-appropriate decorations.
Revenge Party, Utopian Hallway
This setting transformed a regular school hallway into an explosion of color, rainbows, and flowers. Six-foot-tall paper flowers from a Ukraine-based maker combined with bright fake flowers and florist arrangements created the dreamy space spanning over 100 feet.
Cady's Bedroom
Designed to reveal who Cady was before becoming popular, the room featured mixed colors, textiles, nature collections, and her field drawings showing softness in contrast with The Plastics' aesthetic.
Cady's Home
A layered, nurturing environment with eclectic furnishings. The production collaborated with an African antiques collector for Kenya-specific pieces in her mother's office and reached out to Kenyan artists for paintings displayed throughout.
Kenyan Tent
A significant project requiring a tent manufacturer to create a custom structure with skylights. The construction involved a complex single Steadicam shot flowing from Janis's garage through Kenya plains and into the tent where Cady lived.
Janis's Garage
An artistic haven filled with materials, found objects, and funky furniture. This sacred space reflects Janis as an artist beholden to no one, with walls collaged with photos, drawings, and inside jokes, serving as a bookend to the film's narrative.
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