On 3 October, celebrated as ‘Mean Girls Day’, producers Lorne Michaels, Crossroads Live and Sonia Friedman Productions revealed the initial casting and full tour schedule for the 2026–2027 UK and Ireland tour of Mean Girls The Musical. The award-winning show will open at Manchester Opera House on 23 February 2026 and travel to venues across the region until the end of January 2027.
Emily Lane will lead the cast as Cady Heron, joined by Vivian Panka as Regina George, Sophie Pourret as Karen Smith, Georgie Buckland as Janis Sarkisian, Max Gill as Damian Hubbard, Karim Zeroual as Kevin Ganatra and Joshua Elmore as Mr Duvall. Further casting will be announced in due course.
The tour will visit a wide range of cities including Stoke, Eastbourne, Woking, Leicester, Aberdeen, Canterbury, Norwich, Nottingham, Sheffield, Wimbledon, Birmingham, Oxford and Southampton. Full details and ticket information are available at meangirlsmusical.com.
Emily Lane’s previous credits include Frozen, Hello Dolly! and Evita in Concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, as well as Starter For Ten at Bristol Old Vic and Anne Boleyn, The Musical at Hever Castle. Vivian Panka was recently seen in Dear Evan Hansen and has appeared in Heathers the Musical and 9 to 5 The Musical. Sophie Pourret’s credits include The Great Gatsby, Guys and Dolls, La Cage Aux Folles and 42nd Street in Paris.
Georgie Buckland currently stars in The Devil Wears Prada and has toured with Shrek The Musical and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Max Gill has performed in Charley’s Aunt, Fangirls, The Boy in the Dress and Bugsy Malone, with film credits including Dumbo. Karim Zeroual is known for his work on CBBC and Strictly Come Dancing, with stage credits in The Lion King and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Joshua Elmore brings a wealth of opera experience from Opera Holland Park, English National Opera and beyond.
Based on the iconic Paramount Pictures film, Mean Girls The Musical follows home-schooled Cady Heron as she navigates the savage social jungle of high school. When she takes on the queen bee Regina George, she learns that popularity comes at a price. Expect sharp humour, unforgettable characters and high-energy musical numbers.
The show features a book by Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw. The creative team includes scenic designer Scott Pask, costume designer Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer Kenneth Posner, sound designer Brian Ronan and hair designer Josh Marquette.
