Mean Girls Brings 'Fetch' Production To Charm City

By Frankie Kujawa
The ferociously funny Mean Girls brings all things fetch to Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre.  Running through Sunday, July 17th, the musical is the iconic story of Cady Heron, who may have grown up on an African savanna but was completely unprepared for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George, Cady learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.  We sat down to chat with cast member Samuel Gerber regarding the upcoming performance. 

Frankie Kujawa: Could you provide a little bit of your background for our readers?
Samuel Gerber: I grew up in Modesto, CA as primarily a competition dancer. I began doing musicals in middle school and immediately fell in love with them. I then moved to NYC after graduating high school in 2017 and headed on tour with Mean Girls in fall of 2019! Outside of theatre, and during the pandemic, I pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in English with an unofficial focus in sexuality and its presence in literature — which I hope to continue in the future!

Frankie Kujawa: What can audiences expect from this performance of Mean Girls: The Musical?
Samuel Gerber: Mean Girls the Musical is a high energy musical comedy full of laughter, dancing, and many of the iconic movie moments that everyone loves. This adaptation of the film stays true to the original movie with the addition of social media and modern-day elements that affect high schoolers and their relationships today.
 
Frankie Kujawa: Could you describe your role in Mean Girls?
Samuel Gerber: I am an Ensemble Swing which means I cover all of the men in the ensemble. I am not in the show every night but jump around performing the roles for whoever is sick, injured, or out of the building for that performance. I officially cover six ensemble roles but have also performed for some female ensemble members! In addition to swinging, I am an understudy for the iconic Damian who is “too gay to function” in all of the best ways (every way).
 
Frankie Kujawa: What kind of work goes into preparing for a performance such as this?
Samuel Gerber: Tour is hard work! We do eight performances a week and usually only have one day off, which is our travel day on Monday! We learn the show in only about 2-3 weeks! It is quite a quick turnaround, but that pressure forces us to become a tight knit family! 
 
Frankie Kujawa: What do you hope audiences "take away" from this performance?
Samuel Gerber: I hope audiences remember to lead with kindness and empathy. One never knows what someone else is going through. Kindness can change the world. 
 
Frankie Kujawa: In your opinion, why do you think Mean Girls is still such a '"fan favorite" after all this time?
Samuel Gerber: I think Mean Girls remains a fan favorite because it is truly a multi-generational thematic story. Our musical is a story the prioritizes the relationships between young women, but what I think many don’t expect to see is the way those relationships effect familial relationships as well, and vice versa — keeping this cult-classic movie still relevant today.

For more information, please visit: www.ticketmaster.com/mean-girls-touring-tickets/artist/2599052?venueId=172363