Mean Girls, the record-breaking new musical comedy produced by Lorne Michaels, Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman, and Paramount Pictures based on the hit film, comes to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday, March 3 through Sunday, March 15.
Mean Girls features a book by nine-time Emmy Award winner Tina Fey, based on her screenplay for the film, music by three-time Emmy Award winner Jeff Richmond; and lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin. Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs.
The tour cast features Danielle Wade as Cady Heron, Mariah Rose Faith as Regina George, Megan Masako Haley as Gretchen Wieners, Jonalyn Saxer as Karen Smith, Mary Kate Morrissey as Janis Sarkisian, Eric Huffman as Damian Hubbard, Gaelen Gilliland as Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George, Adante Carter as Aaron Samuels, Kabir Bery as Kevin Gnapoor and Lawrence E. Street as Mr. Duvall.
New York Magazine calls Mean Girls “HILARIOUS! A smart, splashy new musical that delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” Chicago Tribune said “Tina Fey writes FUNNIER, SMARTER, SHARPER satire than anyone else in the business.” People Magazine calls the show “FRESH, FUN AND INFECTIOUS – Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin’s songs keep the laughs coming!” The New York Daily News said Mean Girls “TICKLES THE EARS, EYES AND FUNNY BONE – the direction by Casey Nicholaw packs style, invention and red bull-force energy.” And, Entertainment Weekly calls it “A MARVEL: DAZZLING & HILARIOUS!”
Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order – by taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Eric Huffman for this exclusive HotSpots Interview:
Were you always a performer even as a child or when did it begin?
I started doing theater at 11, but as far back as I can remember I was always very attracted to the creative arts world.
What was your first professional role?
I did the role of Amahl in “Amahl in the Nights Visitor,” when I was 12 in Kansas City. I got paid $100 bucks for it and I thought I was rich.
When did you know entertaining would be your career?
I was very serious about theater all through High school, but didn’t intend it to be my career. However, when I got into my dream colleges I realized it would happen.
What was your favorite role to play?
I got to play Jekyll in Jekyll and Hyde my junior year in High School. It was way out of my league but I loved it and did my best.
What is your fantasy role?
I want to play Fosca in Passion, as a man. She is one of Sondheim’s most notorious character villains, and I know I would have a blast playing that role.
Describe yourself in three words?
Kind, patient, and passionate
What do you do for fun?
I do a lot of puzzles, cooking and figure skating.
You are part of our community, do you have a boyfriend? If not what’s the perfect guy for you?
I do not have a boyfriend and the perfect guy for me is someone intellectual with a steady 9 to 5 job that loves a good movie night.
What should our readers expect from this production from Mean Girls?
Obviously it’s based on a beloved classic cult film. However things have progressed with social Media, so Tina Fey has breathed fresh material in to the storyline. And adding in musicals numbers doesn’t hurt. Also, its 15 years later, and people are more willing to talk about issues that are addressed in the show.
It’s really cool to get to play an openly gay character across the country. Especially a character that the plot is not about his sexuality, he just happens to be gay.
For more information on Eric, you can follow him on Instagram.com/e.j.huffman
Tickets for Mean Girls, are available at the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33312, Browardcenter.org or call 954.462.0222. Ticket prices start at $40.50.
