Mean Girls – The Musical, directed by Dana Solimando, opened up last week at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. The Plastics, The Outcasts, and those memorable high school years are on full display, not to mention the salacious rivalry between the naive Cady Heron and the narcissist Regina George.
Dana Solimando is a performer, choreographer, and director. As a performer, she has been featured in Broadway shows such as Cats, Swing! and Peter Pan among others. And now, as a director, she is bringing the spirit of Mean Girls back to life at La Mirada Theatre. We talked to Dana about the show and its important message to the younger generations. Below is our interview with this multifaceted artist.
When Mean Girls came out in 2004, I had just had my son, so I was deep in new mom mode…I remember just thinking it was hilarious. My stepdaughter, who was about 8, was completely obsessed with it. Watching it now, with my kids in their 20’s and after having lived through their high school years, it feels very different. I still love the humor, but now I really see the layers- the complexity of those relationships and the very real pressures behind it all.
How was your own personal experience in high school?
Between sixth and ninth grade, I hadn’t quite grown into myself yet… I was very awkward and gangly. My High School experience was the mid 80’s and could have been right out of a John Hughes movie. It was New York state packed with girls with huge hair and Italian’s driving Iroc Z-28’s. I also had my very own Mean Girls experience…my best friend that I grew up with developed much faster than me… in the 8th grade, she looked like she was in her mid 20’s. She was getting hit on by older boys and grown men, while I looked like a Gelfling from the movie The Dark Crystal. Dealing with her own challenges of fitting in, she gravitated toward new found friends and popularity. I remember very distinctly her ignoring me in the hallways at school. She had been my best friend since kindergarten and I just couldn’t understand it. It felt so traumatic at the time. Everything feels so heightened, when you are in high school. I remember crying a lot that summer. The relationship eventually healed, and we are still close friends to this day, but that summer definitely left an impression. I ultimately found my place in high school as a more art focused student, and over time gained a level of social visibility. Experiencing such contrasting dynamics gave me a unique perspective on different groups and how they interact.
It’s an honor…Tina Fey is legendary. She and I are the same age, so her references hit home. Watching Mean Girls and her work over the years, it always felt really relatable- like we were exposed to the same Gen X source material.
It captures the pressures of social identity during adolescence, which has only intensified with social media. I love how the new version dives deeper into the negative effects social media has on our children.
As a parent, I saw firsthand how that constant access and comparison affected my kids’ mental health. High school is already emotionally complex, and now those dynamics are amplified and follow students everywhere. The message of Mean Girls is that we are all human, we all have insecurities, get hurt, and sometimes end up hurting others. No one is perfect. I love that the show encourages and celebrates uniqueness, but also has a message of forgiveness at the end.
Yes and no. With tight timelines, it can be really effective to divide and conquer between a director and choreographer, and I’ve really valued those collaborations. At the same time, I’ve found that when I’m guiding both elements, it allows for a particularly cohesive creative process. I can connect the storytelling and movement from the beginning, which helps everything feel unified when working with the cast. That said, I also really value collaboration within that structure…I worked closely with my associate director/choreographer Rodrigo Varandas on this project, who helped me develop and refine ideas in the room, so it still feels like a shared creative process while maintaining a clear, cohesive vision.
Hands down the most rewarding part of the job is when you start to see the actors connect to their characters and really fly- when they begin to take ownership of their roles and the work starts to take on a life of its own. There’s a point in the process where you realize it’s no longer yours. It doesn’t belong to you in that same way anymore…which is a great thing. You have to allow the production to evolve beyond your direct influence. And that moment, when everything starts coming together and the piece breathes on its own, is incredibly exciting and deeply rewarding.
Funny story…many years ago, right after performing in Swing! on Broadway and on tour, I was hired to perform in a regional premiere and assist the choreographer. A few days before rehearsals started, there was an issue with the creative team and I was asked to take over the project. Then, just a few months later, it happened again on the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. I was brought on as the assistant choreographer, and the night before rehearsals began, I was told the choreographer had to leave due to a family emergency. The producer asked if I could step in. I said yes…then immediately realized just how big the job really was!
Those two experiences launched my career earlier than I ever expected. Over time, the shift into directing really grew out of how I approach choreography. I’ve always rooted movement in storytelling-I can’t create steps until I know what I’m trying to say. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t just thinking about choreography anymore I was thinking about the entire piece…the characters, the arc, the world of the show. That’s when it clicked that I was drawn to directing
Yes-absolutely. Ideally, I love working with triple threats. When actors have an awareness of how to use their body, voice, and storytelling instincts all together, it brings a real efficiency to the work, especially in musical theatre. That said, not every role requires the same skill set, and sometimes casting an actor who is strongest in performance and character work is exactly the right choice for the piece. For me, it’s always about assembling the right combination of artists to serve the story best.
Any message you would like to share with the audience that will be attending the performance of Mean Girls?
Yes! Come for the laughs, but don’t be surprised if you also see a little bit of yourself up there. The show is fun and wildly entertaining… and then it reminds you that we’re all a little messy, vulnerable, and completely human.
