That’s so fetch! Meet the Mirvish It girls lighting up the stage in Tina Fey’s ‘Mean Girls’

Wait, that’s so what?

If you’ve seen Tina Fey’s 2004 masterpiece “Mean Girls,” you know “fetch” is, like, slang, from England, in the words of the frequently clueless (but usually lovable) Gretchen Wieners. The film’s one-liners are endless, its sight gags unparalleled — the oft-quoted high school comedy is a veritable cult classic with a devout following of millennials and Gen Z-ers who relate to the film and its charming coming-of-age narrative.

And like so many other beloved films — “Heathers,” “Ghost,” “Carrie,” even “Shrek” — it’s also a musical, penned by Fey and with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. It’s updated to take place in 2019 rather than the early 2000s, but it’s a mostly faithful adaptation of the movie.

A quick crash course for the uninformed: “Mean Girls” follows new kid Cady (a star turn for Lindsay Lohan in 2004) as she adjusts to high school in the United States after growing up in Africa. Cady soon wanders into the realm of the popular girls, where wearing pink on Wednesdays is mandatory and where personal vendettas are documented in an enormous archive called the Burn Book. Hijinks ensue, crushes develop and friendships crumble under the weight of high school hierarchy. It’s all very intense.

Part of what makes this stage tour of “Mean Girls” opening in Toronto this month notable is its leading cast: the eponymous queen bees, or the “plastics” as they’re called in the film and musical, are played by women of colour.

In the film, ringleader Regina George was played by Rachel McAdams, Gretchen Wieners by Lacey Chabert and Karen Smith by Amanda Seyfried; onstage, they’re played by Nadina Hassan, Jasmine Rogers and Morgan Bryant, respectively. While the 2004 performances are iconic, this “Mean Girls” cast has made the roles their own while still honouring the film’s legacy.

“I’d seen the movie before booking this role, of course,” said Hassan in an interview. “But in actually playing the role, I’m observing Regina … she’s not just a mean girl. She’s manipulative and calculated and intelligent. So there’s a kind of trap that comes with it.

“What’s so big about stepping into the role is differentiating her and making her my own while still carrying the torch. It’s an honour to get to do that.”

Rogers knew she’d won the role of Gretchen when she left her final audition: “I left and I was like, ‘I totally booked that!’” she said with a laugh.

“My take on Gretchen is a little goofier and I go for the absolute honesty,” she said. “I’m not shying away from the fact that she’s a baby — she’s what, 16, 17? — and she has this cool and put-together exterior, but she’s still a kid underneath all of that. I bring myself and my youth and my excitement to the stage every night.”

Bryant is tasked with the role of Karen Smith — in the movie, the character is the epitome of “dumb blond.” (“It’s like I have ESPN or something,” she says in the film, when she means “ESP.”) Bryant’s time in the role has revealed new layers to Karen.

“She doesn’t really know she’s dumb,” said Bryant in an interview.

“So my approach is to be earnest and honest and open and kind. When she says something that’s not quite right I’m just playing it with honesty.”

Karen leads one of the most bizarre and spectacular musical numbers in “Mean Girls,” an upbeat techno-bop entitled “Sexy.” “Sexy” is the lead-in to the story’s notorious Halloween scene and features a litany of potential Halloween costumes, ranging from “sexy corn” to “sexy Rosa Parks.”

The cast couldn’t be more excited to bring “Mean Girls” to Toronto. Nearly 20 years after the film’s release, the story is just as popular as ever and the cast thinks that’s because of its extraordinary staying power.

“It’s hilarious,” said Rogers. “I mean, it’s Tina Fey. ‘Mean Girls’ sticks around because no matter where we are, no matter what’s happening, these themes stay with us.

“There will always be bullying. There will always be wanting to fit in and be accepted … the show is about feminism and finding who you truly are, not changing who you are just so people like you,” she said.

“This is an age-old tale. And it’ll always be around because it will always matter.”

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