Olivia Kaufmann to assume the role of Janis Sarkisian in Broadway's Mean Girls

Kaufmann begins performances as Janis Sarkisian on March 10, 2020.

Following yesterday's announcement that Chad Burris is set to join the Broadway company of Mean Girls and take over the role of Damian Hubbard, it has now been reported that current standby Olivia Kaufmann will step up and assume the role of Janis Sarkisian full-time on the same date, March 10, 2020. Original cast member Barrett Wilbert Weed is scheduled to play her final performance as Janis on March 8.

Ms. Kaufmann's regional credits include Saturday Night Fever, Lizzie, The Theory of Relativity, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The current principal cast of Mean Girls includes Erika Henningsen (as Cady Heron), Reneé Rapp (as Regina George), Krystina Labado (as Gretchen Wieners), Kate Rockwell (as Karen Smith), Barrett Wilbert Weed (as Janis Sarkisian), Tony Award nominee Grey Henson (as Damian Hubbard), Catherine Brunell​ (as Ms. Norbury), Cameron Dallas (as Aaron Samuels), Cheech Manohar (as Kevin Gnapoor), and Rick Younger (as Mr. Duvall).

Mean Girls began previews at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre on March 12, 2018, ahead of an official opening on April 8.

Mean Girls features a book by Tony Award nominee and 9-time Emmy Award winner Tina Fey, along with music by her husband, Tony Award nominee and 3-time Emmy Award winner Jeff Richmond (composer of "30 Rock" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt") and lyrics by 2-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw.

Synopsis: "After years of living with her zoologist parents in Africa, Cady Heron moves to Illinois and must find where she fits in the social hierarchy. A sweet, naive newbie, Cady quickly attracts the attention of The Plastics, a trio of popular frenemies led by the vicious and calculating Regina George. When Cady devises a plan to end Regina's reign, she learns that you can't cross a Queen Bee without getting stung."

The creative team also features music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by John Clancy, dance & incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly, additional music arrangements by Jeff Richmond & Glen Kelly, and music coordination by Howard Joines. Scenic design is by Scott Pask, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, and sound design by Brian Ronan, with video design by Finn Ross & Adam Young, hair design by Josh Marquette, and make-up design by Milagros Medina-Cerdeira.

Mean Girls is produced on Broadway by Lorne Michaels (who also produced the 2004 movie), Stuart Thompson and Paramount Pictures.

The film was released in April 2004 and starred Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert and Lizzy Caplan, grossing almost $130,000,000 worldwide and achieving a cult status for fans all around the world. A movie musical adaptation is also currently in the works.

Mean Girls Tickets are available now for performances through August 30, 2020.