The musical originally premiered as a jukebox musicalOff-Broadway on November 20, 2018, with an official opening on December 11, in the Pershing Square Signature Center's Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre. Performances ran through January 12, 2019.
A new version of the musical made its UK premiere in a try-out run at the Churchill Theatre, in Bromley from 12 to 24 February 2024. The new version features an original score by KT Tunstall and Glenn Slater and was directed by Sarna Lapine.[5]
West End (2025)
On 9 September 2024, it was announced that the musical will open in London's West End at the Trafalgar Theatre from February 2025, with Rachel Kavanaugh replacing Lapine as director, with Kelly Devine as choreographer.[6] Emma Flynn & Keelan McAuley, who played Cher Horowitz & Josh Lucas respectively, will both reprise their roles for the West End production. Further casting and creative teams will be announced in the coming months.[7]
Clueless, The Musical received mixed reviews.[10] Frank Rizzo of Variety called the narrative "lightweight" but praised the overall look and tone of the show. Rizzo, describing Kelly Devine's choreography, said "its teen-energy moves are a constant pleasure". Rizzo also said that "Beowulf Boritt’s design essentials are rad and Amy Clark’s costumes recall the too-cool-to-care designs of the period and its stylish plaids and pleats". Rizzo also praised the music selection for show, calling Amy Heckerling's reworking of the lyrics "crafty".[11]
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter found the show "hit-or-miss". Rooney praised that the show stuck closely to the original's plot but criticized that there was no element of surprise. Rooney wrote that "in comparison to other teen classics retooled for the stage, like Mean Girls, Heathers: The Musical or Bring It On, the show rarely steps out from the shadow of its screen source with anything new to offer."[12]
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