The blockbuster Broadway musical Mean Girls makes its Montreal debut at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier from April 22 to 27.
Featuring a book by Tina Fey based on her screenplay for the film, Mean Girls follows Cady Heron, who grew up on an African savanna and moves to suburban Illinois, where she takes on The Plastics, a trio of frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George.
The cast includes José Raúl who plays Aaron Samuels, one of the hottest and most popular guys in North Shore High School.
Raúl’s credits include American Horror Story, the CATS North American tour, and he recently earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Temple University in Philadephia.
Raúl recently sat down with Curtains Up for a candid Q&A.
Did you always want to be in musical theatre?
José Raúl: I grew up wanting to be a singer, then when I was in a choir at school I was cast in a production of the musical 13 at the age of 13! The following year I was cast in a production of CATS. Once I started dancing, I realized I wanted to sing, dance and act all the time, and musical theatre was the natural combination of that.
You were in the North American tour of CATS and now Mean Girls. National tours can be tough on the road. How do you manage it?
Everybody manages it differently. I got some good advice from an ex before I went on tour: “The nomadic lifestyle will teach you a lot about yourself because you’ll leave parts of yourself behind as you travel, and what follows you, you start to realize that’s what you are.” That advice put me in the right mindset, to listen to myself and see what the core of me is.
What is the camaraderie like amongst the cast and crew on the road?
You naturally end up spending time with those whom you gravitate to. I’m also grateful I feel safe and supported by all of my co-workers.
What was it like to be on American Horror Story in 2022?
I recorded my submission in my hotel room while I was touring CATS! To even say that I am in the American Horror Story universe is quite a thrill!
Has being gender-nonconforming and non-binary affected your career in any way?
I like that question. It’s easier for me to function within the confines of what a man is: I’m six feet tall, I’m slim and athletic, I like the color black, I like structured clothing. My preferences enable me to perform gender in conventional, socially-acceptable ways. I have also found a really lovely community of gender non-conforming people and people who are open, particularly in Philadelphia where I went to Temple University. With that comes this trait of openness in general. All that to say, it hasn’t really caused me any issues, and in some ways it has provided opportunities because there are companies and organizations that are seeking to work with people who are gender non-conforming and identify as non-binary.
What is it like for you to portray Aaron Samuels?
I grew up watching the movie Means Girls and at that age I never thought that I would be in the same sphere as Aaron Samuels. Partly because he’s a white guy and he’s so pretty. I never quite saw myself that way. When I was offered the role of Aaron, it actually took me a while to find the confidence to play it. Now I feel totally comfortable playing masculine roles of men who aren’t queer. And I look forward to doing more of that in my future.
What are your favourite numbers in Mean Girls?
Someone Gets Hurt with Regina George because it taps into the charged energy of being a high schooler, and More Is Better because Aaron is a young man who is willing to say, “I want to see who you are.”
Why is Mean Girls a must-see?
Because it is still relevant and a bedrock of American culture for many young people.
Mean Girls headlines Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts from April 22 to 27. Click here for tickets.
Performance schedule:
Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. (Opening night)
Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 27 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Production photos courtesy evenko and Broadway Across Canada.
