Mean Persians

If your questions aren't answered below, please email us at info@meanpersians.com.

Q:  How many characters are in Mean Persians?

Mean Persians features 5 lead roles, 4 supporting roles, and a large ensemble of 8 or more.  One of the 4 supporting roles is non-singing, making it ideal for a cameo by clergy or staff.

Q:  How mean is this story?  Is Mean Persians offensive to Persians?

Only to Haman!  The story is never mean-spirited.  It’s got snarky humor, some delightfully didactic teaching moments, and a bit of new midrash in which Esther and Mordechai are helped by the Persian friends they've made, including Vashti.

Q:  How long is the show?

We give you two versions of the script – you decide!

• The complete version has a running time of roughly an hour (50 to 60 minutes), in two acts without intermission.  Most songs from Mean Girls are included.  With minimal costumes and dollar-store props, your congregation can easily perform this show on the bimah, or stage it theatrically in a social hall or auditorium.

• The express version runs roughly 30-40 minutes, and can optionally be performed without costumes or props.

Use either script as is, or customize your own version to suit your congregation and your performers. 

Q:  Can Mean Persians be performed by children under 13?

Roles in the ensemble are suitable for all ages.  Lead and supporting roles should be performed by grownups or teenagers, and are not recommended for children under 13.  This is because the dialogue and lyrics are written above a young child's reading level.

Q:  Is Mean Persians family-friendly?

Yes!  It is based on the Book of Esther, with reverence and attention to detail.  There's no suggestive material – although in the spirit of Purim, there is a scene that includes excessive drinking by the king.  If you find any material that you feel may not be right for your congregation, please tell us, and feel free to make any revisions you like to the script.

Q:  Are backing tracks available?

Yes!  Piano accompaniments or full karaoke-style instrumentals are also provided to you as part of the package.

Q:  For those of us who don't know the songs from Mean Girls, how can we learn them?

To become acquainted with Mean Girls, we highly recommend the original Broadway cast recording, which is available in all the usual places, including free streaming on Spotify and YouTube.  (To see some of the videos, scroll down to the bottom of this page.)  For the official published sheet music from the Broadway show, a book of vocal selections is available on Amazon and elsewhere.

Q:  How does Mean Persians tie together the traditional Purim story and Mean Girls?

Mean Girls:  A teenage girl raised overseas has moved with her family to America.  In the foreign environment of her new high school, she faces the ultimate mean girl – a vicious queen bee who dominates the school!  With the help of some unusual new friends, she turns her world upside down, finding the confidence and power to bring down Regina and her clique.

Mean Persians:  A teenage girl raised in Judea has moved with her uncle to Shushan.  In the foreign environment of her new home at the palace, she faces the ultimate mean Persian – the king’s vicious advisor, who dominates the kingdom!  With the help of Mordechai and some unlikely Persian friends, she turns her world upside down, finding the confidence and power to bring down Haman and his army.

Q:  Are there roles to accommodate a variety of ages and genders?

The ideal cast will include a mix of teenagers and adults.  For teenaged cast members, the lead roles of Esther and Ahasuerus would be particularly suitable, as would the supporting roles of Harbona and Tzeresh.

The roles of Bigtan, Tzeresh, and Harbona were specifically written with gender-neutral casting in mind.  These characters can be played as male or female, with little or no change to the script.

Q:  Can we see what the script is like, before we commit to it?

Yes, you can sample several complete scenes and song lyrics here:

• • Mean Persians sample pages #1

  • Mean Persians sample pages #2

  • Mean Persians sample pages #3

Q:  Is sheet music available for Mean Persians?

We provide sheet music in the form of a piano/vocal songbook, created solely for use in Mean Persians.  We've matched our parody lyrics to the original vocals, and in most cases, you'll find that the Mean Persians lyrics match up perfectly, syllable for syllable.

For published sheet music from the Broadway show Mean Girls, we highly recommend the book of vocal selections from Mean Girls (vocal line with piano accompaniment) available from Amazon and other sellers.

Q:  What does my congregation receive if we order Mean Persians?

You will receive the following downloadable items:

• • The complete script of Mean Persians:  The Purim Musical, in both Word and PDF formats

  • The "express" edition of Mean Persians, a carefully abridged script for congregations that need a shorter running time

  • Downloadable karaoke-type backing tracks for each of the songs

  • Our piano/vocal sheet music for Mean Persians

  • A graphic file of the Mean Persians pink carpet logo, in JPG and PNG formats, for your use in promotional material

  • The Mean Persians Production Guide, in both Word and PDF formats – a brief guidebook containing character and set descriptions, a list of props for each scene, ideas for doing sets and costumes on a dollar-store budget, and suggestions for how you can stage the show on a typical bimah!

And remember, you also receive access to our experienced Mean Persians production support team!

• Got questions?  Need some help?  No matter what point you've reached in the production of your Purim spiel, you (or the director) can email questions to the author of Mean Persians – or we can schedule a call or a Zoom meeting.  

• Do you have some tips to share?  Any feedback for improvement?  We're glad to brainstorm with you, and to share whatever we've learned in the process of working with other congregations that have chosen Mean Persians.

Q:  How do we contact you?

You can email info@meanpersians.com.  Before or after you order, I'll gladly answer questions and will remain available to you throughout your production.