'Clueless' review: Does the musical match the charm of the movie? As if

“In the '90s, everything is awesome. … Fashions are fly, music rocks, the whole world loves America, even the President is a Baldwin,” Beverly Hills teen idol Cher Horowitz cheerily explains at the start of “Clueless,” a peppy but disappointing stage musical adaptation of Amy Heckerling’s beloved 1995 high school rom-com.

It is surprising that “Clueless,” which is receiving its world premiere in an Off-Broadway production by The New Group at the Pershing Square Signature Center, did not head straight to Broadway following a regional run and that the production, directed by Kristin Hanggi, is so modestly scaled.

Based on Jane Austen’s “Emma,” “Clueless” follows Cher (Disney Channel star Dove Cameron) as she navigates her insulated world of friends, luxury, parties, matchmaking and cultured slang.

Although songwriter Stephen Trask (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) was hired years ago to write an original score for the musical, it now comes to us in the form of yet another jukebox musical, using approximately 20 pop-rock hits of the '90s, including “No Scrubs,” “Torn” and “Bye Bye Bye.”

Heckerling, who is credited as the musical’s sole author, awkwardly tinkers with the lyrics in a clunky attempt to make them more applicable to the storyline and characters of “Clueless.” Her book closely follows her original screenplay but relies heavily on nostalgia for easy laughs (for instance, the sound of a dial-up modem).

Hanggi’s production is aggressively silly and self-aware, and often resembles an affectionate parody of “Clueless.” Kelly Devine’s hyperactive choreography — in which ensemble members leap onstage and break into big movements while facing the audience — is ill-suited to such an intimate theater.

Beowulf Boritt’s scenic design — with digital projections against a plaid skirt-shaped backdrop — is minimal, which keeps our attention on Amy Clark’s crafty costumes, which combine high fashion with casual attire (including baggy pants and “South Park” T-shirts).

Cameron, who was terrific in NBC's "Hairspray Live!," is a vulnerable and endearing Cher. The supporting cast members are mostly fine, but lack the personality and attitude that the actors in the film (including the late Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash and Donald Faison) brought to the roles. 

There is probably not a need for “Clueless” to transfer to Broadway, where three high school musicals (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Mean Girls” and “The Prom”) are already playing and another (“Be More Chill”) will soon open.

Once the amateur licensing rights are released, the musical will surely be a popular title among high school theater groups. However, Heckerling might want to take a step back and reconsider doing “Clueless” with an original score that artfully evokes, instead of cannibalizes, the '90s.