From the vibrant pink lights to the powerhouse vocals, this year’s production of Mean Girls transformed the McAneny theater into a high-energy, vibrant spectacle that captivated audiences from beginning to end. Based on the cult-classic film, the musical blended sharp humor with meaningful themes of identity and friendship while showcasing the incredible talent of the cast and crew.
When selecting the musical for this year’s show, Theater and Arts director Stan Cahill wanted a contrast from the “dark and moody”, lesser-known production of Alice By Heart the previous year. “We decided to go with something bigger and more recognizable, something more mainstream,” he explained. In determining this year’s show, he said that he and his team wanted a show that would technically challenge the cast members and entertain the audience, showcasing the abundance of talent “in the building”.
Mr. Cahill expressed how he wanted to diverge from a traditional theatrical production and add his distinct artistic touch when adapting this production. “Really the vision from the beginning was to have some sort of video wall…you know that could kind of help the audience be immersed in it,” he shared, adding how he was intent on adding projections to the show. He wanted to embrace the feeling of a rock concert and make it an immersive and authentic performance by showing the band and letting the audience see all of the working parts.
However, a challenge the cast and crew faced was the extended stretch of snow days—leading to important rehearsals being canceled. “We couldn’t work on the actors working with the crew moving stuff in space… so that’s what we use basically two days for…and we lost both of those important days,” Mr. Cahill noted. He emphasized how positive the cast and crew were and how the energy backstage were crucial to the success of the show.
Junior Anne Heavers who portrayed the iconic role of Regina George, described her experience as demanding but rewarding. “My favorite part of portraying Regina was acting alongside the most talented cast. They brought so much joy and talent that I was able to build off of their energy and give my all to the role,” she explained. With all the shows sold out, she loved feeding off the infectious energy of the audience, loving how they felt the same joy for the show as she did. However, with Regina’s numerous show-stopping songs such as “World Burn,” the role proved to be demanding, motivating Heavers to practice diligently with the assistance of her voice director and music director, Mr. Mariano.
Despite facing numerous challenges, the cast and crew of Mean Girls pulled through to deliver a spectacular performance. Congratulations to all those who took part!
