By MITCHELL PEARL
Otter Valley’s Walking Stick Theatre dazzled appreciative audiences this past weekend with four high-energy performances of the musical “Mean Girls.” With a cast of nearly forty students, a crew just as large, and a full orchestra, the performance highlighted Walking Stick’s ability to bring out the best in all the participants.
“Mean Girls” is a rock musical play with a book by actress and comedian Tina Fey, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and music by Jeff Richmond. It is based on a 2004 film of the same name—which was not a musical—also written by Tina Fey. The musical played on Broadway from 2018 to early 2020, and then was adapted into a new film musical when Broadway closed due to COVID. The Mean Girls musical film became a pop culture phenomenon, which means that many people in the community have seen the movie, or the musical play. The Otter Valley performers knew that the story, the characters—and even some of the gag lines—were well known. They were thrilled to bring these iconic characters to life, and it showed.
The musical focuses on Cady Heron, played by Elyse Singh, a teenage girl who grew up in Africa where she was homeschooled by her biologist parents. When they move to the Chicago area, she enrolls in a public high school and tries to fit in. Two “outsiders” at the high school—Janis Sarkasian (played by Jordan Bertrand) and Damian Hubbard (played by Calvin Ladd)–befriend her and try to guide her. They persuade her to infiltrate the “Plastics,” a clique consisting of the insecure Gretchen Wieners (Miley Lape), sweet but simple Karen Smith (Kaylee Maloy), and “queen bee” Regina George (Sophie Moore). Of course, things do not go well. Cady becomes more like Regina, Regina nearly dies when she gets hit by a bus, and everyone at the high school is at odds with each other.
The play’s lead parts are written as complex characters, whom we get to know and understand as the show progresses. Every one of the lead actors shone in their parts and brought these well-known, complex characters to life with skill, sparkle, and energy. The supporting roles were also outstanding. Particularly notable were Ian Miller, who plays Cady’s love interest Aaron Samuel—perhaps the only character in the play who is just simply nice the whole time; Chloe Mol, who shapeshifts to play the teacher Ms. Norbury and also both Cady’s and Regina’s mothers; and Emil Dardozzi, who as “Kevin G.” convinces Cady to join the math team.
The story is meant to starkly portray the reality of high school, to ask difficult questions, and to carry a message. The high school student characters act inappropriately older than their age, making them look immature. The voices of strong women, and those who are just a bit different, are silenced by name-calling. Halloween costumes are over-sexualized, and the students use all sorts of derogatory words—in person—and on social media, to hurt each other. Perhaps most importantly, the students feel they have to put on an act—to be different from who they really are—to fit in. This is captured well when Cady (Elyse Singh) and Aaron (Ian Miner) sing “More is Better.” Trying to fit in, Cady has become less of herself, while Aaron wishes she would be “more” herself.
Mean Girls continues Otter Valley Walking Stick Theatre’s long history of high-energy, stellar musical performances. Of course, the student actors, singers, and dancers are front and center; their talent, energy, and attitude carry it over the top. But they do not do it alone; it is a real community effort. Theatre Director Jeffrey Hull has assembled a community of interested students, crew, musicians, choreographers, costumers, tech people, and more—some students, some faculty, some recent graduates, some adult members of the community—all of whom must work together to pull off what just weeks before the show opens must seem completely improbable.
The irony is that everything “Mean Girls” depicts about high school—the bullying, ostracization, oversexualization, the feeling that one needs to change to fit in—is true; but that is not the whole story. Performances like this prove that high schools can also bring out the best in people—the students, faculty, and community members alike.
