The LHS theater club is preparing for the spring musical Mean Girls, which will run March 22-24 at the high school’s auditorium. The production will feature music, dancing, comedy, and a near death run-in with a bus.
Ryan Metzger, the director of the LHS theater team selected the show for its message that he thinks will resonate with the audience.
“Mean Girls is a show about how to find your own voice in a world of popularity contests and egos. What will you do to fit in, and more importantly, what will you do to stand out? As a parent, I find it hard to have some of these difficult conversations with my kids about standing up for yourself and embracing your individuality. This show is really a great opportunity for both parents and kids to see and have a common ground to have those talks,” said Metzger.
LHS senior Mara Kuroiwa will be playing Regina George, the production’s antagonist and leader of the clique “The Plastics.” She said she believes the musical will hit close to home with students.
“It’s important to students because we can see all the themes of the show happening in our lives. Like finding yourself, trying to fit in, bullying– which I know, it’s generic, but especially now, these messages have the power to change our perspective,” said Kuroiwa.
“It tells a story about how high school actually is and shows people that you don’t have to fit into stereotypes,” said LHS freshman Calea Hayes. She will play Gretchen in the production.
“Most people can find themselves in this show. Seeing things change for the better gives us not only moments of comedy, but of hope for things to get better in the world,” Tonya Kraner said. She is the theater club’s dance choreographer.
Mean Girls brings many challenges, according to some theater members and the production staff.
“I’m not a strong dancer, so I feel like whenever we’re going through a new dance, it’s tougher to learn for me. And making time for other things at school alongside this show is hard. I’ve got other responsibilities too, like homework and chores. It’s really important to make sure I’m not just prioritizing the musical,” Kuroiwa said.
“There’s a lot going on. Memorizing everything, preparing for the dances, keeping in sync with everything else, and making it flow,” said Hayes.
“Keeping everyone focused often because something from the show is funny or because the cast has bonded well and has a blast together. They just need to focus that excitement and energy into creating a fantastic show,” remarked Kraner.
This is Metzger’s second stage production at LHS, and he explained he had to adapt to certain changes. Unlike his last show Peter and the Starcatcher, he said most scenes would run on projections and musical cues.
“In a musical, so much depends on the songs, and the scenes between are very short. It’s like stitching the songs together. We’ve got a really talented cast, so we’re going to have a great show! We’re using the Broadway projections, so we don’t have much of a set, but things that slide and roll in and out to represent the scenes while the major work is done with the projector in the back,” said Metzger.
“I’m looking forward to using our projector more. We got it last year for the Anastasia play, and it was a strange transition. I wanna see what more we can do with it,” said Garen Feisel, a senior at the LHS.
The theater team said they are excited about the show, and will be bringing to the stage their own unique talents and abilities.
“We bring them together and we’ll make huge things happen. The show has a lot of components that make it special. We’re not just putting on an ordinary Mean Girls show, we’re putting on a Lancaster High School edition,” said Hayes.
“For the most part, I’m ready. I love seeing this show come together and meet new people that I can help,” said Calysta Stine, who will play Karen.
“I am excited to do something new and different that LHS Theater has never done before. To take a risk and see where it leads the program,” said Kraner.
“We’re well on our way. We won’t be ready until we have people in the seats. That’s the magic of live theater. Once we have an audience, that will be an additional voice. Hopefully, we’ll be able to pack the house and have our Gales cheering us on,” Metzger added.
Actors said they’re thrilled to perform some tracks from the show.
“I love all of the songs, but my favorites are, Someone Gets Hurt, Sexy, and I’d Rather Be Me. It’s the turning point of the musical where the characters realize they don’t have to be in the stereotype that they’re stuck in,” said Hayes.
“The scenes around World Burn are a lot of fun. Tons of chaos and it’s creepy.
My favorite song in the show is Sexy, it’s the most exciting and shows all the fun Halloween costumes,” Kuroiwa commented.
The original broadway track has been posted on Youtube and can be listened to here: Mean Girls (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Playlist.
Feisel will be playing the principal, originally played by Tim Meadows in the movie. He and Metzger also mentioned their favorites.
“Where Do You Belong is my favorite: it has a lot of fun dancing and it’s an upbeat song,” remarked Feisel.
“I’m excited to see how the audience reacts to a few songs–I’d Rather Be Me for one–but there are so many moments in the show worth mentioning. They write some amazing music and there’s really no ‘ dud’ of a song. If you leave without humming something, I think you weren’t paying attention,” said Metzger.
Additional information for the show can be found on https://www.lancaster.k12.oh.us/ and on the Instagram account @lancasterhsdrama, closer to March. Ticket prices are expected to go on sale a week prior to opening night, though the prices and time of show are yet to be determined.
