Pioneer Theatre Guild, Pioneer High School’s student theater company, is well known for producing fantastic shows. With its elaborate sets, grandiose auditorium, and all-star talent, the 2024 show of Mean Girls is no exception. The last of their five performances concluded on May 5 to a cheering audience and tearful bows, but the story doesn’t end there.
Based on the 2004 movie “Mean Girls,” directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey, Mean Girls premiered as a Broadway musical on April 8, 2018. It was written by Tina Fey, composed by Jeff Richmond, with lyrics by Nell Benjamin and directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. It was recently adapted into a movie musical that was released on January 12, 2024.
PTG’s Broadway version of Mean Girls was directed by Oluchi Nwaokorie and ran from May 2 to May 5 at Pioneer High School’s Schreiber Auditorium. The show starred Lily Wright (PHS) as Cady Heron and Marisa Andoni-Savas (CHS) as Regina George and included a cast of 43 and a crew of 67. The show required a lot of behind-the-scenes work and preparation to perform well, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Marisa Andoni-Savas, a senior at CHS and the actress playing Regina George, reflected on her experience and found that she learned a lot from and loved her experience with Mean Girls. She felt very appreciative of the opportunities PTG provided and the guidance and support she received.
“I learned a lot about what being an artist means and how to create impact through the shows we perform in,” Andoni-Savas said. “Mean Girls was a whirlwind of excitement.”
Iris Durrie found the outcome of the show to be extremely satisfying as a member of the costume crew. She had fun building relationships with cast members by helping transform them into completely different people with stage makeup, and she felt like it was really just like a big family.
“You have to learn how to act and be professional because it’s our main priority to be effective, efficient and help everything go smoothly,” Durrie said. “I think being in the crew tests my responsibility and interactive skills, but I love it so much.”
Rosie Matish, a freshman at CHS who was part of the Mean Girls ensemble, is thankful she auditioned. At first, she felt intimidated by everyone else’s experience, and it took her a while to get the hang of the fast pace. But Matish learned a lot from PTG and ended up adoring the show and the people in it.
“Throughout the process, everyone was so helpful and friendly,” Matish said. “It made everything feel less stressful.”
From a perspective in the spotlight, Eleanor Farrell found the atmosphere on stage to be highly unique and special because of the nature of Mean Girls. As opposed to 30-year-olds portraying teenagers on Broadway, PTG allowed high schoolers to tell their story themselves.
“I think it’s really special because we’re high schoolers telling the ‘high school story,’” Farrell said. “We can tell about experiences that are similar to what’s actually happened to us recently and portray those emotions.”
PTG’s Mean Girls was an impeccable production filled with a passionate and talented cast and crew, and those involved found the experience unforgettable.
“It’s all about figuring out who the characters are to you,” Andoni-Savas said. “I found a second home within PTG, and I am forever grateful to them.”
