Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Shelton High stages musical 'Mean Girls'
Playing The Plastics are, from left, Shelton High School students Madilyne Nelson, Madeleine Smith and Madeline Allred in the Shelton High School Drama Club's production of "Mean Girls: The Musical, High School Version" playing the next two weekends in the school's Performing Arts Center.
From left, Trinity Schutt is Cady, Oakley Pound is Janis and Jack Parker is Damien.
In the 2004 movie "Mean Girls," formerly homeschooled Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan) is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school - until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of the alpha Plastic, Regina George.
The movie, written by former "Saturday Night Live" head writer and "30 Rock" creator Tina Fey, was transformed into a musical that debuted on Broadway in 2018.
The Shelton High School Drama Club brings the story to life in "Mean Girls: The Musical, High School Version" at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and at the same times May 3 and 4. Tickets are $10 at the door, or $8 online at Our.Show/SHSMeanGirls. Donations to the drama club can also be made at that site.
Aimee DeVaughn, a science teacher at the high school, directs the show and choreographs the musical numbers, which include "A Cautionary Tale," "Fearless," "Meet the Plastics" and "Someone Gets Hurt." She choreographed the school's most recent two musicals, "The Addams family" and "Freaky Friday."
DeVaughn was a student at Central Kitsap High School in Silverdale when the movie was released. She said the high school version of the musical contains most of the songs from the Broadway musical, but some of the language has been altered. She said the show is suitable for patrons 13 and older.
"I think it will be pretty relatable ... I definitely think it will spark some conversations," she said.
Ninth-grade student Trinity Schutt is making her high school stage debut as Cady. Playing the Plastics are senior Madeleine Smith as Regina, senior Madilyne Nelson as Gretchen and Madeline Allred is Karen. Senior Oakley Poland is Janis, junior Jack Parker is Damien and sophomore Elliott Mobley is Aaron.
The cast also includes Louis Mobley, Becca Byykkonen, EmmaRae Siemssen, Mark Sanchez, Marin Gardner, Tristan Joseph Olson, Annora Smith, Courtney Brown-Lawler, Kaylynn Fischer, Liam Lawin, Chance Whittington and Julie Lane. Joey Seward is the band director and technical director and Jessica Dean is the vocal director and accompanist.
On the show's website, the school states that the show "contains themes and content that may not be suitable for all ages. The students and staff involved in this production have engaged in extensive discussions about the complexities of these topics and their relevance to the lives of teenagers and families worldwide. These themes include social status and peer pressure; stereotyping, rumors and gossip; teen relationships and identity; body image and appearance; bullying, cyberbullying and harassment; and underage drinking and substance abuse."
The school continues, "Our goal is to address these issues in a manner that promotes awareness of their prevalence and negative impacts on teens and their communities. While the show approaches these concerns with humor, our intention is to spark a meaningful reflection and dialogue about their underlying causes and potential solutions. Thank you for joining us in this important conversation."
IF YOU GO:
WHO: Shelton High School Drama Club
WHAT: The musical "Mean Girls: The Musical, High School Version"
WHEN: Friday through May 4
WHERE: Shelton High School Performing Arts Center
ADMISSION: $8.00 - $10.00
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