The MSD theater program will present the upcoming “Mean Girls” musical in March, which they have been preparing for since June 2023. The musical, inspired by the 2004 movie “Mean Girls,” explores the struggle to fit in and bullying in high school.

Douglas Drama’s production of the show follows the same plot as the titular movie “Mean Girls,” focusing on fictional high school junior Cady Heron and her experience attending public high school for the first time. The movie mainly highlights Cady’s interaction with her school’s popular trio known as “The Plastics,” exploring familiar topics for many such as popularity, vanity and bullying among high schoolers.

“I chose ‘Mean Girls’ because it is just such a fun play which I had seen originally on Broadway,” drama teacher Melody Herzfeld said. “I knew it would highlight a lot of the girls we have in our program. It has such a timely message about acceptance and feeling insecure about yourself as a young high school student and where you belong in the high school setting.”

Senior Angelina Kennedy plays Cady in the lead role. Juniors Zoe Schwartzberg, Sydney Lotz and Alanis DeSouza play “The Plastics” characters: Gretchen Weiners, Karen Smith and Regina George. Freshman Ella Valente plays Janis Ian, and senior Oliver Paul plays Damian.

Rehearsals began in September 2023. Since this time, the cast and technical group worked to perfect not just the music, but the choreography, lighting and props. Additionally, two weeks prior to the show, the drama program will hold a technical rehearsal, requiring all students involved to rehearse after school until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.

“Rehearsals have been going very well recently, we have them everyday for about three hours along with Saturday practice. It gets tiring and overwhelming sometimes, but we all know it is important in order to make an amazing performance this year,” DeSouza said. “I have been working as hard as the other members in the drama program to put on an amazing show, and we are very excited for and proud of how it is going and its turnout.”

The drama program has advertised the show throughout the school year.  “Mean Girls” characters were included in the Spanish Club’s annual Multicultural show. Additionally, MSD students have been encouraged to wear pink on Wednesdays, referencing one of the many fashion rules established by “The Plastics” in the movie.

To help the show come to life, the drama program’s booster club assisted in raising money for the musical during the school year. MSD culinary sold themed cookies on Oct. 3, also known as, “Mean Girls Day.” The drama program also sold “Mean Girls” merchandise, hosted kickbacks, donut sales on Wednesdays throughout the year, Fall-O-Ween, Coffee Houses and more.

“I am thrilled to show friends and families our making of ‘Mean Girls’ and how it has come along these past months,” Schwartzberg said. “Other members and I have been working on this show to make it perfect.”

Alongside the actors casted, different departments within the drama program including stage management, lighting, sound, props, rails, makeup, hair, publicity, costumes and special effects all work to ensure the show is done to the best of their ability. Each department has a head that works closely with the stage managers to direct their crew to complete the independent work for that category.

“I work as the Production Stage Manager, or PSM, which is the head out of the three stage managers,” senior Hannah Hackney said.  “I work throughout the process to organize all of the tech departments by assigning class members to each crew, giving them deadlines and outlining the tasks they have to complete before show day.”

As “Mean Girls” the musical draws closer, MSD drama hopes to see all students and their families attending the show in the auditorium March 6-9. Tickets can be purchased on the GoFan website for $15.

This story was originally published in the March 2023 Eagle Eye print edition.