Great Barrington — Sometimes high school plays feature teens telling the stories of adults living in times and places very different from their own. This year’s Monument Mountain musical, on the other hand, tells a story that would likely be familiar to anyone who has ever been to high school. “It deals with real life issues… It really addresses a lot of things that teenagers go through,” says Lotus Cohen, who plays the villain of the new production. This relatable show is “Mean Girls the Musical,” High School Edition, the adaptation of Tina Fey’s classic 2004 movie, which is showing in the Monument Mountain auditorium this weekend.
Sadie Honig-Briggs stars as Cady Heron, the new girl recently arrived from Kenya, a deer in the hallway headlights. She doesn’t know anything about American culture, to say nothing of the social hierarchies of an American high school. Will the friends she finds, Janis (Marty Kellar) and Damien (Nyx Tucci), help her make it through her freshman year?
Not before overcoming the obstacles put in place by everyone’s favorite villain, Regina George, played by Lotus Cohen, and the “Plastics,” her sidekicks Gretchen (Leah Kammeyer) and Karen (Celeste Gregory).
Honig-Briggs has performed in lots of shows over the years, but “Mean Girls” stands out, she says, for the particular way that everybody in the cast has each other’s back, a dynamic enhanced by the cast’s secondary role in moving around the set. “Because we are doing so much more in this show, this sense of connection is so much deeper. It’s made the cast a lot closer than in any show I’ve ever been.”
Gregory agrees, adding, “We’re all relying on each other… which creates such a close knit environment.”
In addition to the regular theater suspects, a couple of seniors who are new to acting are taking advantage of the chance for a “last hurrah.”
Director Chris Tucci points out that what makes “Mean Girls” special is who is telling the story. “There’s something incredibly powerful about watching young people who are experiencing these things in their real lives tell their stories on stage. It’s incredibly funny, it’s incredibly moving, and it’s a great gift.”
“Mean Girls” contains mature themes, strong language, and depictions of high school situations. It is recommended for ages 13 and up.
“Mean Girls the Musical” is showing on March 13, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. and March 16 at 2 p.m. in the Monument Mountain Regional High School auditorium. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased at the door or online. Proceeds from ticket sales support the cost of putting on the show.
