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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Mean Girls High School Version Also see Gil's review of Something Rotten!
The story follows Cady Heron, a teenage girl who moves from Africa to suburban Illinois and is quickly faced with having to navigate the tricky social ladder of high school after being home-schooled in Africa. When she meets outsiders Janis and Damian, they warn her about the "Plastics," a clique led by the ruthless Regina George. Though initially wary, Cady is convinced to infiltrate the Plastics, only to find herself getting pulled deeper into their world of manipulation and drama. As Cady struggles to balance friendship, popularity, and her own sense of self, she learns important lessons about honesty, respect, and being true to who you are. For the high school version of Mean Girls, Fey and lyricist Nell Benjamin have made one small change to a lyric and crafted some alternate lyrics and dialogue for youth theatres or high schools to use, but none of these optional lines or lyrics are required. Greasepaint has opted to use the revised script, but not to incorporate any of the tamer lyrics or dialogue. While that means a few racier jokes and lines are present, they are still words or phrases that anyone in high school has heard; if this were a film, I have to imagine it would be rated PG-13. The stage adaptation and characters are fairly consistent with the film, which means the heart and humor in Fey's screenplay remain intact in her witty book and the clever score with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics from Nell Benjamin. Sienna Stoll is both endearing and relatable as Cady, charting her journey from wide-eyed newcomer to someone nearly unrecognizable as she falls under Regina's influence. Regina George, portrayed with just the right mix of charm and bite by Sierra Ricks, is a commanding presence. Both Stoll and Ricks create realistic and relatable young women. The characters of Janis and Damian are audience favorites, and Haizy Kovac and Albert Mendoza are fantastic in the roles, balancing sarcastic commentary with real heart, and their musical numbers are highlights of the evening. McKenzie Lopezlira and Savannah Springer provide excellent support as Gretchen and Karen, respectively, two of the high school students who are under Regina's spell, with Lopezlira's neurotic energy and Springer's hilariously clueless one-liners perfectly realized. Stoll, Ricks, Kovac, Mendoza, Lopezrila, and Springer all have fantastic singing voices that hit some impressive high notes; their dance skills, especially Mendoza's high kicks, are excellent. Jake Reifler's portrayal of Aaron, the boy who catches Cady's eye, is infused with sincerity, making it easy to see why both Regina and Cady are drawn to him. Emily Colmenero and Oliver Christie deliver good comic timing as a teacher and the school's principal, and River Knight's great rapping skills are on full display as he leads, "Whose House Is This?" The large supporting cast fill out the high school world with energy and commitment, ensuring every scene feels full and alive. Dale Nakagawa's staging is crisp and efficient, with swift scene transitions that keep the show moving at a brisk pace due to Jonathan Rooney's simple but effective set design that uses a sliding platform and screens to quickly change locations. Nakagawa also ensures the cast hit all the punchlines while also creating realistic and unique characters that make you feel for their predicaments. Olivia Feldman's choreography is fun, upbeat, and cleverly tailored to the talents of the ensemble, filling the stage with exciting movement that is varied and non-stop. The excellent costumes by Traci Chandler are character specific and colorful. The music direction by Mary Ellen Loose ensures the vocals are clear and strong. While it focuses on the struggles of adolescence, Fey's characters and plot feature themes and life lessons that anyone can relate to. Greasepaint's production of Mean Girls High School Version succeeds in delivering a smart, funny, and heart-filled story that captures both the humor and challenges of high school. Mean Girls High School Version runs through September 21, 2025 at Greasepaint Youth Theatre, 7020 E. 2nd Street, Scottsdale AZ. For tickets and information, please 480-949-7529 or visit www.greasepaint.org. Director/ Lighting Designer: Dale Nakagawa Cast: |
