On Oct. 4, the cast of the upcoming play “Mean Girls” started their off-book rehearsals. After months of preparation, the cast was expected to have memorized all their lines, including the song lyrics, without the help of their scripts. In total, the show consists of five crew: cast, lights and sound, set, costumes, and props.
The “Mean Girls” cast has been rehearsing on script since the beginning of summer. With the date of the play’s opening quickly approaching, veteran actors are confident in the cast’s ability to prepare for and put on a great show.
“I feel like when it comes down to opening night, we’re all hardworking and will get the job done,” said senior Madelynn Roberts, who plays Regina George, the main antagonist of the play.
The play follows 16-year-old Cady Heron, who has just moved from Africa to suburban Illinois. Accustomed to the animal sounds of the African savannah, Heron quickly finds out high school is a whole different types of wilderness. A “naïve newbie” to public school, Heron unwittingly gains the approval of the popular clique dubbed “the Plastics,” led by Regina George. In an ironic twist of fate, Heron’s plan to end George’s reign makes her more “plastic” than ever.
Being one of the most well-loved movies of the 2000s, the pressure is on for the cast to do the “Mean Girls” movie justice. The original film won 12 Tony Awards and its quotable lines like “On Wednesdays we wear pink” continue to endure well after the show’s end credits. Theater teacher Jamaal Solomon is already planning on taking the show to state competitions.
Cast members like senior Carter Wegman continue to earnestly prepare as opening day looms nearer. “I read through my script over and over again, and I get someone to practice with me without my script,” said Wegman, who plays Damian, one of the supporting characters in the show. According to Wegman, this is just one of the many strategies the cast uses to help themselves with memorization.
Memorizing choreography is also a big part of preparing for the show. Scripts usually dictate the specific movements or tone the line is performed with, which is just as important as memorizing your lines.
“Certain movements help me memorize my lines, and other people’s movements help cue me on when to say my lines,” Rylee Rozier, who plays Cady Heron, said.
This production is running in the auditorium from Oct. 19-21. All shows are at 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale now.
