Review: MEAN GIRLS at Paramount Theatre Aurora, IL
Production runs through October 11
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What’s Wrong With Me?
High school. Being a teen. Being different. Trying to fit in. Wanting to be accepted. Paramount Theatre’s new production is the very pink musical Mean Girls. The book is by Tina Fey and is based upon her 2004 film of the same name. It is set in a fictional town in the north Chicago area. It is the story of Cady Heron (Jeff Award-winning Elizabeth Stenholt), a new student from Kenya and was homeschooled by her mother (Veronica Garza). Cady is going to have to learn about making friends. At the beginning of the story, we are introduced to two characters who act as the storytellers and are very important. Being gay, Janis (Lucy Godinez) and Damian (Steven Klenk in his Paramount debut) do not fit in and are outsiders. Then there are the Mean Girls. Cady has been warned about them so that she will stay out of their way. They can be ruthless. These girls consist of the leader, Regina (Dariana Mullen in her Paramount debut), Gretchen (Angel Alzeidan) and Karen (Julia Hope Budd in her Paramount debut). This group of Plastics, as they are called, reach out to Cady and befriend her. Cady believes they really do want to be her friend. Cady meets Aaron (Diego Vazquez Gomez) and the two hit it off. It turns out Aaron is Regina’s former boyfriend. Even though Regina broke off the relationship, she expects no one that she knows to be interested or date him. She notices the attraction between the two and goes after him again and causes a rift. Thus, “get even” begins. This talented ensemble brings this story to eye popping life under the direction of Devon Hayakawa. The high energy dancing created by choreographer Kasey Alfonso makes the audience want to jump up and join in. There are so many memorable moments including the behind the curtain quick change of Veronica Garza in a few seconds. She not only plays Regina’s mother but Cadys mother and a school teacher. She received applause every time she left the stage.
This is a fun show with a message. Being mean does not make you better than anyone. In fact it’s the opposite. Being kind will stay with someone forever. Kindness is then passed down. This show is a great lesson in how meaness and kindness can change a person. Wear pink!
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