Erie-Prophetstown students delight audiences with ‘Mean Girls’ performance

PROPHETSTOWN – The gymnasium at Erie-Prophetstown High School was transformed into Northshore High School on Friday and Saturday as theater students delighted the audience with a high school adaptation of the hit comedy “Mean Girls”.

The musical, adapted for high school performances, was based on the 2004 American teen comedy film written by Tina Fey.

The main character is Cady Heron (played by Heather Huizenga) who is a naïve teenager who transfers to an American high school after years of being homeschooled in Africa.

Cady quickly befriends two outcasts, Damian and Janis (played by Kai Pritchard and Jolene Wells), and they form a plan to exact revenge on Regina George (played by Gianna Burke), the leader of an envied clique known as “The Plastics”.

Cady joins “The Plastics” as a spy and after a series of high school hijinks, ends up being shunned by her peers. She eventually reverts back to her original, wholesome values, but in order to earn extra credit, she joins the school Mathletes and answers the tiebreaker correctly to win the state championship.

She is then elected queen at the school’s spring dance and ends up telling her classmates that they are all wonderful in their own way, and tears up her tiara and gives the pieces to other classmates in the crowd while re-establishing her friendships with Janis and Damian, as well as making peace with the Plastics.

Cast members for the Erie-Prphetstown Theater production were: Damian, Kay Pritchard; Janis, Jolene Wells; Cady Heron, Heather Huizenga; Mrs. Heron, Taylor Folsom; Mr. Heron, Isaiah Easley; Aaron, Brenden Boggs-Chavez; Kevin G, Robert Winters; Mr. Duvall, Tim Lundquist; Ms. Norbury, Lotus Crady; Mr. Buck, Owen Miller; French teacher, Makailey Hanlon; Coach Carr, Nevaeh Bright; Regina George, Gianna Burke; Gretchen, Kennedi Shaffer; Karen, Gracelyn Abell; Mrs. George, Clara Ashdown; and Mathletes moderator, Dena Cox.

Ensemble members were: Gabi Abell, Areana Baskind, Yermain Carreno, Izzy Gabriel, Jaelin Hawkins, Alana Little, Kayler Pritchard, Dakota Rick, Jayda Rosenow, and Grace Wheeler.

Production Staff: directors, Madison Fouts and Susie Schaechter; dance captain, Lily Willett; sound board, Kiera Ary and Samantha Kilker; light board, Shelby Schindel; crew, Erin Terry, Nicole Schwenneker; set design/construction, Paul Farral, Chad Abell; and publicity, Hanna Huisman.

Acknowlegements: Evelyn Fouts, Jodi Farrak, Tinley Wetzel, Quad City Music Guild Costume Shop and school administrators, coaches, and families.