The Franklin Theater program’s two week run of “Mean Girls” wrapped up Nov. 16, also marking the class of 2025’s final musical performance. The musical, inspired by the 2004 must-watch movie, was repopularized with the 2024 movie musical remake. The remake included songs from the long-running Broadway musical. This recent revitalization built excitement for the musical, but also set high expectations. In my opinion, Franklin Theater’s take on “Mean Girls” satisfied and transcended those expectations.
The show drew the viewer in night after night with its carefully crafted world. Everyone in the musical put attention into every detail, and it showed.
A few crew members explained to me that the first step in building the world of “Mean Girls” was building the sets. It was odd to see such familiar sights like a high school cafeteria on the stage, and the realism looked awkward in the light of day, when I initially walked through the theater. However that night, when the Run Crew drew back the curtains, that familiarity was what made the show so impactful.
“Mean Girls” has a message about high school, and more widely about life, about who people truly are, and how we interact and affect each other. The beauty of a musical is that it allows us to hear a character’s inner thoughts in a way we don’t in real life, explaining why they do and think what they do to the rhythm of a live orchestra.
I was assured time and again that all the characters — with perhaps a few exceptions — were “Mean Girls” to some extent, while at the same time, the one-dimensional label fits none of them. The more complex the characters, the more they became people whose actions were in shades of gray. Every action in the show makes sense if you look at it from the perspective of the person making it, but understanding the reasoning doesn’t always justify the characters’ choices. The audience may decide who to forgive and who to brand as bad, an exercise that is more reflective of one’s own values and feelings than it is of the characters themselves.
Franklin Theater truly made the show their own, a process that started not with the actors but with the technical crews. There are many parts of the tech crew, each essential to making the production come to life. Run Crew built the sets, then later took on the task of moving set and prop pieces on and off stage as needed. Along with the backdrops, the sets are the first step in creating a world.
Then there are the lights, carefully chosen to make the world and actors pop, emphasizing feelings or people as needed. Sylvia Tanner is Franklin Theater’s head of lights and explains that the process starts with reading through the script and choosing light cues. Tanner continues, explaining that manning lights during performances is anything but passive: “You press [the on button] when cues happen, [but] it doesn’t happen the same time every show.” Spotlights also must be active, as they’re moved throughout the show manually by Light Crew members stationed on the catwalk. “My favorite part is seeing it all come together,” Tanner explains, noting that it’s exciting to see her ideas come to life when all the elements of the show come together into a final product.
In the booth next to the lights sits the Sound Crew. Their process is similar to lights, as they both start with a readthrough of the script. The difference is that the Sound Crew is looking for places to add specific sound effects in the script, as well as keeping track of who will need mics. The Sound Crew has members backstage responsible for keeping track of mics and making sure actors have them when they need them. From the booth, they manage both the actor mics and choral mics — floating mics that amplify the chorus — from afar.
Backstage is completed by the Makeup and Costume Crews, who are responsible for helping actors look the part onstage. While they didn’t commit to a specific era, every outfit in “Mean Girls” was customized to the character and their clique, and they all seemed to fit into the stereotypical idea of high school fashion. Once again, the crew’s commitment to detail brought the show to life, which is so essential for “Mean Girls,” as it is meant to seem similar enough to our lives that we reflect.
In the orchestra pit, Jason Owens, Franklin’s Band teacher, led hand-picked members of the Franklin Band in song for the entirety of every show. “Usually you have to start in concert band or drumline,” band member Brandon Tanaka explains. “Then, if you’re good enough and audition well for Owens, he might choose you,” Tanaka adds. Once selected to be a pit orchestra member, a long road of practice begins before the band begins to rehearse alongside the actors — two weeks before opening night. From there, the pit orchestra will play for rehearsals and performances until closing night.
Finally, the actors. While the technical aspects enhance a show, it’s the performers who make or break it. They must memorize dances, songs, and for some, quite a lot of lines. It takes long hours of practice with directors to learn every step, note, and word. More than just memorization, actors are tasked with making the characters their own and truly becoming who they’ve been cast as.
Alice Woodburn, who plays Regina George, says she struggled a bit to become Regina: “This is the first time I’ve played an antagonist, and I’m very different than the person she presents herself as, so figuring out how to play her was difficult.” When acting, the first person who has to be convinced you are your character is you. Directors push for every actor, whether a lead or chorus member, to know who their character is. An actor must know everything from the character’s greatest dreams to their favorite type of sandwich. This well-roundedness shows on stage, adding depth to the characters.
Having developed characters is especially important in a show like “Mean Girls,” where characters are stereotyped so heavily, but the show only works if actors can convincingly be more than just their stereotype. Oscar Jones played Aaron Samuels, who is a classic one-dimensional love interest. Jones had fresh eyes on the trope, saying that Aaron was “simple, not stupid, but a pretty one-dimensional character … he serves as a plot device [and is] more than [just] a character.” Jones was challenged to keep Aaron a full character, while still fulfilling his role in the plot.
All of these factors came together into a wonderful show, but my favorite part of Franklin Theater isn’t the performance. The energy in the auditorium during a show is unmatched. Pivotal moments in the show made me want to jump out of my seat at the chemistry, tension, and electricity. Whether the scene is about revenge, love, or friendship, everyone in the cast and crew was giving it their all. While opening nights are notoriously bumpy, their energy makes them my favorite night to watch. I highly recommend getting an opening night ticket to the winter choir concert, winter dance, or the soon-to-be-announced spring play!
