Los Altos Youth Theatre’s production of “Mean Girls: The Musical” is set to run Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 at the Bus Barn Theater.
The show is based on the popular 2004 movie, a comedy written by Tina Fey.
According to director Cindy Weisberg, LAYT’s production will feature a cast of 25 youth performers, ages 12-17, who attend local schools such as Los Altos High School, Egan Junior High School, Graham Middle School and Pinewood School.
Pinewood sophomore Hattie Kaufman and Los Altos freshman Avni Jain, who share the role of Regina George, both said they were shocked when they found out they had landed the part.
“I was beyond excited. This has been one of my dream roles since I first saw it (when) I was 10. I saw it when it was touring on Broadway, and I was like, ‘I need this,’” Kaufman said. “And of course, going into it, I had low expectations … but then when I got it, I was out of this world, so happy.”
When casting characters, Weisberg said she was especially looking for musicality and vocal strength in the auditions. After that, she prioritized a few specific qualities for each character.
“I really needed a Katie that was grounded and lovable, and those were qualities that a lot of these people have as people. But then when you hear them reading the lines, you want to find who hits those the strongest,” Weisberg said. “For Regina, I was really looking for someone who could do a lot with the pitch and sound of their voice, even when their face wasn’t moving all that much.”
Weisberg added that rehearsals began Sept. 6 and run three days a week, with a double day on Sunday that goes 2-8 p.m. She said that the longer hours allow for more flexibility with the actors to rotate between singing, choreography and acting.
Kaufman added how time outside of rehearsal is also needed so that she can come to rehearsals prepared, rather than reading off the script. She said that memorizing her lines allows her to step into character more and has developed a unique way to help her remember them.
“My process is I read it over, and then before I go to bed, I have my dad run lines with me,” Kaufman said. “I (also) listen to a meditation every night before I go to sleep, and (so) I record my lines in a meditation style, and I listen (to them) before I go to bed to try to memorize them.”
Weisberg added that “Mean Girls” is more accessible to the actors as a lot of the characters are teenagers. She said this allows for a more comfortable starting point, especially for young students when learning to acclimate to the roles. Jain added that playing Regina George was a new experience for her as in the past, her roles have often been more traditional.
“And I would say this role has also taught me a lot that I can apply in real life,” Jain said. “Knowing that in my head that I was able to play Regina George, I can bring that confidence in my real life, and it’s just something I carry with me.”
Weisberg said that seeing the show come to life is one of the highlights of directing.
“This show drew in a lot of new talent for us, and I think part of the reason for that is it’s a show with a lot of lyrics that really speak to people,” Weisberg said. “It’s been real challenging, but it’s also been a real gift to be able to kind of go through that with this group of people. So, I’m just really proud that we got a group together with so many new faces, and it’s coming together really strong.”
Performances are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at Bus Barn, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. Tickets are $15-25. For tickets and more information, see losaltosstage.org.
