The Broadway Kids and Company School of Performing Arts did what they do best during their Mean Girls show on Saturday, May 6, when they impressed and showed out by displaying all their vocal, acting, and dancing skills. They absolutely shattered the standard and raised the bar of high school adaptation of broadway shows from how the show was run and set up to the performance itself. Ticket admissions whether you bought tickets online or at the door, the process was quick and took no longer than one minute. Concessions were sold throughout the whole show as well as merchandise such as Mean Girls shirts, sweatshirts, cups, and tote bags.

The ushers seated people quickly. While waiting for the curtain to open, the company had a projection of Regina’s burn book, with photos of random students of Norbury surrounded by mean comments, one of them being “she’s the reason her parents got divorced.” As the lights dimmed and people began to quiet down, announcements were given as if the audience were students of the principal, Ms. Duvall, who told everyone to silence their phones because the show was about to begin.

As the curtain lifted and the stage was lit up from spotlights, a backdrop saying “Welcome Freshman” was revealed, two people entered from opposite ends of the stage, met in the middle, and began to face the audience. Those people were two of the main characters, Janis and Damian. Janis, played by Lexie Hullivan, was the definition of sarcasm and humor. Her line delivery throughout the entire show was perfectly timed, and accurate to the character. Aside from her amazing singing voice, Lexie’s dancing skills were really put on center stage during the second act of the show when the song “Stop” was performed. While singing with the ensemble, she tap danced gracefully, while also giving the best Janis facial expression possible. From seeming annoyed to slightly amused, she gave us emotion as she tapped. Yet she wasn’t the only one double tasking during the song “Stop.” The lead of the song, Damian, played by Sebastian Martelle, was having to tap dance as well but also belt his notes out to the audience. Sebastian showed astounding vocal control and stamina. Being able to hold his long notes while nonstop dancing was more than just amazing, it was impressive. Sebastian was personally one of my favorite parts of the show because every time he was on the stage, I knew I would hear laughter throughout the entire crowd. Sebastian managed to deliver some of Damian’s most iconic lines from the movie, as if he was Daniel Franzese himself (the original movie, Damian).

As the first song, “A Cautionary Tale,” came to a close, the backdrop changed from just “Welcome Freshmen,” to a Savannah in Africa. A girl entered the stage, and began to step into the light. It was the lead of the show, Cady Heron, played by Ava Burrows. As the saying goes, a show is only as good as the people that bring the story and characters to life, and Ava Burrows was the one to deliver the character Cady Heron so perfectly, using her own experiences as a teenage girl to make the character believable and relatable. The natural sarcasm and tone of voice used not only while saying lines but also while singing, didn’t make you feel like you were just watching someone play a character, but as if watching a person in their day to day life. As Cady closes the first scene, the projector begins to play a video of a plane flying over a map, from Africa to the US. The scene changes back from a savannah to the North Shore hallway.

The beginning of the show was phenomenal, and that is how it stayed throughout the entire performance, only getting better as it went on. The choreography was complex and captivating, and trying to only focus on one person was hard because everyone on the stage was giving it their all, even if they had no lines. Some of my favorite characters were some side characters that weren’t key contributors to the actual plot, and just had some funny lines. One side character that stole all my attention every time they were on the stage was Kevin G, played by Olivia Marelli. Olivia was by far my favorite part of the entire show, and every single one of her lines made the audience break out in laughter. She displayed the character with such accuracy and fun. From how she would interact with the other actors to how she would kill all her dances, she was the highlight of the show for me. Everyone in the show from major roles such as the plastics: Regina, played by Lily Curtiss, Gretchen, played by Lea Polcaro, and Karen, played by Alyssa Green, to even the ensemble characters, every single person on that stage gave an amazing performance showcasing the time and work put into the show. I cannot wait to see what The Broadway Kids and Company School of Performing Arts has planned next. If you’re looking for something entertaining, keep your eyes out for The Broadway Kids and Company School of Performing Arts next show announcements.