“Mean Girls”, the high school version, came to life with class, talent and enthusiasm last week as the Raritan High School drama students supported by a production staff that included everybody from Director Melanie Taylor to the parents who manned the concession stands bought their talent and vivaciousness on stage for four performances that drew close to 1,000 delighted spectators.
The drama club showed more than musical and stage talent throughout the music loaded story of high school girls and their harmful manipulative behavior with gossip, rumor spreading and bullying.
They showed a talent far beyond what one would expect at a high school level, a talent that included unique techniques in including set changes that converted a school cafeteria to a school classroom and more.
They showed a keen ability and an affection for working together, for appealing to an audience alive with applause and affection, and a sense they felt like professionals accomplishing their goal.
Damian Hubbard as Julian Bibb led a cast of dozens with Kai Feliciano portraying Janis and Olivia Devaney portraying Gretchen, seniors who have apparently enjoyed learning drama, music and the arts throughout their high school years, and making Mean Girls their final stage appearance before graduation.
Ellie Downey, who portrayed Cady, was truly a star on her own in her first Raritan High musical. The recipient of other awards for her drama presentations, she showed she is as great in a musical as she is as one of Dracula’s brides. Elvis Pupovic, taking first role on stage as a senior, in spite of his years announcing Raritan basketball games and work with Global Communications was terrific, especially in a stirring duet with Downey singing “More is Better.”
The entire cast showed dexterity and agility in everything from juggling and gymnastics to dancing and singing and exhibited not only a love for their many hours over the past two months in rehearsing their roles but a respect and affection from Raritan staff including not only Director Taylor but also vocal, music, technical, stage directions and choreographers who worked hard themselves on everything from graphics and set designs to costumes and a program that included thanks and appreciation .
And when it was all over, it was also obvious that the bullying tactics, the rumors, the meanness of the girls in North Shore High School were all just a spectacular act staged to perfection by Raritan High School students who already know that sharing tears and smiles, support and friendship are already a part of their lives and they don’t have to change in order to have others like them.
