Examining Kindness and Courage through Mean Girls the Musical
by Ms. Keira Louis
As the curtain closes on Mean Girls, I find myself feeling incredibly proud and deeply grateful.
Putting on a musical is no small feat. It takes months of rehearsals, tech weeks, costume fittings, set builds, problem-solving, and more late afternoons than any of us can count. It requires courage to audition, discipline to rehearse, patience to refine, and resilience to begin again when things don't quite work. And yet, every one of these students showed up, again and again, ready to give their best.
When we first selected Mean Girls, I'll admit I had questions. In an all-girls' school, what message would we be sending? But my perspective shifted the moment rehearsals began. Tina Fey's story doesn't glorify cruelty; it holds up a mirror to it. Through humour and music, it invites young people to think critically about social hierarchies, peer pressure, and the ways we treat one another. This is why I love theatre.
Over the past five months, I've witnessed the B.C. Drama Curriculum's promise come to life: musical theatre's "unique power to effect change." This cast and crew explored complex questions, challenged assumptions, and found both humour and heart in the material.
More than the applause or standing ovations, what makes me proud is who these students are becoming. Talented, yes. But also collaborative, responsible, compassionate, and brave. Their performance skills are strong, but what shines even brighter is their bond. They have grown closer, learned to trust one another, to problem-solve together, and to celebrate one another's successes.
Thank you to our incredible cast, crew, and student pit band for their work, leadership, and heart. It has been an honour to direct them, and I am so, so proud of all they have accomplished.
Related Article: York House Presents Little Women
Tina Fey's story doesn't glorify cruelty; it holds up a mirror to it. Through humour and music, it invites young people to think critically about social hierarchies, peer pressure, and the ways we treat one another. This is why I love theatre.
This cast and crew explored complex questions, challenged assumptions, and found both humour and heart in the material.
- Ms. Louis
