By CLAIRE STEVENS

Even though it was not a Wednesday, the day the Plastics notoriously wear pink, a sea of pink apparel led me to the doors of the Benedum Center for the opening night of Pittsburgh CLO’s Mean Girls. Directed by Mara Newberry Greer, this musical retelling of the 2004 Paramount Pictures film portrayed the juvenile challenges of high school cliques, growing up, and navigating a world of people vastly different from yourself. Featuring talented actors and dancers, this performance engaged the audience with song, humorous quips, and nods to iconic moments from the classic film.

Damian Hubbard (Jack Haroutunian) energetically opened the performance with the iconic line “Good morning! Welcome to high school”, which immediately transported the audience into the setting of this classic story. Joined by his friend Janis Sarkisian (Lyda Jade Harlan), the pair skillfully introduced a tale where someone notably does not die, but many other crazy events do occur. Haroutunian and Harlan’s interaction throughout the show provided a playful atmosphere with witty interjections, comical scenes, and strong vocals that carried the story. My favorite scene was certainly watching the two of them ride a scooter egregiously slowly while yelling insults at fellow characters. It was amusing to watch these actors play off one another and drive the plot while also breaking the fourth wall to ensure that humor remained an integral part of the experience. 

The rest of the cast also delivered strong performances on opening night. Abigail Isom portrayed Cady Heron character phenomenally delivering a convincing performance through her mannerisms, quirky disposition, and vocal expertise. As expected,  Landry Champlin made a powerful entrance as Regina George as she stared intimidatingly at the audience from center stage while the rest of the on-stage cafeteria crowd cowered. I found Champlin particularly commanding in her rendition of “Someone Gets Hurt” in Act I, followed by another impressive performance of “World Burn” in Act II. Her striking vocals, combined with the imposing red lighting effects and spectacular live music from the Pittsburgh CLO Orchestra, created an ominous yet powerful effect that fit her commanding character. 

Despite Regina George’s imposing nature, humor remained at a high throughout the portrayals of other characters. Sydni Moon played an extremely relatable Gretchen Wieners, effectively capturing the confusion and pain of betrayal in “What’s Wrong with Me?” Kaley Bender was extremely funny as Karen Smith and kept the audience laughing with her delivery of classic lines about the importance of world peace or an emoji-ridden apology to Cady. Jennifer Lybarger took on three roles, but her comical portrayal of Mrs. George was my favorite to watch, and she garnered quite a few laughs from my fellow theatergoers in her attempts to connect with her daughter and emotional rendition of “What’s Wrong with Me (Reprise)”. Finally, I have to mention Rayhan Khimji, who delivered a hilarious performance as Kevin Gnapoor with his overwhelming devotion to the Mathletes and applause-worthy dance moves. With contributions from these actors and the rest of the cast, the show remained high-energy and kept us laughing throughout the performance. 

While multiple individuals had standout performances, the hard work and cohesion of this cast’s ensemble, which included Dance Moms star Nia Sioux, cannot be understated. From portraying animals in the safari in “It Roars” to effectively moving tables and set pieces to set the cafeteria scene for “Where Do You Belong?”, it was clear they had worked hard to ensure these visual elements of the performance ran smoothly. The dancers performed a fantastic tap dance number in the second act, and the ensemble’s humorous quips and reactions throughout the musical created a compelling show, with the audience appreciating everyone’s character.

Mean Girls conveys that although we are all different, we are all human and deserve respect and the opportunity to be ourselves without judgment. Leaving the theater in the sea of pink I had entered, I was struck by how we were all connected, not just by our similarly hued outfits, but by a desire to experience live theater and a retelling of a classic story. As executive producer Mark Fleischer said in his opening remarks, live theater is a vessel for creation and for educating young people, and the successful opening night of CLO’s Mean Girls will certainly inspire people to continue supporting this art form. 

TICKETS AND DETAILS

Pittsburgh CLO’s production of Mean Girls at the Benedum Center runs through Sunday, July 12th, 2026. For tickets, visit https://www.pittsburghclo.org

Categories: Arts and Ideas