Miramonte students take center stage with the high school version of “Mean Girls: The Musical” March 1-14, bringing laughs, music and creativity to the spring theater season.
Tap routines, Shakespearean rock stars and musical mean girls – this spring, Orinda Intermediate School (OIS) and Miramonte High School will house two lively musicals and a student-written play festival.
Across both schools, productions feature laughs, collaboration and creative storytelling, furthering Orinda’s strong tradition of performing arts.
So if you’re craving big laughs, bold talent and a little theatrical drama, mark your calendars now.
Miramonte High School – “Mean Girls” and Short Play Festival
From Shakespearean tragedies to musical comedies, Miramonte performers offer audiences a variety of genres this year, including a longform play, a musical and student-written festival.
From March 6 to 14, Miramonte’s musical theater and stagecraft students will present “Mean Girls, the Musical.” Directed by theater teacher Heather Cousins and music teacher Carl Oser, it differs greatly from last year’s successful “Hadestown.”
“We wanted to go in a very different direction this year,” Cousin said. “We’re leaning into the story as a cautionary tale, exposing the dangers of high school mean girl behavior.”
Junior Peter Wood has enjoyed multiple Miramonte productions.
“The Miramonte theater has had the fortune of finding a few young actors and singers who managed to excel almost in every way, both in acting and singing,” Wood said. “Because of this, the theater has an added level of authenticity, which some may not be as lucky to experience. For example, the production last spring had some incredible vocals, especially when considering these are high school actors.”
Miramonte’s Advanced Drama seniors will also each write, direct and produce their own short plays at the annual Short Play Festival.
Orinda Intermediate School – “Something Rotten”
May 8 and 9 finds OIS performers, stage crew and audiences alike at Miramonte High School’s theater for the musical “Something Rotten.” Set in the Renaissance, the comedy centers on two struggling playwright brothers who attempt to outshine rock-star Shakespeare by inventing the world’s first musical.
“The show is a comedy and has a very silly plot. It will be full of laughs,” said Christina Holling, OIS drama, musical theater and choir director.
Holling chose the production after seeing professional productions in San Francisco and Berkeley.
“It was very funny and had a lot of great roles,” she said. “I wanted to choose a musical that the actors at OIS were a little less familiar with to expand their knowledge on musicals.”
Highlights of the production include rock-star Shakespeare disguising himself as Tony Belch and a full tap routine.
More than just a funny production, the musical brings the OIS community together.
“I really enjoy how all students are included and how they can express themselves,” eighth grader Eva Mestemacher said. “I am very excited to see the new musical. I really love supporting all my classmates and going to shows.”
