PicksInSix Review: Mean Girls - Paramount Aurora
Finds the Edge Beneath the Pink.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Joan Curto
There is a reason “Mean Girls” has endured. Beneath the pink, the catchphrases and the perfectly calibrated teenage cruelty, lies a story about something far less frivolous: the complicated business of figuring out who you are when everyone around you seems determined to tell you who you should be. Based on the 2004 film with a book by Tina Fey, the musical retains the movie’s rapid-fire wit while giving its characters room to explore the insecurities, ambitions and social hierarchies of adolescence. At Paramount Theatre in Aurora, director Devon Hayakawa keeps the production brisk, energetic and surprisingly heartfelt.
At the center are Janis and Damian, played by Lucy Godinez and Steven Klenk, who serve as our guides—and occasional co-conspirators—at North Shore High. Both are terrific. Godinez brings a powerful vocal presence to Janis, particularly in “I’d Rather Be Me,” while Klenk delivers Damian’s comic timing with precision. Together, they provide the production with an appealing combination of wit and heart. But this is very much an ensemble show and Paramount has assembled a cast that knows how to make even the broadest comedy land.
The Plastics—Regina George, Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith—are played by Dariana Mullen, Angel Alzeidan and Julia Hope Budd, respectively. Each brings her character’s distinctive personality and vulnerability to life, particularly in song. Mullen’s massive deal-Regina is especially formidable. She understands that Regina’s power comes not simply from being mean, but from knowing exactly how much everyone else wants her approval. As Cady Heron, Elizabeth Stenholt carries much of the show’s emotional weight. Her Cady is neither entirely innocent nor entirely culpable, making her transformation—and eventual reckoning—more compelling. Vocally, Stenholt is impressive, particularly in the soaring “I See Stars.”
Veronica Garza deserves special mention for her work in three roles: Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury and Mrs. George. Each is sharply drawn, but it is Mrs. George, Regina’s gloriously inappropriate mother, who delivers some of the evening’s biggest laughs. And then there is the ensemble, which rarely gets a chance to catch its breath. Choreographer Kasey Alfonso keeps the movement crisp and energetic, while the clever use of desks on wheels turns the architecture of high school into part of the choreography. The Mathletes, naturally, get their moment in the spotlight.
Paramount’s production itself is another star. Milo Bue’s scenic design with a stage revolve, mobile desks and fluid transitions together with Greg Hofmann’s effective lighting and Kotryna Hilo’s teen-era appropriate costumes, create a surprisingly cinematic sense of movement, allowing classrooms and hallways to materialize and disappear around the characters. The rain curtain used for projections is an ambitious touch, although from my vantage point some of the images were difficult to decipher. Still, the production succeeds in creating a vibrant theatrical world that matches the show’s pop sensibility without losing sight of its darker themes.
What makes this “Mean Girls” particularly enjoyable is its willingness to embrace both the exuberance and the vulnerability of the material. Bullying, belonging, identity and the intoxicating power of popularity may be timeless subjects, but Fey’s observations still have plenty of bite. The enthusiastic opening-night audience on Friday certainly seemed to agree. The film’s devoted following may bring audiences to Aurora, but this production gives them plenty of reasons to stay: strong performances, energetic choreography, clever staging and a cast that understands the human being hiding beneath the stereotype. And yes, there is pink. Lots of pink. For a few hours, at least, it is perfectly acceptable to call something “fetch.”
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | JOAN CURTO is a Chicago-based, award-winning vocalist, director and producer. Most recently, she has collaborated with The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, directing and producing several acclaimed productions.
PHOTO|Boris Martin
Paramount Theatre
presents
Mean Girls
23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL
through October 11, 2026
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