I am extremely proud of the entire cast and crew of this production of Mean Girls. As with any show, it takes a lot of work and a lot of time, and everyone involved has truly poured their hearts into this production. This may very well be the best show I have directed, and it is all because of the dedication that this cast and crew have shown and the passion they have put forth in performing it.
I chose to produce this show this year for several reasons, but far and away the biggest reason is the message it brings to us in its closing number: "You could make diamonds dull, you are so beautiful. You are real, and you are rare." Every individual - regardless of who they are or how they identify - is beautiful, real, and rare, and deserving of love. I try to embody this in everything I do, from how I run my classroom to how I interact with people in every facet of life.
To my directing team - thank you for making this show easy. I know it wasn't actually easy, but with your expertise and guidance, the students gained confidence and learned new "shquillz" and they shine on stage in every moment.
To the cast and crew - thank you for everything you have done for this show. Thank you for looking out for each other and lighting each other's way. Thank you for trusting me and the rest of the directing team as we worked to make sure your voices were heard, on stage and off. Thank you for spending you afternoons, evenings, and Saturdays with me and the directing team over the past four months. You're all stars! To those of you who have never done theatre before - I'm so glad you gave it a shot! Theatre is my passion and I truly believe it helps people discover themselves and learn self-love and affirmation. Thank you for working tirelessly to learn dance moves you may never have thought you could learn; to memorize lyrics and harmonies; to remember where to stand, what to move, what to say, where to look, when to enter and exit; and thank you for doing it all with a smile.
To the understudies - I am so glad I chose to utilize your incredible talents for this show! If I had had the foresight to just how incredibly you would perform your roles, I would have given you more time to shine. I wish we had more days available at this theatre to show off your performances, but I know that your night as leads will be an incredible show for all in attendance. Thank you for working so hard and learning two different tracks for this show, for pouring your entire heart into each track, and for doing so with humility, grace, and dedication.
To the parents, guardians, and family members of the cast and crew - thank you for your time; your donations; your patience; your willingness to get your students to rehearsals; your willingness to volunteer to help building our set pieces and props, to provide water and snacks for the cast backstage, to work concessions and tickets and help backstage; and to your trust in me and the directing team to look after your students for the 11 hours of rehearsal every week.
Thank you, all of you, for supporting live theatre and Edison High School's burgeoning theatre program.
With love and gratitude,
Mr. Cooley
