‘Mean Girls Jr.’ rules the stage
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Witty, insightful and perfectly pink, the Whidbey Playhouse’s production of “Mean Girls Jr.” proves this musical is totally “fetch.”
A family-friendly stage adaptation of the 2004 comedy film “Mean Girls,” the musical follows new student Cady Heron who is invited to join “The Plastics,” the school’s most elite clique ruled over by the ruthless queen bee Regina George. What starts as a simple infiltration plan devised by Cady’s outcast friends Janis and Damian soon spirals out of control, and Cady finds herself becoming the very mean girl she despised.
The production showcases more than 60 performers under age 18. Because of the unusually large cast, the Whidbey Playhouse is using three separate casts — Hot Pink, Blush Pink and Pastel Pink — a first for the theater.
Co-director Matt Montoya noted that having three casts makes things “a little more complicated,” but said that seeing the differences in performances between the older and younger cast members is “very cool.”
Montoya said young performers had been requesting “Mean Girls Jr.” for years because many grew up loving both the movie and the Broadway musical.
One such “Mean Girls” fan is Victoria Mutka, who plays Regina in the Blush Pink Cast. Mutka said Regina has always been a dream role for her, but transforming herself into the confident, self-absorbed diva presented a challenge given her more bubbly personality.
However, Mutka said the role also gave her a much-needed emotional outlet.
“I love to scream so much, and I think getting mad at people is something that I’m not able to let out in the real world, so I think it kind of gives me a creative outlet to just scream at people a little bit,” she said.
Liv Phillips, who plays Cady in the Hot Pink Cast and has a self-described obsession with Lindsay Lohan, said performing as Cady served as a powerful reminder of the importance of authenticity.
“You can be changed very easily, but it’s good to just stay true to your heart, and you’ll find your way if you just be yourself,” Phillips said.
Mutka emphasized that a major aspect of what makes the show so appealing is how realistic and relatable it is.
“It’s really easy to see yourself in all the characters,” she said. “I definitely identify with a lot of characters in the show, just from traits they have, and it’s just really easy to see the realness in the show.”
Mutka said she hopes the Whidbey Island community will not only get a good laugh out of the musical, but also think deeply about its underlying messages of conformity and belonging.
Phillips said, despite all the on-stage drama, audiences wouldn’t guess that many cast members are great friends backstage.
“Some really mean Regina could be best friends with Janis,” she said. “Everyone is a friend, even though it may not look like it.”
Julia Hendricks, who plays insecure gossipmonger Gretchen Wieners in the Pastel Pink Cast, praised co-directors Matt and Shelbie Montoya for being a positive presence throughout the production.
“They’re really nice people, and I just love them and how positive they are,” Hendricks said. “You didn’t hear this from me, but Ms. Shelbie always threatens to stop the show and not perform it, but we always do. She likes messing around with us when we have all of our stuff done. It’s just fun.”
“Mean Girls Jr.” will run from July 17 to Aug. 2 at the Whidbey Playhouse. Tickets are available for purchase at the box office or at www.whidbeyplayhouse.com.
