Old movies are sometimes remade. For example, in 2019, the famous animated film, “The Lion King” was remade to a live-action movie. Sometimes they are also turned into musicals, like the 2004 film “Mean Girls,” which was eventually turned into a newer movie, and now into the Cannon Falls High School’s musical this fall. In order to do the musical, the stage must be set which is done with help from many roles, including the actors themselves. Starring in “Mean Girls” are Addie Anderson as Cady, Mackenzie Swanson as Regina George, Grace Springer as Janis, Wil Brokate as Damien, and many more students as other characters. These students didn’t just magically get their roles, however. They had to first audition.

Each person auditions on a set day. The audition process is simple according to Annie Pedersen, the main director of the play. Pedersen sends out a form that a person interested will fill out with their contact information. This includes a person’s experience in theatre, the parts they are most interested in, and picking out a time slot to perform. The casting tends to be a bit harder, more like piecing together a puzzle. Pedersen states “Casting is like a puzzle. You can be an extremely talented actor with a more minor role because that character is just the best fit for you. I enjoy casting, but the part I dislike about it is that I can’t give every kid the part they want the most. But I do enjoy the casting process because I enjoy putting “the puzzle” together to plan a show that will work well.” After the casting, they can begin piecing together the musical.

There are many different parts to putting together a play or a musical, so there are people who lend a helping hand. For example, the stage manager. The stage manager’s job is to remember when people go on stage, ensure props are in place and at the right time, and more for the actors. Captains are also an important role in setting up the musical. These are the seniors of the group, or the oldest actors there, in the absence of seniors. They help out directors, lead warmups, and will help out in costuming occasionally. In addition to these people, we have tech kids or “techies.” They are not acting on stage, but are the main people who help move set pieces and create them. Techies are also responsible for the sound cues, lights, and more minor background aspects of a play or musical that are not focused on by a viewer. Normally, these tech students are overseen by a stage manager or the technical director. The directors this year are the vocal director and the new choir teacher, Mrs. Boring, the main director, Annie Pedersen, and the technical director, Lanny Reece. Pedersen has been the school’s theatre director for three years now. “My favorite part is getting to know the kids and being a part of the fun theater community that we’ve built at Cannon Falls High School. We truly are like a family,” says Pedersen. Now that there’s help setting it up, the directors have to decide when to build sets for the musical.

To have a nice play, set pieces are built and flats are painted to immerse the viewer’s attention towards the scene. They set out Workshop Days, where as many people available, come in on a planned Saturday for a few hours and help paint background pieces, build larger objects such as a fireplace, and make sure scenes are where they want them. Typically, they try to keep Workshop Days to just tech aspects, but occasionally if actors are struggling with a dance or scene, Pedersen will have them work on those specific scenes on those Saturdays. She will also set aside dates that will be Workshop Days so she has an idea of what she wants to be done that day. Workshop Days are not the only days Pedersen plans out.

Annie Pedersen will also dedicate a set amount of days to figuring out where she wants kids placed on the stage. Typically these days are after school during the week. Cues are learned during this time, and where set pieces go as well. Techies learn when to bring things on and when to take them off. Occasionally offstage actors help with this. As the year gets closer to the performance day, they begin to have longer rehearsals. Regular two-hour rehearsals become three hours and thirty minutes. They also begin to perform the entire musical in one practice and nitpick small things they want fixed or done differently. On these days, everyone must attend practice the entire time, even if they have one line and are on stage for only two scenes. After all, these days are usually when the most stuff gets done.

Some movies are adapted into a musical or a play. With the Cannon Falls Theater group planning for their next play to be the “Mean Girls” musical, there’s a lot of stuff to get done, like sets and casting. Every single person plays a role in the musical, metaphorically and literally. They each contribute something, big or small, to the final product. Everyone in theatre this year was ecstatic that the musical is “Mean Girls,” and is beyond excited to perform for the community this November.