(Non) Mean Girls
Photo Credit: Jenny Anderson, 2023
Art shines a spotlight on thought-provoking issues of our time and can be a powerful educational tool besides entertaining and energizing the audience. That certainly was the case when the touring Broadway production of Mean Girls, presented by the American Theatre Guild, rolled into The Granada Theatre this January.
Thanks to a generous grant from The Henry E. & Lola Monroe Foundation, 44 girls from six Santa Barbara Girl Scout troops attended the performance in conjunction with anti-bullying education before and after the show. The girls ranged in age from nine to 13.
“The Granada Development team pulled together resources on anti-bullying that the troops condensed into a lesson plan for the girls and used as a discussion guide,” said Drew Davis, Development Services Manager at The Granada. “Topics discussed include why people bully, how to stand up to a bully, and being a role model for kindness.”
Anti-Bullying Messages in Mean Girls
Photo Credit: Jenny Anderson, 2023
The show’s anti-bullying message is deftly woven into humorous and serious moments throughout the play.
Mean Girls demonstrates the cyclical nature of bullying, showing how victims can become bullies themselves through Regina and Cady’s characters. It also promotes self-acceptance and authenticity through characters like Damian and Janis who stay true to their values rather than changing to fit in. The musical also weaves in how social media is used in bullying today. Ultimately, the show highlights how bullying hurts everyone, including the bully, and how a community can work together to fight bullying.
“The girls had a great time. The show was a great way to easily start the dialogue about bullying and begin discussing helpful tools and ways to prevent and stop bullying,” said one of the troop leaders. Their troop is now more aware of the different types of bullying, how to identify it, and how to prevent it.
Anti-Bullying Education
According to Davis, the Girl Scout troops discussed the problem of bullying during meetings before and after the performance.
Troop leaders felt that Mean Girls provided a vehicle for the girls to open up about the topic.
In a survey following the performance, troop leaders agreed their troops engaged in meaningful discussions about real-life and/or situations seen in the show involving bullying, and the girls contributed different ideas, thoughts and feelings. They also agreed that seeing Mean Girls helped their troop members better understand and apply the anti-bullying techniques learned through this program.
The girls earned an anti-bullying badge for attending the Mean Girls play. This badge recognizes their active participation in reflecting on important issues like bullying and engaging in conversations that promote kindness and understanding.
“We are grateful for the generous contributions made to Youth Programming that have enabled us to partner with multiple youth-serving organizations from schools to local nonprofits,” said Davis. “The Granada hopes to continue to work with youth-serving organizations in Santa Barbara County to provide education and experiences through the performing arts.”
To learn more about participating, please contact Drew Davis, Development Services Manager, at ddavis@granadasb.org.