HERSHEY, Pa. — The wild meets high school when Cady Heron meets Regina George in "Mean Girls," this weekend only at Hershey Theatre.
The national tour of the musical, based on the hit early-2000s film, stars a Central Pennsylvania native visiting home for the first time on tour.
"The craziest thing here has been blending my home life with my tour life for a second," said Shawn Mathews, the Central Dauphin East High School graduate playing Kevin G. in the show. "It's just a week, but I get to have home-cooked meals from my mom, but also doing my show. It's such a surreal experience."
Mathews went to Lebanon Valley College for audio and music production. That experience, he says, helps him understand the big picture of the musical.
"It's funny, it has the humor, it has the heart," Mathews explained. "I understand that this show doesn't happen unless everything is hitting at 100%."
The heart of the musical, Mathews says, is its relatability and relevance throughout the years.
"Be yourself. Do your own thing. Don't worry about other people. You are you, you are enough," Mathews said.
The performance of "Mean Girls" at Hershey Theatre is for one weekend only, ending Sunday, October 15. For more information, visit the theatre's website.