But there’s another group at Lemon Bay High School that’s making waves: the theater program. This award-winning program gives students a stage to express themselves, whether they’re in the spotlight or working behind the scenes. It’s more than entertainment; it’s a training ground for creativity, confidence, and collaboration. Every show builds new skills, and you can feel the energy in the community when the curtain goes up. 

And the curtain will be going up this week for their production of “Mean Girls,” running November 5 through the 7. 

If you never felt at home on the field, theater is where you can still learn discipline, effort, and teamwork. It’s not just memorizing lines or dancing. Students learn to build sets, solve problems, lead a group, and handle pressure. The lessons you take from theater shape you in ways you can’t always measure.

Ask Addisyn Coffey. She’s the student technical director, and frankly, she’s running the show behind the scenes. Aside from her regular classes, Addisyn puts in full-time hours at the theater, handling set construction, managing the stage, and running tech rehearsals. And she does it all with obvious pride and passion.

We sat down with Addisyn as tech week was kicking off.

Addisyn explained her role: she’s the technical director, the set designer, the stage manager, basically the lynchpin for everything that happens offstage. She even runs the tech classes. That’s a lot of hats to wear.

She told us she learned on the job, picking up skills from her predecessor, Miss Ayla Albright, and from mentors like Sean Albright and Jeff Dillon from Creative Arts. She got hooked on theater midway through freshman year. Theater started as just an elective, an alternative to dry “gen-ed” classes or cybersecurity, but as soon as she worked on her first spring musical, she knew this was it.

What keeps Addisyn invested is the thrill of seeing the finished set onstage, knowing she built every piece and made it safe for her cast mates. “Safety’s one of the main tricks,” she said, describing how every platform gets reinforced multiple times and rigorously tested before a single actor sets foot on it.

Stage managing is no simple job, especially wrangling her peers. When last year’s theater director, Gina Barber, began preparing the students to take more ownership, knowing she’d be leaving soon the transition to student leadership grew smoother. When issues come up, they talk them out and solve them as a group. That mutual respect carries through the entire program.

Challenges? There are plenty. During this production, Director Tom Sullivan broke his leg, so Addisyn and assistant theater director Ms. Alysia Backman had to take on even more responsibility. Juggling all the moving parts isn’t easy, but as Addisyn said, “It all comes together in the end.”

What makes it all worthwhile? “The satisfaction,” she said, without missing a beat. Opening night, the applause, it’s all part of the reward. Her dream is to study business and theater design after graduation, maybe at UCF, and keep chasing that feeling.

After Ms. Barber left for an overseas job in China, Lemon Bay was lucky to bring in Mr. Tom Sullivan as director, with Ms. Alysia Backman by his side. 

Even with Mr. Sullivan’s injury (and yes, they all got the “break a leg” jokes out of the way), the cast and crew rose to the challenge. “The show must go on,” Tom told us during a busy rehearsal. “They’ve worked incredibly hard. There’s great music, sharp jokes, and a lot of laughter. You’ll enjoy it.”

Before dress rehearsal, we spoke to two cast members: Scoutlyn Chenger, who plays Cady and also serves as music director, and Maggie Probst, a cast member who understudies Janice.

Maggie shared how meaningful this show is to her. “Even if I never hit the stage as Janice, being part of this is a dream come true. This was one of my first musicals when I was little, and playing Janice is the dream I’ve always had.”

Scoutlyn talked about what “Mean Girls” says about more than just high school: “It’s easy to get wrapped up in drama and snap judgments, but we’re all just people trying to get by. High school is full of different personalities, and those differences make us interesting and strong together.”

What makes this year’s show special is its size and its message. “We have a cast of over fifty, and most are young women,” Maggie said. “We finally get to perform a show that’s about women, for us, about what it’s like not only to be a girl in high school, but in the world. It’s not just fun. This show matters to us in a way nothing else has.”

Scoutlyn nodded, talking about her own experience learning from professionals in Orlando over the summer, and how she tries to bring some of that focus back to Lemon Bay. “Sure, sometimes it’s a challenge getting peers to take direction, but everyone’s learning to treat it both as fun and as a serious craft. It’s not all games. It’s work, too.”

Both girls joked about their “drill master” moments during rehearsals, but underneath that is real growth in performance and teamwork.

What’s so important about theater?

Then the conversation turned to the heart of it: why does theater matter? For Scoutlyn, it’s the community: it’s intense, year-round, and these people become family. “It can be lonely sometimes, in high school or anywhere. Theater gives you a place to belong. It’s demanding and stressful sometimes, but you know your cast has your back.”

Maggie echoed that, describing how theater pulled her out of isolation and gave her a group where she finally fit in. “I was bullied in middle school and always on the outside, but the moment I set foot in the theater, I felt at home. Yeah, it’s hard work. We put everything we have into these shows, but it never feels like work because it’s what we love.”

That joy explains why both feel confused when schools cut arts programs. “It takes as much effort and dedication as any sport,” Maggie said. “This is people’s passion. The effort we put in is huge, and the reward is even bigger.”

On top of theatrical and technical know-how, students learn how to budget, solve problems on deadline, communicate clearly, and take care of each other. There are some stigmas around the theater. People on the outside may not see the value right away. But once you’re drawn in, you realize just how much it matters.

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to grab your tickets. Lemon Bay High School Theatre Department is staging “Mean Girls JR.” which is a high-energy, wildly entertaining musical based on the Broadway show and film. Performances run November 5–7, 2026.

Here’s what you need to know:

Production: “Mean Girls JR.” (licensed by Music Theatre International)

Dates: November 5–7, 2026

Cady Heron arrives in suburban Illinois from the African savanna, gets swept up by “The Plastics,” and soon tests herself against the queen bee, Regina George. Sharp humor, catchy tunes, and a rapid-fire plot make this an unmissable event about surviving—and defying—high school’s wild social rules.

And while you’re at it, support the students by entering the Sleigh of Cheer drawing. For a $10 donation, your name goes in for a chance at a festive Santa sleigh packed with spirits, just in time for the holidays. The drawing happens on November 7 after the last show. Must be 21 or older to win. Look for details on the event flyer.

Lemon Bay Theatre Boosters, Inc., the parent-run booster club, organizes and sponsors The Sleigh of Cheer separate from the school itself.

For more information, contact Wendy Coffey at (941) 587-0300.

Click here or here for ticket information.

The post ‘Beware of The Plastics’: Lemon Bay Theater Sets the Stage for ‘Mean Girls’ Nov. 5-7 appeared first on Englewood Review.