Who were you in high school? Were you that person ten years later? Did you revert back to that person at your high school reunion? Why?

These are the questions I had the cast think about at the start of our process. Obviously, none of us attended high school in the 50s – so content and subject matter are at times, very different. But high school relationships haven’t changed – the tensions, the alliances, the gossip, the break-up-make-up cycles – all of that high school ‘stuff’ – we could relate to.

High school is a tumultuous time of discovery, confusion, hormones, and growing up. At least for me it was. I wanted to be my own person, but I also wanted to be accepted and fit in. If only we could look back and tell our younger selves ‘everything is going to work out just fine’. But at the time I wouldn’t have believed it anyway. Everything is just so IMPORTANT.

I didn’t go to my high school reunion because I was doing exactly what I said I would be doing in my yearbook write up under future goals: Julie is going to be rich and famous and living in New York. I was for sure living in New York at the time. Rich and famous? Well, everything is relative.

My hope is that you see yourself in one (or many) of these characters and that you have a great time reminiscing!

I want to thank Mark for giving me the opportunity to direct at Chemainus. This theatre holds a special place in my heart and having a chance to be at the helm of a show has been awesome. Thanks also to my collaborators – designers, heads of departments, marketing, stage management, crew, band – everyone who helped us get to this moment. Special shout out to my favourite MD, Chris King, and the four girls on stage.

Julie Tomaino