MEET THE DIRECTORS
GABRIELLE GURIDYS (Director/Music Director) is currently the general music teacher and choir director at Memorial Middle School. Ms. Guridys grew up in North Jersey and graduated with her Bachelor's in Music Education with a concentration in Voice from Montclair State University. During her time as a student at Montclair State, Ms. Guridys was part of the Chorale, a 170-member voice symphonic choir; University Singers, a 65-member voice auditioned elective choir; and Vocal Accord, a 24-member voice audition select choir. Ms. Guridys performed in concerts and numerous off-campus venues, including the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall. She recently completed her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership at Montclair State University! Ms. Guridys would like to thank Mr. A for blindly agreeing to take on this show with her; Mrs. Hill & the Crew for bringing her vision to life with not nearly enough time; CGHS student volunteers for donating their time and talent; the MMS parent volunteers who contributed any and everything; and our administration for being more than supportive. To the cast and crew, you have the potential to be FETCH, and I expect nothing less. Break all the legs <3
JOHN ALSCHER (Assistant Director) Mr. Alscher is a native of North Jersey who graduated from the University of Toledo before settling into his role as the seventh-grade Social Studies teacher at Memorial Middle School. Though he may be new to his role of assistant director, Mr. Alscher's roots in theater run deep, having been an active participant in his own middle school's productions, including classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. While he may lack experience in directing, Mr. Alscher more than compensates with boundless enthusiasm and a genuine love for the craft. His collaborative spirit has been evident throughout his work with Ms. Guridys, Mrs. Hill, and the entire cast and crew, fostering a dynamic and supportive environment where creativity flourishes. Mr. Alscher's time with the Mean Girls Jr. production has been totally fetch, and he can't wait to see all the hard work pay off on stage.
MELISSA HILL (Stage Manager and Set Designer) Mrs. Hill is the K-12 gifted and talented teacher for Cedar Grove Schools. Mrs. Hill attained her teaching credentials at both Montclair State University and the University of Connecticut. Though music and drama are not her primary occupational choices, she has been on the stage or backstage her whole life, starting with small school productions when she was just in elementary school, which blossomed into very active participation in band, marching band, choir, winter guard, and of course, her schools' musicals and dramas. Before even graduating high school, Mrs. Hill accepted her first job as production stage manager in a production of Bye Bye Birdie, and she has been doing shows ever since. Mrs. Hill would like to thank Ms. Guridys and Mr. Alscher for trusting her and letting her do her thing even though she's sure she drove them nuts; the CGHS Stage Crew for sticking with it all these years and coming back for more; to her MMS stage crew and Mean Girls Jr. cast, she sends her pride in what an amazing show they have put together; lastly, she would like to thank the two most important people in her life: Kyle Hill AKA Mr. Lights - the son that always says yes to helping out his mom and Mr. Hill for always letting me steal his tools. BREAK A LEG, MY WONDERFUL CAST AND CREW & ENJOY EVERY MOMENT.
