​Based on hit comedy movie of the same name, the musical tells the story of "new girl" Cady Heron and her attempts to navigate life in an American public high school after years of being homeschooled in Kenya. 
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​Packed with razor-sharp humor and high-energy pop songs, "Mean Girls" brings the highs and lows of North Shore High to the stage in a hilarious musical about friendship, identity, and finding your own voice.

When Cady infiltrates The Plastics (bossy Regina, insecure Gretchen and dimwitted Karen), she learns that popularity isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. But first she must figure out where she fits in -with artsy Janis and Damien, Kevin G and the mathelets, Shane and the athletes or maybe even the band geeks. 

Mean Girls” runs for two weekends with 7:30 p.m. shows on September 25, 26 and Oct. 1, 2 and of course, Oct. 3. There will be one matinee show - 2 p.m. September 27.

Tickets are $14 to $22 depending on the age of the attendee.
Order tickets for any night by calling the box office at 814-437-3440 or going online to www.barrowtheatre.org.
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Tickets can also be purchased at the box office starting an hour before show time as long as seats last.

The show is rated PG-13 for language, mature teen themes, and some suggestive humor.
"Mean Girls” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 

The show stars ​Olivia Clinton as Cady Heron, Ari Palmiero as Regina George, Maeve Wakefield as Gretchen Wieners, Aoife Salusky as Karen Smith, Adam Reagle as Aaron Samuels, Lauren Hale-Sohma as Janis, Jace Digiacomo as Damian, and Seth Boocks as Kevin G.

Filling out the cast are Carly Kelly-Baker, Emily Beals, Kyel Harry, Makenna Reavis, Logan Whelms, Eric Goughler, Meredith Best, Shannon Birsa, Alyssa Whalen, Addison Siegel, Elizabeth Saver, Jensen Dudash, DJ Reagle, Priscilla Ehrensberger, Hannah Smith, Eric Ziegler, Ayden Fullerton, Owen Murray and Lisa Harry. 

See more photos from the evening below.

If you ask Zachary Covington about his time leading the Barrow-Civic Theatre, the outgoing executive director is quick with his response.
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“Stewardship,” he says without hesitation. “The word stewardship is how I (summarize it).” It’s the essential of the position, he says, good stewardship of the historic building, donations, relationships within the theatre, community partnerships, and expanding offerings.
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After 10½ years as the head steward at the theatre, Covington is transitioning back into teaching.
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“When they hired me, I agreed to three years,” Covington said with a smile on Sunday. He started as director of the theater June 8, 2015.
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“It has been a tremendous privilege to serve this historic organization and the beautiful oil region community that surrounds it,” Covington said in a farewell letter printed in the theatre’s newsletter. “During my time here, we have celebrated a decade of producing theatre; we weathered the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic; we have expanded youth and educational programming, welcomed nationally and internationally recognized artist, strengthened community partnerships, and continued important preservation efforts to ensure that the Barrow remains the heart of Liberty Street for generations to come.”

​When pressed to give his favorite example of accomplishments on the stage during his tenure, Covington pointed to a musical. “I’m most proud of the work they did on ‘Mary Poppins’,” he said. “That’s doesn’t minimize the other ones. We’ve never done a bad one.”
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“Mary Poppins” is a great instance of the visual transformation of stage productions over the past decade, he said. “Visually, they (the shows) have been improving and improving.”
Covington announced his departure to the theatre’s executive board near the start of the year and has since been transitioning toward teaching while finishing projects, like the marquee update, and passing on management knowledge.
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“I certainly wasn’t going to say, ‘here’s my two-week's,’ I have too much invested here,” he said. So, he plans to be around part-time through April, at which time he will move full time into Covington Performing Arts Studio.

Started in 2002, Covington had been running the studio part-time since. Last year, he and his partner Ian Doran, started visualizing what the studio could be if he had more time for teaching. When Doran passed away unexpectedly, Covington decided it was time to put the plan into action.
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Through the Covington Performing Arts Studio, he is offering lessons in voice, guitar and piano. In the near future, he will also be offering piano tuning and trip organizing for groups, especially choirs and bands. He is also available for work with local high school productions and concerts, as well as substitute music teaching.
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“We want to express our sincere gratitude for his (Covington’s) dedication and contributions to FCOA’s Barrow-Civic Theatre during his tenure. We wish him the very best in all his future endeavors,” Franklin Civic Operetta Association board chairman Stephen Teig said in a post on the theatre’s Facebook page.
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For succession planning, Covington had three pieces of advice. 

• “Be patient – there are so many personalities in the arts.
• “Never stop learning – we have the arts side and we have the business said… and they have to go together.
• “Stay involved in the community (outside the theatre).”

​​Franklin on Ice lived up to its name this weekend as the festival carried on despite the subzero wind chills.

"It's just slow and steady," Franklin events coordinator James Shreffler said of attendance Saturday afternoon.
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Shreffler admitted the crowd sizes were smaller than other years but still surpassed temperature-adjusted expectations. 
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With the lingering cold weather, Glacial Ice Works, this year's carving company, has seen decreased attendance at other recent events.

​Franklin on Ice was the best crowd they have seen in a few weeks, Shreffler reported. 
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He credited that to the festival's strong history, the supporting events around town and maybe a little cabin fever.

"It's definitely nice to get out of the house," he said. 
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While no crowd numbers are available to the come-and-go winter gathering, the ice blocks were easy to track.

Ninety-two blocks to make a total of 32 sculptures of various sizes.

Among the temporary statues was a patriotic display featuring two eagles in flight, the Liberty Bell and the number 250.
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"That's our premier sculpture. It's 15 blocks," Shreffler said. 
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The annual slide for kids was also built on the picnic table patio as well as the throne near the Egbert Fountain.

​All built and carved by Glacial Ice Works, the name for recently sold DiMartino Ice Company.

Shreffler said the company was purchased by a DiMartino family member and many of the employees stayed with the company, so new name but familiar faces in Fountain Park carving the ice on Friday and Saturday. 

The festival also included an array of indoor options to help visitors warm up and make a day of it. 
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This included annual Franklin Retail Association and Franklin Fine Arts Council chili cook-off fundraiser at the Grumpy Goat Distillery.

Jamie Woods was voted the top cook out of 10 entries.

​The Franklin Elks Lodge won the business category. 

At the Barrow-Civic Theatre, the 10th annual Nature Art Showcase and Sale was held. More than 50 artists had various works on display, all inspired by the natural beauty of northwestern Pennsylvania. 
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There was also a magic show, Holey Jeans performance, storytime and crafts at the Franklin Public Library, and free hot chocolate and snacks at many of the downtown stores. 

In a blink of an eye it was 10-2. The Rocky Grove Orioles soared ahead stealing  and scoring at will.

​The Groves Noah Baughman and Aiden Focht  seemed to have everything they threw up drop. Connor Ritchie even drilled one from a bit behind the arc as they took a 26-8 lead after the first stanza. 

They scored even more in the second quarter and set up the running clock for the entire second half.

​It was the most points the Orioles have scored all season besting by one their win against Cambridge Springs with an 87-50 trouncing.
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Baughman led with 29 points. Landen Carter, this season's leading scorer had 14 and Focht dropped 12.
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This team seems for real, now 4-0 in Region 2 and 8-4 overall. Cochranton drops to 1-2 in the region 4-5 overall.

Inside was the place to be Wednesday night and the organizers of the annual First Night Oil City had plenty of places for folks to stay warm.

Getting there, however, was another story. 

The crowds were understandably small. The snow covered roads and sidewalks were no fun to traverse. But the smell of sauerkraut upon entering Trinity United Methodist Church immediately warmed you up. And there was plenty to do even if that was the only place you went.

Clowns making balloon hats and painting faces, magic and storytelling as well as the popular family bluegrass band Echo Valley were all under one roof along with some pretty good-looking pies and the traditional kraut mixed with pulled pork and sides of nacho chips and cheese sauce.

But for those willing to brave the winds and snowflakes and venture out for more, there was a variety of music to be enjoyed on both sides of town.

Christmas Eve was no different.
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Rev. Randy Powell of the Baptist Church and Darrell Greenawalt of the Christ Church joined together to lead services at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.

In between, Rev. Eric Phillips led the Redeemer congregation in a more formal service in Clark Hall.
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“Darrell, Randy and I have been working together, have been friends, meeting together but also helping each other with different ministry needs and stuff like that,” Phillips said. “We already had a relationship and friendship as pastors, so it’s been kind of neat having all three of our congregations here.”
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Phillips came to Franklin about four years ago seeking to start an Anglican congregation and approached Powell about his knowledge of available spaces that could be used for worship.

More than 300 people gathered at the Rocky Grove fire hall Saturday for the inaugural Zen Dads’ Christmas Bash. The event was designed as a place for families to have fun, share some cookies and hot chocolate, visit with Santa and the Grinch, dance, make crafts and, most importantly, share some holiday spirit as a community.
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The party was an add-on to a toy drive conceived by Andrew Shipwash, Tim Tobin and CJ Hellem, who created Zen Dads in October after Shipwash came upon a large number of Halloween costumes that he and Tobin gave away.

The effort was a huge success and got them thinking about what they could do next. 

“I wanted to do a toy drive for Christmas and Shipwash was all in," said Tobin, whose calm temperament as a parent inspired the Zen Dad name.