PVTC welcomes back Caitlin Berka, who is bringing her directing skills to the summer production of Mean Girls. Read more about her return to campus.
Theater has been a long-time theme in Caitlin’s life. She started singing in elementary school and went on to do musical theater, including a role in Guys and Dolls and Grease during her time at PVTC. When asked about her return to campus, she exclaimed, “I could not be more excited! It feels like coming home to where it all began for me. And getting to gaze out at the beautiful redwoods nearby is a huge plus.”
Caitlin trained as an opera singer and worked on her craft in high school and college. She then studied literature, which launched her career as an English teacher. Although Caitlin taught English, she found herself teaching drama, too! She reflects with gratitude because drama turned out to be a passion.
While enjoying one passion, she still puts her literature background on display. “I relish diving into a script and fully exploring all the nooks and crannies of the characters and their experiences,” Caitlin said.
Directing Mean Girls
“Well, first of all, I love the movie. I was the same age as the characters when it came out in 2004 (I was even taking Calculus at the same time!), so I felt very connected to it as a cultural touchstone.”
Much has changed and stayed the same since the premiere of Mean Girls, but Caitlin is most excited to work with high school students on one of her favorite films. Caitlin appreciates how the musical incorporates social media as a complicating factor. She also celebrates how the production preserves the Y2K feel of the original film. Caitlin looks forward to exploring other themes, too, including communities. She reflects on the COVID lockdowns and social justice reckonings.
Round of Applause to PVTC
“Having theater as a means of creative and personal development when I was young was absolutely transformative for me,” Caitlin said. “I learned so much from all my directors (special shoutouts to Cheryl Goodman-Morris and Juliet Green), and having fantastic mentors like them helped inspire me to work as a teaching artist myself.”
PVTC, without a doubt, influenced her path. Welcome back, Caitlin!