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Middle School Plays Anything But Mid, Getting RAVE Reviews

Legally Blonde Intermediate East photo 1

Legally Blonde Intermediate East photo 2
Legally Blonde at Intermediate East is garnering a level of unique praise throughout the school and district. Performances by Victoria Viruet as Elle Woods and Michael Primavera as Emmett Forrest (left), along with an A+ cast of talent (above) are the reasons why. Story below.

Feb. 27, 2026- Superintendent Michael Citta returned to the offices at 1144 Hooper Avenue yesterday following a morning performance of Legally Blonde Jr. at Intermediate East. He was genuinely floored.

He was coming off the heels of having seen Intermediate South's Mean Girls Jr. the weekend prior — more on that below — and was nearly incredulous at the level of talent he had witnessed at both performances. "These are honestly some of the best plays I have ever seen, at any level K-12," he gushed.

Citta's past several weeks have been filled with snow closures and delays, a little extra work clearing things out, and the sort of unwelcome drama a superintendent often faces, so the opportunity for some escapism was enticing. More than that, the performances were SO good that they served to remind the superintendent why he does what he does, and the how the dedication, skill, instincts, collaboration, and commitment among students and staff work to create something beautiful and memorable.

Elle Woods and her sorority sisters

Elle Woods and her sorority sisters; photo by Michael Pabian of Pabian Photography

Legally Blonde Jr. tells the story of Elle Woods, a young woman whose dreams are crushed, leaving her with a choice: surrender to her despair, or fight for what she wants. With the support of her new friends and a newfound sense of confidence, Elle pursues a new dream, something she never thought she was capable of achieving. The show follows Elle — played by Victoria Viruet — on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complex emotions that come with rejection and failure, leading her to reevaluate her definition of self-worth.

Viruet is a showstopper. She can act, dance, and to say she can sign is an understatement. The entire cast, however, is marvelous. One of the defining aspects of Int. East's Legally Blonde Jr. is the synchronization of dozens of students during complex and demanding numbers. There's jump roping, some hip-hop, and dance routines that require some serious chops. And oh — there are dogs. The entire production defies the age-old Hollywood mantra to "never work with kids and animals" because this play has both, and it's better than some productions Hollywood itself has produced.

In fact, during his pre-show talk, Principal James Cleveland told his students in attendance that this is as close to Broadway as they can get, and "they have a free ticket." Director Rebecca Malinowski ensured Principal Cleveland wasn't being hyperbolic, as the show proved truly fantastic.

Michael Primavera starred as Emmett Forrest, and the rest of the main cast included Luciana DeFuria-Wilson (Paulette), Taylor Erb (Margot), Arianna Capaccio (Serena), Liana Destefano (Pilar), Charlie Eidel (Professor Callahan), Andrew Wehman (Warner), and Zoey Noto (Vivienne). Crew leadership for the show included Katie Engo and Emma Pomaro (student directors), as well as Mason Tice and Liliana Castellano (stage managers). View the full cast, crew, and program here.

A gallery below includes photos by Michael Pabian of Pabian Photography.

Pabian Photography Legally Blond photo 14


Intermediate South Mean Girls Jr photo 1

Cast and crew Mean Girls Jr
The cast and crew of Intermediate South's Mean Girls Jr. put on a fun, funny, and joyous show for students, staff, and families last week.

No Burns Here, Nothing But Nice Words for Mean Girls

Intermediate South Mean Girls Jr photo 3

Meanwhile, Intermediate South’s Mean Girls Jr., as noted above, was an absolute hit.

From start to finish, the performances were filled with incredible talent, laughter, and memorable moments that will be remembered by students, staff, and families alike, reported the school's proud administrative team.

With two daytime shows for students, a night performance, and an afternoon show, the cast and crew poured their hearts into bringing this production to life.

"We want to give a huge round of applause to our amazing cast, whose energy, dedication, and enthusiasm lit up the stage," said Int. South Assistant Principal Casey Daniel. "Our crew worked tirelessly behind the scenes, managing lights, sound, costumes, and sets to make every scene shine. A special thank you goes to our directors and teachers, whose guidance, patience, and passion made this production possible."

The school also showed genuine appreciation to the play's supportive parents and families, who encouraged their children, helped with costumes, and cheered from the audience.

“Seeing our students perform with such confidence, creativity, and teamwork reminds us all why the arts are such an essential part of the Toms River Intermediate South experience," said Principal Paul Gluck. "We couldn’t be prouder of every student involved.”

Congratulations to everyone involved for making Mean Girls Jr. a memorable and successful celebration of talent, teamwork, and school spirit at Intermediate South! Additional photos below.