Epitomizing the “Golden Age” of musical theatre, The Music Man opened on Broadway almost 60 years ago and was the recipient of five Tony Awards. It has been revived and adapted numerous times, including two film versions. The story follows the smooth-talking traveling salesmen, Harold Hill (James Barker) as he hops around conservative Midwestern towns, convincing its citizens that a boys’ band, uniforms, and instruments are the answers to all of their problems. At a stop in River City, Iowa, however, the town librarian and piano teacher, Marian Paroo (Gabi Montes de Oca), sees right through his conniving ways.

Leading the show with utter aplomb, James Barker spoke louder than words as the flirtatious con man, Harold Hill. His comedic facial expressions and pleasant vocals distinguished him as a standout performer among the ensemble. Gabi Montes de Oca proved to be an elegant songbird, showing off her beautiful soprano throughout the evening. Her development was distinct and her chemistry with Barker was undoubtedly believable.

The supporting cast also was impressive, with high vocal energy and effervescent stage presence. Trevor Boynton as Mayor Shinn earned numerous laughs as he frequently stumbled over his words. Annie Stout portrayed a maternal and proud Mrs. Paroo, as her consistent Irish accent and impeccable timing made for a memorable performance.

The most terrific aspect of the production was, without a doubt, the Barbershop Quartet (Leif Jomuad, David Furney, Steve Aderton and Michael McLean). These young men harmonized perfectly and added distinct, individual characterizations. Numbers such as “Lida Rose & Will I Ever Tell You?” brought the house down and earned the foursome well-deserved, thunderous applause.

Costumes were designed and assembled with acute precision as vibrant color schemes and well-tailored suits were featured throughout the entirety of the performance. The stage crew was commendable as the majority of scene changes were quiet and timely. Holly Prencipe and Gabrielle Lewis choreographed sharp and well executed dance numbers, such as “Marian the Librarian” and “Ya Got Trouble.”

The cast and crew took its audience on a theatrical adventure with their outstanding vocals and palpable energy. Despite some minor lack of projection from certain ensemble members, it was evident that Annandale’s production of The Music Man was anything but troublesome, instead providing a wonderfully crafted performance.

by Stephen Coakley of Tuscarora

Photo Gallery

James Barker (Harold Hill), Gabi Montes de Oca (Marian Paroo)	Annie Stout (Mrs. Paroo), Trevor Boynton (Mayor Shinn), Maya Koch (Maud Dunlop) , Raymond Ma (Marcellus), Holly Prencipe (Alma Hix) , James Barker (Harold Hill), Gabi Montes de Oca (Marian Paroo), Xavian Henson (Constable Locke), Melissa Haberle (Eulalie Shinn), Gabrielle Lewis (Zaneeta Shinn), Danyom Beyene (Salesman 1), Juliana Iglesias (Mrs. Squires), David Furney (Oliver Hix), Xavier Felix (Tommy Djilas)
Juliana Iglesias (Mrs. Squires), Maya Koch (Maud Dunlop), Sarah Woodward (Ethel Toffelmier), Gabi Montes de Oca (Marian Paroo), Holly Prencipe (Alma Hix), Melissa Haberle (Eulalie Shinn)	Michael McLean (Olin Britt), David Furney (Oliver Hix), Steve Aderton (Ewart Dunlop), Leif Jomuad (Jacey Squires)
Annie Stout (Mrs. Paroo), Gabi Montes de Oca (Marian Paroo)

Photos by Georgi Barker, Briar Creek Photography

In 1966, Clark Gesner recorded a concept album based on Charles Schulz’s adored Peanuts comic strip. When producer Arthur Whitelaw heard the album, he urged Gesner to form a musical out of the songs. The show was performed off-Broadway from 1967 to 1971, and in 1971 it opened on Broadway. After four months it closed, but it was revived in 1998, starring Kristen Chenoweth as Sally Brown. While less than successful on the Broadway stage, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown has become one of the most cherished amateur productions in the theatre world. A simple vignette show, it features several scenes from the original “Peanuts,” each of which captures the delights and dilemmas of six-year-olds.

Annandale’s representation of the Peanuts characters engaged the audience with near flawlessness. Each performer displayed unique characteristics and strong vocals, knitting together a captivating world of humor, wit, and delight.

Andy Riddle embodied the thoughtful, often melancholy Charlie Brown with stellar vocals and mannerisms, from his facial expressions to his honestly-executed reactions. The audience enthusiastically applauded him, admiring the fact that Riddle, an understudy, grabbed the part by the horns with firm skill. Gwen Levey’s portrayal of the obnoxious yet adorable Lucy Van Pelt also contributed to the show’s success. Her body language and tone of voice emanated the familiarly bossy character with a unique spin. Deanna Gowland as Snoopy performed with particular skill and ease. Her suave vocals and dancing in “Suppertime” shone, drawing cheers from the audience.

The small cast of Annandale’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown paid attention to every detail in order to portray the individuality of each character. Harris Fitzgeral demonstrated Linus Van Pelt’s signature, thumb-sucking shuffle with complete naturalness. Mark Slough, as Schroeder, delivered each line about famous composers with consistent passion. And Melissa Haberle laughed and pouted with amusing energy. While some characters exaggerated a bit unnaturally at times, their constant zest remained contagious. The cast as a whole created a vocal blend that was especially pleasing to hear, and they successfully tackled each difficult harmony. Choreography was simple yet creative, and while not always unified, characters performed the steps with vigor.

The Charlie Brown Orchestra for Annandale’s production well-supported the cast without overpowering it, and all musicians avoided noticeable mistakes. Simple effects, such as flying kites, added to the believability of the show. While microphones sounded a bit shrill or fizzled out a few times, the performers’ clarity and zeal carried them through.

From start to finish, Annandale’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown uplifted the audience by skillfully portraying Charles Shultz’s classic “Peanuts,” all while conveying with touching honesty the simple humor and joy of childhood.

by Sophie Buono of Oakcrest School

Photo Gallery

Melissa Haberle (Sally), Harris Fitzgerel (Linus), Gwen Levey (Lucy), Deanna Gowland (Snoopy), Andy Riddle (Charlie Brown), Skye Lindberg (Patty), Debbie Aderton (Peggy-Jean), and Mark Slough (Schroeder)	Skye Lindberg (Patty), Gwen Levey (Lucy), Debbie Aderton (Peggy-Jean), Harris Fitzgerel (Linus), Mark Slough (Schroeder),and Andy Riddle (Charlie Brown)

Photos by Georgi Barker of Briar Creek Photography

Arsenic and Old Lace is an American play, written by Joseph Kesselring in 1939. It tells the tale of a pair of aunts who live together and have made a habit of poisoning lonely elderly gentlemen. Meanwhile, their nephews, each with their own oddities, deal with their own problems, which eventually become entwined with their aunts’ schemes.

Annandale’s theater department took this comedy and added modern day references to Stephen King and Betty White, while maintaining the original feel of this hilarious and dark play. In addition, little touches such as real liquid spilling out a glass made the show all the more believable. During one wildly amusing scene, all the stage lights but one were turned off, and mischief was let loose. Characters crept, and tripped around in the dark each with his own twisted motives.

Abby Brewster, one of the aunts, played by Laura Hackfeld had a high pitched giggle and flounced and bounced across the stage throughout the entire show. Martha, the other aunt, was portrayed by Gwen Levey. She glided across the stage with undeniable flair, and spoke with a realistic and consistent accent. Both aunts were cheerful, bubbly, and constantly forcing us to question how such sweet old ladies could be killers.

Teddy Brewster, the aunts’ nephew, was played by Andy Riddle. Convinced that he is President Roosevelt, Teddy continually raced up the stairs with a loud “chaaaarge!” People often humored him, for example, even the local police officers saluted him and address him as “Mr. President.” Riddle’s energetic stage presence and loud trumpet blasting, added additional humor, and kept everyone in the Brewster neighborhood awake.

Mortimer, the aunts’ cynical playwright of a nephew, was played by Max Talley. His delayed reaction when he discovered a body was priceless, as he struggled to process what was happening. Taking the direct approach, he exclaimed “there’s a body in the window seat!” only to have his aunts reply with a delighted giggle, “oh yes dear! We know!” Talley’s facial expressions and jumpy disposition demonstrated his utter disbelief in the events that transpired throughout the show.

Each aunt wore flowery, and busy patterned dresses that matched their scatterbrained minds. In addition, in one scene, they both emerged wearing ornate funeral clothing. The set was incredibly visually appealing. It was covered with ornate plates, antique picture frames, embroidered cushions, flowered and yellowing wallpaper, a large grand staircase,and a shining grandfather clock.

Annandale’s Arsenic and Old Lace erupted with hysterical characters from the moment the curtain opened. It made living in a murderer’s house seem actually appealing… well, almost.

by Olivia Meyer of Oakton High School

Photo Gallery

Laura Hackfeld and Gwen Levey	Laura Hackfeld, Gwen Levey, Alex Lash
Steven Aderton, Max Talley,Cody Stewart	Betsy Cohan-Lawson, Debbie Aderton, Andy Riddle
Gwen Levey, Max Talley, Laura Hackfeld, Alex Lash

Photos by Giorgi Barker

The weekend, Annandale High School performed The Mousetrap, a murder mystery written by Agatha Christie. This play originally premiered in London in 1952 and has been running continuously since then. It is the longest running play in history, with more than 24,000 performances to date.

The story begins with a young couple, Giles and Mollie Ralston, who have started running a guesthouse in a converted manor. The guests arrive, along with a detective investigating a recent murder in London who has evidence the killer will strike again at the manor. Before long, one of the guests is killed, and those who remain are unable to leave because of a raging snowstorm.

Tori Gowland played the charming protagonist as wife and hostess Mollie Ralston. From the moment she walked onstage, she exuded elegance with her perfect posture and crisp diction. From loving and tender to conflicted and suspicious, Gowland portrayed a wide range of complex emotions with grace, using body language and facial expressions to convey the character’s internal struggle. Her commanding performance was integral to the cohesiveness of the show.

Though the play was dramatic, the mélange of eccentric characters brought an element of comedy to the otherwise haunting plot. The flamboyance of Christopher Wren (B. J. Odom) and Mr. Paravacini (Elliot Kiemel) illuminated each scene with their comedic prowess. Odom played a bizarre yet lovable young man with a propensity towards lying and snooping. His over-the-top movements and quick wit had the entire audience laughing. Kiemel, with his nearly flawless Italian accent, was equally entertaining as the uninvited guest who finds the tension of murder incredibly amusing.

As a whole, the technical aspects of the show were aesthetically pleasing. The set was fantastic with antiquated wood tables and forest green walls giving it the feel of the perfect winter getaway. The costumes were well-constructed and impeccably fit the 1940’s style. Although some props seemed out of place in the time period, most of them, especially the paintings on the walls and the flowers on the tables, added to the ambiance of the scene. The technical crew’s commitment to detail was clear, especially when the characters came in with their shoulders and hair dusted with fake snow.

With powerful acting and meticulous attention to detail, Annandale’s performance of The Mousetrap had the members of the audience constantly on the edge of their seats.

by Samantha Schipani of Thomas Jefferson High School

The Crucible is a highly renowned theatrical piece by Arthur Miller, known for its thought provoking depiction of the Salem Witch Trials. The curtains open on a child sick in bed, with her father, also the reverend of Salem, praying for her soul. The reverend has suspicions that his niece and other girls of the town have been practicing witchcraft, leading to numerous unexplainable, eerie sicknesses. From here, the play follows the lives of the wrongly accused, and the journey to try to rectify immeasurable wrongs.

While some of the cast were not particularly dedicated to their performance, a few stood out as exceptional. One of these was John Odom, playing John Proctor. His unusual, witty, and sarcastic portrayal of a character usually played simply as an irate farmer was inventive and pleasantly surprising. He and Michelle Kinzer, who played Elizabeth Proctor, had a clear understanding of their characters’ relationship as man and wife, which made their interactions both excellent and believable.

The majority of the supporting cast played their parts with conviction and vigor, although some were lacking energy. One of the better-played supporting roles was by BJ Odom as Reverend John Hale. Odom’s portrayal was of an awkward man torn between conflicting beliefs and differing perspectives of the world. Odom’s performance merited many laughs, and was amusing to watch.

Most technical aspects of The Crucible were well-executed and added to the foreboding mood of the play. Some of the modern hairstyles, and inconsistency of costumes, including the wearing of bonnets made the play seem much less period-appropriate, and in some scenes detracted from the performances. However, the lighting crew of Yaritza Pacheco and Alex Forsley enhanced the feeling of the play with good choices. Increasing the intensity of red lights to show the work of the devil and artistically placed lights made it seem as if the prison cell’s only light really was a solitary lamp in the corner, casting shadows and doubts over reason.

With many masterful performances, and innovative new takes on a well-established classic, Annandale High School’s production of The Crucible was a skillfully performed show, and was well worth seeing.

by Kaylee Shuey of H-B Woodlawn

During a tornado, Dorothy is swept from her comfortable home to the bizarre world of Oz, where she befriends the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Lion. All four join together with a common goal to find the all-powerful Wizard, whom they think can grant them what they seek the most. Once they arrive at Oz, the Wizard sends them off on the seemingly impossible quest to kill the Wicked Witch of the West and bring back the stolen golden cap. Luckily, the evil witch is water-soluble and the four friends successfully eliminate her and then journey back to the Emerald City, where they learn some surprising things about the Wizard and eventually get their desires of home, heart, brain and courage.

This production was perfect for a young audience with its bright colors, characterizations, and energy.

Lauren Kinch looked exactly like Dorothy and carried the show whenever she was on stage. She had fitting facial and body language and carried off a complete performance.

John Odom had perfect characterization as the Wizard. He was able to pull off the challenges of the role, such as in the scene when the four friends first requested their respective wishes, and he could only act with his voice, unseen by the audience. He left the audience laughing repeatedly and had fantastic chemistry with all of the other characters on stage.

Julie Jurenas portrayed the Wicked Witch of the West and she completely brought this malevolent character to life. She commanded with her convincing stage presence and triumphant evil laugh, moving the story on solidly. Although there were a number of breaks in character among the cast members, most of them seemed to have a firm understanding of their respective roles.

The set, designed by Tyler Young, was simple, but effective. He used varying colors to show different settings: green for the Wizard’s palace and yellow for the Witch’s castle. The scene changes were spotless, completely unheard and unseen by the audience, which was no small feat for a high school performance. The technical aspects in general were a very good addition to the show.

Annandale’s cast put on a show that playfully appealed to a child-like mentality. Though it is true that “there’s no place like home,” it was a good choice to venture out on this cold night and see this production.

by Alex Riehle of Thomas Edison High School

The Boy Friend, a lovable yet corny spoof of the musicals of the 1920’s, is set on the French Riviera. It follows the story of a wealthy student at Madame Dubonnet’s Finishing School for Girls named Polly and her dream of finding a boyfriend. A few dances, songs and proposals later has Polly in the arms of Tony a phony messenger boy and her true love.

Written by Sandy Wilson, The Boy Friend marked Julie Andrews’ critically acclaimed Broadway debut. The original production ran for a little more than 2,000 performances and was briefly the third-longest running musical in the history of both West End and Broadway.

Kelsey Blanco‘s portrayal of the boyfriend-longing, Polly, was enjoyable. Whether flirting with her new-found boyfriend, or coercing Hortense to keep her relationship with Tony a secret, Blanco consistently stayed in character and possessed the apprehension and excitement needed to believably play any girl in love for the first time. Danny DeVera was convincing as the love-stricken Tony, and his heel-clicks and other maneuvers entertained the audience. Both voices blended nicely together especially on the song “I Could be Happy With You.”

Natalie Schwien provided a cute characterization as Maisie and exhibited great chemistry with her counterpart Bobby (Eric Jurenas). Although some accents faded in and out, Jenni Patton’s accent never wavered. Her portrayal of the maid, Hortense was on the mark and often had the audience bursting into laughter.

The elegant Madame Debonnet was portrayed by Alaina Talley. Her flawless French accent, amazing soprano voice, and vivid facial expressions allowed her to capture the heart of the audience especially in the song “Poor Little Pierette.”

In most dances, choreographed by Becky Lallande and Rachel Wattenbarger, the ensembles lacked a certain cohesiveness. An exception to this were the songs “Nicer in Nice” and “Safety in Numbers.” Both songs showcased the vocal talents of Jenni Patton and Natalie Schwien and were complimented by the energy and dancing of the male ensemble.

The set by Mike Farmer was beautifully designed and reminiscent of the time period. Whether at Madame Dubonnet’s finishing school for young girls, by the seaside or on the terrace of cafe Pataplon, the set provided the actors with plenty of space to maneuver.

Despite some energy lacking on stage from time to time and a few trifles here and there, I will not “Fancy Forgetting” Annandale’s production of The Boy Friend anytime soon.

by Steve Einhorn of Robert E. Lee