Based on the popular novel published in 1971 the play Go Ask Alice, written by Frank Shiraz, details the tragic story of a teenage girl, Alice, who gets mixed up in the drug scene and must face the dire consequences of it for the rest of her life. Not an easy show for any group to undertake, Dominion High School’s cast of Go Ask Alice tackled the show with commitment and earnestness.

Ashlyn Rock (Alice) played the lead convincingly, effectively transitioning from an unsure, impressionable teenager, to a girl completely under the influence of drugs, to a more regretful, older teenage Alice. An especially notable scene was her last, accidental LSD high, where she believes she is covered in worms. Ashlyn Rock’s dedication and energy in this scene made it quite believable.

A standout was Annie Begley, who played her two roles, Alice’s Mother and the drug-using Jan, admirably. She was able to make these two unique characters distinct with her different physicality and nuances for each. As Jan, she showed complete commitment to a cunning drug abuser, and as Alice’s Mother, she managed to convincingly play the character’s age and attitude with poise. Her expression of grief at the end of the show was especially well done through her disbelief and shrill voice.

Other featured actors were Stephanie Whitehouse (Chris) and Kathryn Allen (Jill). Stephanie Whitehouse’s portrayal of Alice’s best friend Chris was genuine and nuanced, showing a believable friendship between the two. Kathryn Allen’s rendering of the nasty and manipulative Jill was also quite authentic, and her commitment to her full character was strong throughout.

The show’s well-decorated set of Alice’s room effectively added to the production. Lighting changes from a simple blue cyclorama to the rainbow psychedelic background while the characters were high was a good touch as well. Though some blackouts in between scenes were a little lengthy, the music that played during them was an enjoyable feature of the production. There was one unfortunate blackout in the middle of a scene; however, the cast did an impressive job of seamlessly picking up where they left off.

Dominion High School’s production of Go Ask Alice had some moving moments, such as scenes showing the sisterly bond between Alice and her younger siblings, Alexandria (Emily Lambert) and Tiffany (Samantha Farmer). Though some moments of tension fell a little flat, the cast showed commitment to its characters and the show, and kept up energy throughout.

In Dominion High School’s production of Go Ask Alice, the cast undertook a challenging show with poise and vigor. Tackling such sensitive subject matter is no easy task, and Dominion High School did a commendable job with their production of Go Ask Alice.

by Rebecca Frank of TC Williams

Photo Gallery

Ashlyn Rock as Alice and Geoffrey MacRae as Mr. Aberdeen	Geoffrey MacRae, Emily Lambert, Ashlyn Rock, Annie Begley, Samantha Farmer
Ashlyn Rock and Annie Begley

Photos by Mrs. Amy Young

Opening off-Broadway in 1982, Little Shop of Horrors tells the tale of Seymour Krelborn, the young botanist who spends his days sweeping the floors of Mushnik’s Flower Shop, creating hybrid plant species and silently vying for the attention of one high-pitched, blonde beauty queen named Audrey, who also works at the shop. To win over the affection of Audrey and save the floral shop from foreclosure, Seymour creates what he believes to be a botanical masterpiece, a Venus Flytrap-esque shrub named Audrey II, after the beautiful girl with whom Seymour is in love. Before long, Audrey II has drawn in hoards of publicity for the once-dying flower shop, reigning in well-paying customers and interested reporters. Seymour becomes a celebrity, but not without paying a price. Audrey II eats only human flesh and demands that Seymour kills off various characters to feed him. Seymour does as he is told, starting with Orin Scrivello, the sadistic dentist and Audrey’s abusive boyfriend. From there, Audrey II persuades Seymour to feed him more bodies, eventually taking over Mushkin’s Flower Shop and then the world with its grossly carnivorous tendencies.

The Dominion High School production boasted a vocally strong cast, exhibiting undeniable talent through perfectly pitched renditions of well-known numbers. A live student band added an energetic aspect to the show, although at times it overpowered the actors.

James Allen was the delightfully meek Seymour and embodied the gentleness and naiveté of such a neutral, unsuspecting character quite well. Sophomore Cindy Lloyd carefully paired the Barbie-like qualities of Audrey with an endearing realism, expressing Audrey’s materialistic desires of living “Somewhere That’s Green” with a reasonable amount of depth. Lexie Gruber did a stellar job in the traditionally male role of Mushnik, mastering a New York accent and displaying impressive vocal talent. However, while individual actors often shone, the show fell short of energy in larger musical numbers.

Charming the audience with his crazed laughter, animated facial expressions, and dramatic delivery of lines was Joao Versos as the manipulative, maniacal Audrey II. Versos was magnetic to watch and delightful to hear, with his show-stealing energy and powerful voice. Even with his face covered in makeup and body hidden under a cloak of leaves, Versos had the strongest performance in production.

Detailed props added to many scenes, particularly in Orin Scrivello’s dentist office. Signs reading “The Doctor is In(Sane)” and various creatively designed tools made an otherwise ordinary backdrop lively and interesting. Furthermore, the creativity displayed in the creation of Audrey II was spectacular. The demonic plant was decorated with various flowers, leaves, and moving limbs that were separately operated by members of the tech crew.

Although Seymour, Audrey, and others eventually met their demise at the hands of the evil Audrey II, the audience of Dominion High School’s production of Little Shop of Horrors left the theater all the better because of it, having just enjoyed an impressive display of talent and an entertaining evening of musical comedy.

by Mary Long of Langley High School

Photo Gallery

James Allen (Seymore), Cindy Lloyd (Audrey), and Chris Sandoval (Orin)	James Allen, Cindy Lloyd, Lexie Gruber
Joao Versos (Audrey II, Pod III), Cindy Lloyd (Audrey), James Allen (Seymore), and Chris Sandoval (Orin)	James Allen, Chris Sandoval, Cindy Lloyd, Lexie Gruber
James Allen, Joao Versos, Cindy Lloyd

Photos by Amy Young

Casts of nominated shows and the performers of nominated songs presented musical numbers as well as scenes from the nominated plays. The entire show will be aired on Cox Cable “Red Apple” Channel 21 beginning the week of July 2 and will continue throughout the summer.

Throughout the year, the Cappies program is driven by hundreds of area high school theater student critics who attend each others’ shows, write reviews, and serve as Cappies awards judges.

The Gala ceremony was marked with excitement and encouragement. There was never a sense of competitiveness or negative reactions as any of the Awards were announced.

Westfield High School received ten awards, including Musical for their production of Crazy For You. McLean High School received five awards, including Play, for A View From the Bridge.

Rising Critic

• Julian Sanchez, Westfield High School

Returning Critic

• Madelyn Paquette, McLean High School

Madelyn Paquette also was awarded the first Washington Post Critic Award.

Graduating Critic

• Joseph Biagini, Westfield High School

Critic Team

• McLean High School

Marketing and Publicity

• Kyle Norfleet, Michelle Slivinski, Jenny Rubin, Caitlyn Herron, South Lakes High School, West Side Story

Sound

• Alex Allen, Lydia Carroll, Lindsay Worthington, Walt Whitman High School, Frankenstein

Lighting

• Nikolas Allen, Andrew Elman, Walt Whitman High School, Frankenstein

Stage Crew

• Walt Whitman Stage Crew, Walt Whitman High School, Frankenstein

Sets

• Walt Whitman Set Crew, Walt Whitman High School, Frankenstein

Costumes

• Ana Mendelson, Abby Deatherage, W. T. Woodson HS, Alice in Wonderland

Make-up

• Brianna Weiner, W. T. Woodson HS, Alice in Wonderland

Props

• Rita Fair, Jordyn Stewart, Mount Vernon, Blithe Spirit

Special Effects and or Technology

• Brian Clarkson, Walt Whitman High School, Frankenstein

Orchestra

• “Crazy for You” Pit Orchestra, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Choreography

• Colby Dezelick, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Creativity

• Arjun Baxter, Composer, W. T. Woodson HS, Alice in Wonderland

Ensemble in a Play

• The Mechanicals, Robinson Secondary School, Ken Ludwig’s Midsummer/Jersey

Ensemble in a Musical

• Follie Dancers and Cowboys, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Featured Actress

• Kaity Hinojosa, Langley High School, The Crucible

Featured Actor

• Mitchell Buckley, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Female Dancer

• Corinne Holland, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Male Dancer

• Nikko Custodio, South County Secondary School, West Side Story

Female Vocalist

• Ariana Kruszewski, South Lakes High School, West Side Story

Male Vocalist

• Sam Allen, Dominion High School, Pippin

Comic Actress in a Play

• Virginia Coffield, St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, Fools

Comic Actor in a Play

• Kamau Mitchell, HB Woodlawn Secondary Program, The Foreigner

Comic Actress in a Musical

• Alexandra Nicopoulos, Fairfax High School, Sweeney Todd

Comic Actor in a Musical

• Ian Peterson, Stone Bridge High School, Anything Goes

Supporting Actress in a Play

• Mia Amado, Woodbridge Senior High School, The Miracle Worker

Supporting Actor in a Play

• John Downey, Chantilly High School, I Remember Mama

Supporting Actress in a Musical

• Michelle Radcliffe, Heritage High School, Legally Blonde the Musical

Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Joseph Biagini, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Lead Actress in a Play

• Lexie Shoaibi, McLean High School, A View From the Bridge

Lead Actor in a Play

• Damian Leverett, McLean High School, A View From the Bridge

Lead Actress in a Musical

• Sean Pugerude, Paul VI Catholic High School, Hello, Dolly!

Lead Actor in a Musical

• Colby Dezelick, Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Song

• Brotherhood of Man, James Madison High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Play

• McLean High School, A View From the Bridge

Musical

• Westfield High School, Crazy For You

Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin was originally written in 1972, inspired by (but not historically accurate in portraying) the life of Pippin the Hunchback. The show enjoyed great success on Broadway, running for nearly 2,000 performances (becoming one of the longest-running shows ever in the process), and is still considered today to be one of the most noteworthy musicals of the 1970s. The show itself is often considered to be “cute and harmless” by many, but if done correctly can come off as quite surreal.

The plot of the show centers on Pippin (Sam Allen), a young prince, and his quest to find his purpose in the world, venturing into territories such as war, sex, and religion in order to do so. Eventually he meets, and falls in love with, the widow Catherine (Kaitlyn Salazar). Additional characters include Pippin’s father King Charles (Cody Ferry), his conniving stepmother Fastrada (Taylor Allewelt), and his dim-witted stepbrother Lewis (James Allen). This plot is presented as a show that is being put on for the audience’s entertainment, which is overseen by the Lead Players (Melissa Caracciolo and Nikolle Holland) that was originally written as a single male role, but split into two female ones for this performance.

By far the most impressive vocalist of the cast was Sam Allen, who displayed incredible vocal talent in his performances of such songs as “Extraordinary” and “Corner of the Sky.” Additionally, Salazer showed great passion in her moving performance of “I Guess I’ll Miss the Man.” Another noteworthy cast member was Grace McKinley, who as Pippin’s grandmother Berthe led the audience in a joyful sing-along in “No Time at All.” All three were aided tremendously by the Dominion Pit Orchestra, which rarely missed a note throughout the length of the show.

The acting portion was dominated by Allewelt and James Allen, in their portrayals of two royal family members looking to get their hands on the throne. Allen displayed tremendous physicality as a battle-hungry idiot, and Allewelt managed to balance out the concepts of a loving wife and a scheming seductress quite well.

The show is meant to have an anachronistic feel to it, and both costumes and props helped convey this. The props in particular served their job quite well, even if the majority of them were used by being tossed across the stage.

Unfortunately, no show can be perfect, and this is no exception. Despite its high points, the ensemble as a whole seemed unfocused, although a few managed to keep in character throughout the play. Additionally, some of the vocalization seemed weak and off-key, but this may just be in comparison to the stellar talent mentioned earlier.

Regardless of these few shortcomings, Pippin came off as an enjoyable production. Even if many today view the show as a weak distraction, the Dominion students were able to pull off an entertaining spectacle. In the end, the show made good on the Leading Players’ invitation to “come and waste an hour or two.”

by Jacob Savage of South Lakes High School

Photo Gallery

Melissa Caracciolo, Nikolle Holland, Cindy Lloyd and Elizabeth Pittman	Sam Allen, Melissa Caracciolo, Nikolle Holland, Taylor Allewelt, James Allen
Sam Allen, Melissa Caracciolo, Nikolle Holland, and Ensemble

Photos by KC Holland

Harvey, the notorious invisible pooka, is the titular character in Mary Chase’s 1944 play. Best friends with Mr. Elwood P. Dowd, he causes a lot of mischief he never intends. The story centers on Mr. Dowd, a lovable man in his forties with an invisible friend, and the struggles of his family to understand him. They attempt to have him committed into a sanatorium, which sets off a whole chain of events that are finally righted when Mr. Dowd’s sister, Veta, realizes that Elwood is perfect the way he is, Harvey or no Harvey.

The production benefited greatly from a devoted leading man, Ty Sheedlo as Mr. Elwood P. Dowd. Spacy and sweetly carefree, Dowd obliviously avoided confrontation until it seemed an impossibility that he would ever be caught. Most impressively, whenever Sheedlo ‘spoke’ to Harvey, it truly seemed like he was present. Sheedlo made everyone a part of the delusion, made it easy to partake in Dowd’s madness, and even to love it.

Stephanie Booth as Veta Louise Simmons was just as endearing as her brother. Fussy but caring, Booth accurately portrayed what a woman with a mad brother living in the 1940s would be like. Even though she obviously knew he was mad, she chided Myrtle Mae (Nikole Holland) with becoming gentleness, a soft spoken manner that gave way to her later emotions.

Inessa Oelschalger and Arta Seyedian as Nurse Ruth Kelly and Dr. Sanderson, respectively, had lasting chemistry. Constantly bickering and arguing, they added a romantic comedy element to the show. While there were some issues with over and under acting, the cast remained focused and delivered a memorable performance.

Sound cues (Andrew Subowo) and lighting cues (Lauren Nibert) were perfect and on point. Every time the telephone rang, or a buzzer was pushed it was synchronized, as well as the lights dimming exactly when Wilson moved the dial. Some technical aspects could have been more focused and quicker, but they did not greatly detract from the show.

Dominion High School’s performance of Harvey was endearingly quirky and spoke to the inner child in everyone.

by Amber Holder of G.C. Marshall

Grease is a 1972 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey illustrating the lives of a group of working-class kids who attend Rydell High School in 1959. The original Broadway production of Grease directed by Tom Moore opened on June 7, 1972 and completed a record setting 3,388 performance run. Since then the show has had many revivals and nationwide tours including the 2008 tour which features American Idol winner Taylor Hicks as Frenchy’s Guardian Angel.

Danny Zuko, the leader of the T Birds and local heartthrob, was played by Erik Abrahamsen, whose dedication to character was commendable. Abrahamsen had many nicely executed acting moments as the love struck boy trying to keep his tough image. Rachel Weber portrayed Zuko’s love interest and the new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski. Throughout the show, Weber embodied Sandy’s innocence, and yet, at its close, believably transitioned into a gregarious coquette.

Sam Allen, who played the character of Roger, deserves great accolades for his show-stopping vocal abilities. Allen’s performance in the songs “Mooning” and “Rock n’ Roll Party Queen” made each one a highlight of the production. His voice was something to remember. Another notable performance was that of Ty Sheedlo as Sonny LaTierri, who commanded attention each time he appeared onstage. His commitment and ridiculous character choices provided for an exceedingly comedic presentation. Stephanie Booth, in her roll as Jan, also deserves praise for wonderfully executed comedic timing and characterization. Other noteworthy performances included Inessa Oelschlager as Rizzo and Shannon O’Rourke as Patty Simcox.

The relationships created in the ensembles were by far the strongest point of the show. Although each character could hold his or her own individually, when accompanied by their gang members, they truly thrived. The Pink Ladies were fantastically obnoxious and provided for a cohesive ensemble, and as their counterpart, the T Birds perfectly embodied a group of eccentric teenage boys who always seem to be fooling around.

Although the show had its fair share of difficulties, missed lines, and overextended scene transitions, the cast and crew did a nice job of recovering quickly and keeping the show moving. Overall, Dominion High School’s production of Grease was an enjoyable presentation, bringing back the early sounds of rock and roll, when hair gel, leather jackets, and Elvis tunes were never in short supply.

by Emily Howell of Westfield High School