Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables was composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg and translated into English by lyricist Herbert Kretzmer. The musical debuted in Paris in 1980, and first graced Broadway in 1987. Since then, Les Mis has seen innumeral revivals all over the world, and has received Tony Awards for Best Musical, Book, and Score — it was also made into a hit movie in 2012, for which it won three Golden Globes.

Set in France in the early 1800s, Les Misérables follows Jean Valjean as he seeks redemption for stealing a loaf of bread, serving 19 years in prison, and breaking his parole in pursuit of a life of benevolence. In addition to being constantly hounded by his tormented parole officer Javert, Valjean is immersed in a pool of interesting individuals and impending revolution.

Jamie Brown played the cautious and kind-hearted Jean Valjean. With Les Mis being his first musical, Brown’s astonishingly gifted vocals were apparent in songs like “Bring Him Home,” where he hit difficult falsetto notes with ease, and had a genuine tenderness for all the other characters as Valjean. Opposite Brown, antagonist and tormented officer Javert was portrayed by Vinny Okechukwu in a way whose impeccably haunting vocals made viewers loathe and pity him at the same time.

Madame and Monsieur Thénardier (played by Aiden Orr and Alex Hoyle, respectively) brought a natural comedic relief every time they walked onstage. Their look and physicality had the whole house tickled as they tiptoed around the law and robbed just a few unsuspecting innocents along the way.

Despite some blocking and enunciation issues, the ensemble worked together as an incredibly cohesive whole, but still maintaining individuality by constantly working off of and helping each other as the show progressed, as well as punching meaningful tableaus and silhouettes. The most tight-knit group in the ensemble was that of the Students in the revolution. They took numbers like “Red and Black” and made them fun and unique by interjecting witty, improvised one-liners that made the audience feel like they had been good friends with these revolutionaries for years.

The set featured a turntable that soundlessly gave the audience a look at literally both sides of the story when it spun around to show aspects of a budding relationship, as well as the grim horrors of dead revolutionaries. In addition to the turntable was the famous barricade, which lit up in individual places and even smoked during battle scenes.

Heritage High School brought to the table a fresh interpretation to the second-longest running musical of all time. With a tremendously memorable rendition of Les Misérables, viewers will still be “hearing the people sing” when “tomorrow comes.”

by Zoe Hawryluk of Westfield High School

Photo Gallery

Devin Clawson and Lauren Gold	Students at the Barricade
Alex Hoyle, Aiden Orr	Lauren Gold as Eponine
Maria Regina, Devin Clawson, Jamie Brown

Photos by Rocco Tenaglia

Inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Jerome Robbins created West Side Story in 1957. As lyricist, Stephen Sondheim made his Broadway début in the production in the Tony-award nominated, Best Musical. Years after in 1961, the musical was adapted for film and won ten Academy Awards, including Best Film.

Set in 1960s New York City, West Side Story features two rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, set against each other by their opposing ethnicities. Despite their different backgrounds, star-crossed lovers, Tony (Devin Clawson) and Maria (Maria Regina), fall quickly in love, creating even greater tensions between the two gangs.

Devin Clawson and Maria Regina’s great chemistry displayed the head-over-heels love Tony and Maria fall into. Regina demonstrated her smooth, sweet voice in duets “Tonight” and “One Hand, One Heart.” In addition, Becky Schneider stole the show with her portrayal of Maria’s sister-in-law and close friend, Anita. Schneider had exquisite comedic timing throughout, brought out her sass in “America,” and sang a heart-wrenching duet with Regina. Also notable was Jet member Action, played by Liam Kittson. Kittson’s performance was energetic, eye-catching, and hilarious in the show-stopping number, “Officer Krupke.” A noteworthy cameo performance came from Sophy Meudt, who portrayed Glad Hand. Meudt provided extreme comic relief with her portrayal of the frazzled gym dance chaperone.

Choreographed by Giselle Tirado and Bella Tenaglia, the dances featured some of Jerome Robbins’ classic, original choreography, with a new, more technical twist. Dancing was especially strong in company numbers, “Dance at the Gym” and “America.” Tirado and Tenaglia themselves showed impressive skill when featured in all numbers.

The set (Matt Perkins, Audrey Villanueva, Devin Clawson, and Jake Rodriguez) included rolling wagons to create scenes in Doc’s, the Bridal Shop, and Maria’s Room, as well as, a functioning balcony, and a graffiti-covered backdrop. While simple, the set worked perfectly around the movement of the actors during the opening fight and the Rumble. Not only did the sets look appropriate but the stage crew moved all pieces on and off in a split second, keeping the action of the production constantly moving.

With striking choreography, high energy, and minimalist technical elements, Heritage High School reminded us that somewhere, there is a place for all of us.

by Madeleine Bloxam of Westfield High School

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

Based upon the novel and 2001 film “Legally Blonde,” with music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe and book by Heather Hach, the show opened on Broadway in April 2007. It closed on October 19th, 2008 after 595 performances, and was nominated for seven Tony Awards. The show also toured North America for three years and ran on London’s West End for four years, for which it received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. An important note about Heritage’s production is that it is one of only a few high school productions of this show in the country, and the first in Virginia.

The show revolves around Malibu-born sorority girl Elle Woods (Katie Blackburn), who believes she is about to be proposed to by her boyfriend Warner (JJ Engelbrecht). After Warner breaks up with her instead, Elle is determined to follow him to Harvard Law School to prove she’s “serious.” After being admitted, she fails to impress her Criminal Law professor Callahan (Garrett Hill) and finds out Warner is going out with another student. Fellow classmate Emmett (David Foulke) and hairdresser Paulette (Michelle Radcliffe) convince Elle to work hard to pass the class and win a prestigious internship with the professor’s law firm. Elle gets the scholarship, but after finding out that she only got it because the professor wants to hit on her, Elle is determined to prove that she can be both pink and a lawyer, and manages to win the case they were working.

Katie Blackburn does a very good job as Elle. Her voice was amazing, and she was able to maintain the same level of extremely high vocal energy throughout the entire show. She also managed to portray all of Elle’s idiosyncrasies without detracting from the other actors. Foulke played Emmett quite well, showing the progression of the character over time very clearly. A definite favorite of the audience was Kyle the UPS Guy (Zach Benson), as his sensuous manner attracted both Paulette and exuberant laughter from the audience. Most of the actors did a good job with stage presence and singing, but there were both standouts and some exceptions.

Almost all of the technical aspects were right on point. The orchestra, while very small, was able to perform the music well and true to the original production, although at some points the singing and accompaniment did not match. The lighting was generally well-executed, but there were a few spots on the stage that were in shadow for most of the show. The costumes are also worth mentioning, especially with the Delta Nu ensemble. The costume team managed to find outfits both in color and all white that matched almost exactly, something that is hard to do for a high school production.

Overall, Heritage High School did a very good job with the show. They took a show which has not been done many times by high schools, with high standards set by a movie, and delivered a high quality, interesting show. So whether there for the laughs or the music, the love or the pink, this show delivered.

by Jonathan Halverson of The New School of Northern Virginia

Photo Gallery

Katie Goodwin, Bella Tenaglia, Brianna Stokes	Zach Benson
Katherine Kettler, Christi Querry, Macy Magee	JJ Engelbrecht, Katie Blackburn

Photos by Rocco Tenaglia

Based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, this timeless classic composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein debuted on Broadway in March 1943 and was a huge hit at the box office. Set against the backdrop of Oklahoma’s quest for statehood in the early 1900’s, Oklahoma! tells the story of Curly and Laurey’s romance.

Christi McCarthy shined as the ingenue Laurey Williams. McCarthy’s angelic voice was pitch perfect and her captivating portrayal of Laurey was spot on. Brandon Spann played the male lead, Curly McLain. His energy was infectious and his vocals resonated with passion. Their duets were endearing and mesmerizing, especially in their duet “People Will Say We’re in Love.” The two actors had dynamic chemistry on stage, making their portrayals of their distinguished characters seem natural and believable.

Hannah Johnson clearly had a good grasp of Ado Annie’s character, charming the audience with her enthusiasm and lively vocals. In the role of Judd Fry-his vocals advanced far beyond his years-was Christian Meudt: each note was sung with pure perfection, each line delivered with clear motivation. Meudt and Johnson gave standout performances.

The always anticipated “Dream Ballet” was a medley of superbly combined dances, featuring choreographer Allison Perhach as Dream Laurey. Her dancing capability and the precision of her every move were stunning to watch. In addition to her fancy footwork, Perhach had fabulous facial expressions throughout. The Dream Ballet also featured an ensemble of dancers who never fell short of expectations.

Heritage High School’s production came to life with the energy and charisma produced by the entire cast as well as the pit band. The vocals meshed in perfect harmony, and everyone was in step throughout the elaborate dance numbers. The production even incorporated a children’s ensemble to join in on the big ensemble numbers such as “The Farmer and the Cowman” and the title song, “Oklahoma.” The enormous ensemble, though not flawless, never lost focus.

Though scene changes could have gone a bit more swiftly, in general, Oklahoma‘s technical elements-such as the simple but effective set, designed by Jack Martin, Garrett Hill and David Bates–added to the country feel of the production. The costumes were fabulous and fitting for the time period.

You just “Can’t Say No” to Heritage High School’s Production of Oklahoma!

by Margaret Murphy of Fairfax High School

Photo Gallery

Hannah Johnson, Raymond Calderon, Tyler Schulze	Brandon Spann, Christi McCarthy
Hannah Johnson, Raymond Calderon	Devon Isaac, Tyler Schulze
Christian Meudt	Allison Perhach, Tyler Schulze

Photos by JJ Engelbrecht and Rocco Tenaglia

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, My Fair Lady first opened on Broadway in 1956, with lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. In a timeless rags-to-riches story, Professor Henry Higgins vows he can turn even a common street urchin into a true lady through elocution lessons, but as upper-crust society falls for the charms of the Professor’s protégé, so does Higgins himself.

Leah Graefe‘s boundless energy and richly flowing vocals brought the character of Eliza Doolittle to life, convincingly making the transition from street waif to belle of the ball. As Henry Higgins, Teague Nicholson‘s eccentric mannerisms and elastic facial expressions made his character just as loveable as infuriating, even when delivering the most offensive lines. His smooth English accent, precise articulation, and tuneful singing were constant throughout the performance. As his loyal companion, Colonel Pickering, Christian Meudt was the perfect example of a dignified English gentleman.

Brandon Spann stole the show as Eliza’s cheerfully scummy ne’er-do-well father, with a drunken swagger, gravelly voice, and several pillows stuffed into his waistcoat. Also notable were Henry Higgins’ maids, whose pitch-perfect harmonies never wavered, and Nathan Eacker as an especially hard-working butler. The servants were equally excellent as stagehands, moving set pieces swiftly and smoothly.

The upper class, however, deserves just as much praise as the servants and beggars. The stiff, snobbish gentry maintained laudable straight faces throughout the Ascot Gavotte, the highlight of the performance. Higgins’ long-suffering mother, played by Carley Bates, alternately displayed humor, astringency, and compassion, and Jimmy Wheless‘ powerful singing voice stood out in his portrayal of Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Effective lighting by Blair Russell and Ben Tuttle further showcased the talent onstage.

The cast overall was dynamic and animated, though occasional over-the-top acting detracted from otherwise strong performances and some actors struggled with the different British dialects that the script required. At times, actors seemed unsure of what to do with themselves onstage, but others acted through every scene and song without a trace of awkwardness. Despite inconsistent levels of sound, most of the actors were easy to hear and understand.

“Why can’t the English learn how to speak?” Professor Higgins rants in the opening number. But the undeniably talented Heritage High School theatre department spoke and sang their way through My Fair Lady with barely a hitch. Even the famously finicky Professor Higgins would admit that “You did it, and the credit for it all belongs to you!”

by Megan Fraedrich of West Springfield High School

Disney adapted their classic 1998 animated movie, which featured such celebrities voice-overs as Eddie Murphy, into a Junior musical. In ancient China, another war calls for Mulan’s injured father to suit up for battle, but Mulan disobeys her father’s order and Chinese law by impersonating a son and claiming her father’s place. The soldiers must battle the brawling Huns, but soon enough, the men discover Mulan’s deep secret, forging her disgrace to her family and self. The Huns attack the Imperial City, much to the soldiers’ avail, but Mulan pops up to save the day, finally achieving honor for her family and self-realization that strict tradition was meant to be broken.

The cast did a fine job with their given resources of a Junior-translated musical, creatively staging the musical like Chinese presentational style. The vocals were on point, never weak or off-tune. However, the cast’s positive energy and interactions with each other lacked full commitment.

The innocent and spunky Mulan (Christi McCarthy) performed with an adorable sparkle, soaring cleanly through her songs. From his first eccentric steps on stage, Mushu (Brandon Spann) exuberated a funky attitude that was at a quality above the par. His lines and interactions never failed in comic delivery, yet Spann still managed to ignite convincing, whole-hearted chemistry along side McCarthy.

The crowd pleaser Chi Fu (Bennett Layman) oozed the essence of his hilarious, animated character. Layman perfected his side-splitting dainty body movements and shrill vocal inflections. The ensemble of the three Chinese soldiers worked cohesively together in a rousing “Girl Worth Fighting For”, singing powerfully and with a joyous comradery of true soldiers. Dancing included fluid lyrical leaps to jazzy swing partner lifts, but many dancers seemed off-synchronization, while some choreography appeared disjointed from the action and too difficult for the dancers’ ability.

The set was minimal, using items to layer the aesthetic motif of wispy watercolors, however some pieces looked unfinished and unpolished. Scene changes were discrete and simple, allowing the plot to pace quickly. The sound illuminated the actors’ voices well, but sometimes the sound gave feedback or changed inconsistently in volume.

Many musicals conjure stress into the hearts of many, but it was absolutely written in stone that Heritage High School would perform beautifully in their version of Mulan.

by Janice Van of South County