Sarah Beck portrayed the Samurai’s wife as traumatized, manipulative, and manic in varying versions of the story, with a natural physicality and an impressive bird call. Likewise, Liam Finn’s energy and variation in portraying Tajumaru was admirable. Monica Quintiliani provided comic relief and intrigue as the Wigmaker, her dramatic limp and maniacal expressions giving a boisterous energy to the darker nature of the show. Zach Newby provided an understated performance as the Husband, however his narration scene and death were very moving.

Though some performances seemed inconsistent, the show remained energized and engaging. The traditional dancing performed by the Medium and her Apprentices (Shoshi Massarik, Ava Chafin, and Sullen Kaufman) to bring the husband to life was skilled, synchronized and engaging.

The ancient Japanese setting was vivid and the show was visually stunning, with a minimalist set, skillful use of silhouette and perfectly cued, appropriate lighting. The sound of rain was present in every scene with the Priest and woodcutter, but never overwhelming. The testifying narrators were in the aisles of the stage, speaking to the audience as though they were the jury, and the costuming and make-up was stunning, particularly noting the decaying corpses at the steps of the Rashomon, the legs and filth of the woodmaker, and the scar across Tajumaru’s face.

Rashomon is a thought-provoking, carefully composed evaluation of truth’s place among good and evil, a difficult theme that Lake Braddock Secondary School undertook with vigor.

by Mary Holmcrans of Albert Einstein High School

Photo Gallery

Back row: Zach Newby. Front row: Sulleen Kauffman, Shoshana Massarik and Ava Chafin	Ally Savage, Monica Quintilaini (center) and Melissa Pampel
Sarah Beck	Back to camera: Zach Newby. Face to camera: Liam Finn
Tristan Pham

Photos by David Massarik

They play is a series of plays within plays and requires real commitment when most of the cast is playing multiple roles. One of the more notable actors was Nick Edwards who captivated the audience as a “Madman” and made them laugh later as The Kadi, listing off a bunch of things that supposedly fit into one small bag, including a pregnant cat and cow. Edward’s physical comedy was matched by that of Sarah Fick, who played Perfect Love, in a scene that showed their abilities to play off one another and the audience.

The cast as a whole spent a lot of time lounging just off stage watching the tales unfold. Some stayed in character and reacted throughout the whole show, especially Tony Talcott, who played Shahryar, the king who demands the stories. Even with the varied use of the theater, the cast as a whole was very easy to hear, regardless of whether actors were in the aisles or on the other side of the auditorium. The show also required a lot of lines that were to be said by more than one person. The cast clearly worked on the cadence of the words and, for the most part, were perfectly in time, something that was a joy to hear.

Visually the show was eye candy. The colors of the costumes were bright and vivid with a hint of sparkle, which really added to the theme. The lighting design for the show, by Megan Seibel, however, was really the show stopper. The creative use of eastern inspired lights suspended over the audience illuminated the scenes that occurred between the rows of audience members. The cyclorama at the back of the stage was a constant reminder of the time of day and the mood of the show. Other creative lighting choices included the use of strips of light to indicate a jail scene instead of using actual bars. This really furthered the idea that it was story-telling instead of planned performances.

The show kept the viewer involved by not being tied down to the stage and encouraging audience participation. The story-telling really came alive in this production, and Mary Zimmerman’s subtle political message was portrayed right up to the very end.

by Heather Storeide of Thomas Jefferson High School

Originally written in 1897 by Abraham (or more commonly Bram) Stoker, the story follows the two couples who’s lives are inadvertently thrown into the mix when Dracula (Jimmy Day) takes a fancy to and drains the blood of the two female protagonists. Aided by vampire hunter and doctor Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (Bob Sayed), the two men fight to stop the transformations of their beloveds and save them from a hellish end. Using the script adaptation created in 1996 by Steven Dietz, Lake Braddock Secondary school brought the story to the stage.

As the devious and dastardly vampire, Jimmy Day seemed to maintain his Transylvanian accent, oozing the stereotypical portrayal of the famous Dracula, whether by flourishing his red and black cape or commanding his victims to do his bidding. Playing one of the first characters to fall prey to Dracula’s clutches, Ilana Naidamast as Miss Lucy Westenra performed fantasticly, managing even to make lines out of silence during the doctor’s proposal scene. And when she finally succumbed to her vampire-tic urges, the transformation from a girl crossed in love to a blood-thirsty monster was believable in every way. To lighten the mood of a very dark play, C.J. Tragakis played Mr. Randolph Montgomery Renfield, bringing laughter into the show with his quick mood changes and pitiful groveling. Bob Sayed as Dr. Van Helsing was able to use his voice to command the attention of both actors and audiences alike without the typical screaming of an angry man. In all, the actors and actresses seemed to find the energy of the show in each other, exuding emotion and believability when interacting amongst each other.

Lighting in the show created great shadows on the cast, throwing some characters into darkness when their evil began to show through. Though some actors seemed to step out of the light on occasion, the heightened impact of lighting during the second act, the use of lighting to create a silhouette to the dark monsters of the story and as a red sunset as Dracula awoke, overshadowed the rare mistakes.

From screams to heartbeats, from the sound of the sea to the cry of a baby, sound effects added to the show, bringing an added layer to scenes while hardly ever being overbearing to the actor’s voices.

As a monster of legend who’s story has been adapted almost as many as one could count, Lake Braddock Secondary School’s rendition of the classical tale Dracula did well to present an old story in this new world.

by Rebecca Henenlotter of Oakton High School

Photo Gallery

Ilana Naidamast, Sarah Fick, and Jimmy Day	Sarah Fick as Mina, Jacob Gruber as Harker
Ilana Naidamast as Lucy	C. J. Tragakis as Renfield and Jimmy Day as Dracula
Bob Sayed as Van Helsing, Jacob Gruber, Luke Esper as Seward, Sarah Fick	Sarah Fick and Jimmy Day

Photos by David Massarik

Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy takes place in during a great war. Macbeth (Hisham El Mawan) along with Captain Banquo (Jimmy Day) is accosted by the Witches of Forres (Rachael Ulmer, Kimmi Johnson, Kate Bongiorno), who tell Macbeth of his future as the King of Scotland and Banquo as the man whose line will provide a line of kings. Spurred on by these predictions and Lady Macbeth (Noelle Viñas), he kills Duncan (Scott Koven), the current king, which starts the beginning of the end for him as he continues to kill in order to maintain power.

As Lady Macbeth, Noelle Viñas showed a surprising and refreshing range of emotion for a high school leading lady, from seductive motivator to Macbeth to deranged lunatic in her final onstage moments. Viñas’ energy was quite noticeable and made her appearances quite anticipated.

As the trio of wicked hags who bring forth Macbeth’s downfall, Rachael Ulmer, Kimmi Johnson, and Kate Bongiorno showed great mastery of often challenging roles. Showing great on- and off-stage chemistry, they were able to sync and succeed as the show’s notable ensemble as they traveled throughout the audience or crumbled in fear of Hecate (Sara Silversmith). A notable scene was their cauldron scene at the top of Act 2, revving interest up for the show’s remaining scenes.

The ensemble did a remarkable job with such a wordy and difficult play to perform in high school, regardless of the superstitions attached to it. Although diction had infrequent imperfections and some stage combat seemed less engaged at times, the cast did well to keep the audience engaged in the plot.

Hannah Dubrow‘s dramatic lighting heightened the tense emotions of the play’s script, using well-timed lighting effects as well as rueful reds on scenes such as Macbeth’s beheading. Dubrow helped to promote the air of a land on the cusp of disparaging anarchy achieved by Alex Kaplan‘s post-apocalyptic set design, including working computer screens along the stage which followed the witches and Lady Macbeth in choice scenes.

From witches to murder, this play is a complex and challenging work to perform, especially in a high school setting. Lake Braddock took off with this challenge and succeeded in bringing Macbeth into the 21st century and maintaining the story that has entertained audiences for centuries. It isn’t foul to applaud the hard work of this cast and crew, and it isn’t fair for one to miss their exhibition of it either.

by Colleen O’Brien of Fairfax High School

Written in 1947, the play received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and opened on Broadway the very same year. Four years later there was a film adaptation and in 1995 there was even an opera performed. The symbolism behind the show is what makes it so poignant. Blanche, a Southern Belle, comes down to New Orleans to stay with her sister Stella and her husband Stanley. The audience learns that both sets of characters have incredibly dark secrets, which they withhold from one another.

From the second he walked onstage, Kit Benz brought all the fire that was needed for Stanley Kuwolski – and some fuel to keep it going. Not once did he anticipate a line, or slip out of character, and he knew exactly what he wanted in each scene. His chemistry with Stella (Catharine Kuntz) was developed and believable, giving their dramatic moments the necessary foundation to be broken. Benz brought comedy, stage presence, and incredible character work to the Lake Braddock stage as Stan.

In the opening image of the play, Noelle Viñas gave the spice and sass of Eunice consistently and realistically. She and her husband Steve (Ben Shannon) hilariously provided a bit of comic relief through their rocky marriage. But one who we cannot forget is Tom Mason, aka Mitch. Mason did a terrific job of distinguishing the change in his character after finding out about Blanche’s secret. His motives, physicality, and espescially vocal tones had all gone through a transformation.

The technical aspects of this show were, for the most part, flawless. A two-room house, a porch, and the stairs to the second level going up behind it fit the play perfectly. Furniture in the rooms reflected the time period, just as the lighting reflected the time of day and mood. Their great props included: real coke bottles, a real rotary phone, and craziest of all, real food!

Many of the students onstage seemed to have an issue when it came to vocal variation in their line delivery, in addition to living in the moment and not anticipating what would happen next.

A Streetcar Named Desire at Lake Braddock Secondary School had its ups and downs, but successfully brought us with them on that streetcar ride through New Orleans.

by Ellen Winter of Duke Ellington School of the Arts

The novel “The Island of Dr. Moreau”, written by H. G. Wells in 1896, was adapted for the stage by Troy Tradup. It tells the story of a scientist who transforms animals into human creatures. The story begins when Edward Prendick (Kit Benz) is shipwrecked on an island somewhere between Malaysia and Indonesia. Prendick is a biologist who wants to find some discovery outside of London. He finds himself on Dr. Moreau’s (Tom Mason) island inhabited by various strange creatures that must follow Moreau’s laws constantly to maintain their humanity.

As Edward Prendick, Kit Benz grasped the depths of his character with rich facial expressions to convey his emotions. Tom Mason, as Dr. Moreau, depicted the old mad scientist with great energy and emotion throughout the show. For the character Ellison Montgomery, Stephanie Ramsey used her poise and clear articulation to contribute to her role as the sidekick scientist.

Many supporting roles commanded attention on stage. One of these roles included the performance of M’Ling (Katie Baukin). Her vivid body language and dedication to her character never strayed during the show. Other vibrant performances included those of Noelle Vinas, as the Leopard Woman, and Allison Stein, as the Hyena Woman. Both conveyed the balance between the animal and man through their intense purrs, hisses, or laughter.

Overall, the ensemble work was effective, especially during the animal ensemble scenes. This ensemble worked well together and contributed to the eerie, frightening, and bleak atmosphere of the island. Each character created his or her own unique persona, but collaborated to make the scene effective.

Makeup designed by Sarah Purgal lit up the show with intricate designs and patterns for each face. Costumes by Hanane Abdalla were creative and imaginative assets to the show. Lights, by Raychel Trump, and sound, by Allison Stein, added to the dramatic effect. Stephanie Ramsey‘s set design was a necessity for this rugged island.

Some obvious set changes detracted from the show, but the speed of the stage crew was impressive. Although there were some problems with certain effects, the cast kept moving with great energy throughout the show.

This play raises a great question: “Are we not men?” Their surroundings and the instinct for survival contribute to the animals and the humans succumbing to drastic measures. The eerie, terrifying environment created in The Island of Dr. Moreau answers this question with captivating gore, intriguing mystery, and an intense climax. Lake Braddock successfully concluded that “Indeed, we are men.”

by Carolyn Darville of Bishop Ireton

In the opening moments of the show, the characters appear in mourning for the deceased former King Hamlet. This tableau was artfully staged and helped give exposition to a complex plot. Other blocking choices, such as the death of Ophelia (Katie Baukin) plunging from a diving board into the watery depths of a hooded ensemble, made powerful statements. Baukin played Ophelia with sentimentality and an eerily shimmering voice. Scenes between Doucette and Baukin revealed a level of maturity and intensity. Also of note were Jessie Holder (Gertrude) and Brandon Duncan (King Claudius) who played up the predatory nature of Claudius against the female Polonius (Jenny Fornoff) and Laertes (Allison Stein).

Aside from some distracting scene transitions, the show flowed almost seamlessly with the use of the projectors to show the ever present glow of the “Elsinore Industries Head Quarters” emblem, or the ghost of Hamlet’s father (Nathan Black) through Hamlet’s eyes, or as security monitors reflecting the action on the stage. Sets (Tami Grossman) and costumes (Sarah Purgal) contributed significantly to the interpretation of the production.
“Gertrude and Claudius” features Jessie Holder and Brandon Duncan.

Strong choices and a deep understanding of the text made Lake Braddock’s Hamlet a poignant modern take on the classic tragedy.

by Elizabeth Venz of Robinson. Photographs by Cindy Tiemann.

This review was written by a Cappies high school critic. The Cappies were founded in 1999, for the purpose of celebrating high school theater arts and providing a learning opportunity for theater and journalism students. You can learn more at cappies.com.