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

Oliver (Daddy) Warbucks, the steely billionaire industrialist turned adoptive father to the lovable orphan of the same name in the musical Annie, was not a role Ric Stroup expected to play.

Generally the North Virginia actor has been cast as the “comic relief” in a number of classic musicals, including Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls and Luther Billis in South Pacific. (He also played the occasional romantic supporting role — Charley in Brigadoon and Freddy in My Fair Lady — but those were less typical.)

Moreover, Stroup is a tenor, a lyric one at that. Aside from the dramatic considerations, he hesitated to audition for Main Street Theater’s production of the Tony Award-winning musical because the part really calls for a baritone.

But Stroup did take the plunge — and he’s glad he did. He even didn’t mind shaving his head for the part. (That was a tradition practiced by George Hearn, who starred in one of the show’s many revivals, and by Albert Finney and Victor Garber, who appeared in the musical film and TV movie, respectively.)

Stroup considers it serendipitous that he and his family happened to relocate to the area near Purcellville, where Karlah and Arthur Louis established the community theater in 2012. He was glad after a long hiatus — during which he and his wife raised four children, and he headed his own software company, traveling a lot — to be back in theater taking on roles he likes.

Daddy Warbucks fits the bill.

“I like the character,” Stroup said. “He transitions from a gruff businessman — who declares: ‘The only thing I cared about was money’ — to a guy infatuated with Annie. He changes his personality onstage.”

This was a challenge the actor took on willingly — ensuring that the transition in Warbucks’ character, voice, even the way he walks. be visible to the audience.

Stroup feels he’s accomplished what he set out to do. He is also gratified to have made, at least for this role, the transition to a more “straight-guy” persona.

“Plus,” Stroup added, “I’m a singer by trade, and I have a nice solo.” Oh, and yes, the songs in the musical turned out to be in his comfortable range.

While changing as Warbucks, the actor also realized something he hadn’t noticed before when viewing productions of Annie as an audience member. “Warbucks is a stoic, gruff man,” he pointed out. “But his staff really like him and are very loyal. That must mean something. He’s glad to be home.”

Except, initially, for finding a female orphan he hadn’t anticipated.

Part of the fun of doing Annie, of course, is sharing the stage not only with the canine Sandy but with colorful human characters, lovable and not. He calls sixth grader Teryn Cuocco, in the title role, “unbelievable, and doing a fantastic job.”

Karlah Louis directs and also stars as Miss Hannigan. A Helen Hayes Award Winner and Equity member, she toured with seven Broadway productions. Justin Mohay is her malevolent brother, Rooster. Alie Campbell, a 2013 CAPPIES Award Winner for Best Comedic Actress in a Musical and Best Make-Up, plays his ditzy girlfriend, Lily St. Regis. Tammy Lanham, a middle-school choral teacher, is Grace, Warbucks’ assistant and eventual love interest.

One challenge not unique to Stroup or to inhabiting the role of Daddy Warbucks is taking a very well-known show and injecting it with a sense of freshness.

“Nothing to it,” the actor claimed. “Do your research and watch other performers do the role,” he suggested. Then do your job and have fun. The audience will enjoy the show, even if they’ve seen it 20 times.”

His next gig is in the next Main Street Theater offering. Take Two… Say I Do is a humorous musical look at love and marriage. “I get to sing ‘Do You Love Me?’ (Fiddler on the Roof) with Karlah,” he smiled.

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

Leading the cast, Bateman’s portrayal of Macbeth complimented the stylistic theme of the play. Bateman reflected this unique Macbeth as a desperate, poor southern American in this futuristic, tumultuous land perfectly even when he first stepped on the stage. His embodiment of that themed archetype and energy brought the show to another level. Morton’s portrayal of Bateman’s opposite was enticing to watch as her raw instincts and choices were presented. The audience was carried on the emotional journey of Lady Macbeth as Morton subtly morphed her to the point of insanity. Though only heavily featured in the first three acts, Carlson’s performance as Banquo stole the show. The stage presence and naturalness of Carlson was astounding as she displayed a maturity in her craft beyond her years. Ian Peterson’s performance as Lord MacDuff was wonderfully heart-breaking as the audience could feel his despair permeate the air. The dedication, commitment, and thought Peterson made to his performance were clearly evident. The supporting actors of this production truly stole my attention and admiration.

The thought, emotion, and high-caliber of the backstage aspects of this show were above that of a typical high school performance. Adam Weiss’ composition for this production was hauntingly wonderful. He embodied the story and meaning so well that one could potentially only listen to his music for this show and still gain the full meaning and power of Macbeth. Sierra Carlson’s props, Aliya Qureshi’s hair and makeup, and Elizabeth Morton’s costumes all also displayed the same depth in consideration and portrayal of the story. Each piece was done intricately and interestingly so that it grabbed the audience’s eye yet congealed together to create unity in the atmosphere and style. The sound was easily heard throughout the show and the pre-recorded effects added an interesting and chilling twist to this stage play. It is very rare as much meaning and purpose put into technical aspects as Stone Bridge put in their production and the impact of this was powerful and deeply appreciated.

Stone Bridge High School’s interpretation of Macbeth is easily one of the most avant-garde Shakespeare productions on a high school stage. The time and dedication put into this show was truly evident and carried by the actors and technicians full-heartedly which allowed the modern style and tradition of Shakespeare to morph well. They have definitely achieved the chilling effect of a tragedy as a continued vision of the “golden round” moving on and on will surely continue to follow the audience members outside of the theater.

by Tessa Youngner of Heritage High School

Written in 1982 by Michael Frayn, Noises Off portrays the relationships of a group of actors performing an outright awful show called Nothing On. After premiering at the Lyric Theatre in London where it was granted the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy, the British farce continued on to New York in 1983. Noises Off was performed at the Brookes Atkinson Theatre on Broadway and after 553 performances, the slapstick comedy earned Tony nominations in several areas. Finally the show was awarded with a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble. In 1992 the stage production was sent to the big screen in a film adaptation by Marty Kaplan, staring big names such as Carol Burnett and Christopher Reeve.

Tuscarora High’s performance of Noises Off was notably one of the most entertaining productions of the year thus far. The play itself proved highly interesting due to its peculiar structure. The first act takes place during the rehearsal of Nothing On, the second act was played in silence backstage during a performance, and the third act closed the show of a production literally on its last leg. With the two worlds, the play-within-a-play Nothing On and the actor’s private relationships, beautifully intertwined by the small yet capable cast, the fast-paced British comedy commanded the stage.

Anchored by the dynamic acting of Stephen Coakley (Garry Lejeune) and Arianna Dudley (Mrs. Clackett), the actors playing in Nothing On lit up the stage and never once left the audience with a dull scene. Sean Phillips (Lloyd Dallas) portrayed a convincing director torn apart by a love triangle and a show where each rehearsal is worse than the last. A key member in this “behind the scenes” love affair was Carly Smith (Brooke Ashton), who delighted the audience with her ditzy persona and overall refreshing demeanor. An especially commendable aspect of this show was the actor’s dedication to physical comedy and perfect team work as a cast. Darby Pierce (Belinda Blaire) and Ben Fuhrmann (Tim Allgood), too, enchanted the stage with their dynamic comedic timing as well as their commitment to their complex characters.

The technical aspects behind this production were just as strong as the performing cast. From the creative set to the overdone props and the workable costumes, these facets only made Noises Off all the better. Notably, in Act 2 the set turned around to show the “behind stage” area, and the entire air of the show changed. Characters were free to portray themselves, relationships were discovered, and overall hilarity ensued. Not only was the entire set workable, but believable from the audience’s perspective as well.

Tuscarora High School’s rendition of Noises Off was nothing short of a side-splitting experience enjoyed by all, thanks to the incredible cast, and one that will not soon be forgotten!

by Sarah Midolo of Loudoun Valley HS

Photo Gallery

Colin Muldoon (Freddy/Philip)	Arianna Dudley (Dotty/Mrs. Clackett)
Ryan Phillips (Selsdon/Burglar)	Carly Smith (Brooke/Vickie) and Stephen Coakley (Garry/Roger)
Ben Fuhrmann (Tim)

Photos by Stephen Coakley

Nevermore! Edgar Allan Poe, The Final Mystery, written by Julian Wiles, premiered in 1994 with the Charleston Stage Company in South Carolina. Briar Woods High School’s rendition took the audience on an unforgettable traverse through the untamed mind of a harrowed poet. Edgar Allan Poe (Brandon Diaz) boarded a ship in Baltimore, setting sail for New York City, unaware that he would never reach its shores. On the contrary, Poe is little more than a captive on a hell-bound vessel captained by the devil (Alex Bertke) himself. Here a troubled man must fight to save his soul on a seemingly endless journey through poetry and nightmares or else face the consequences of an eternity “trapped on a ledge of his own imagination dangling between heaven and hell.”

Brandon Diaz captivated the fanatical, inebriated poet in his movement and posture as well as distant expressions that alluded to the cluster of thoughts constantly surging through Poe’s vivacious mind. Diaz applied diction to conceive clear, polished words that were audible to the audience’s understanding, despite the tricky language. Captain Jeremiah Reynolds (Cal Veatch) carried out a surprising plot twist that supplemented the looming darkness which seemed to surround Poe at every turn. Both Veatch and Bertke sustained energy and finesse throughout the entire course of the play, increasing an already sinister sense to their snide, malevolent characters. Prince Prospero (Christian Perez) instituted timely comic relief. Meanwhile Annabel Lee’s (Kayla Shroyer) soft character and voice was a light for Poe during desperate times. The Prince and Annabel provided a mollifying touch to an otherwise “midnight dreary” storyline.

The cast, sporadically lacking energy, rose to the occasion to generate suspense in scenes in which stakes were eminent, such as “Red Death” and “Nightmare Dance” (choreographed by Caitlin Gilligan). Lighting was regimented and judiciously correlated with the mood of the scene. Makeup lacked ingenuity, however, it was carefully applied. Although scene changes were long, running crew procured numerous props, such as sand, spinning set pieces, and furniture. The cast and crew worked exceedingly well to secure various appearing and disappearing acts, alternating actors and set pieces to simulate the allusion of a sudden appearance.

On the whole, Briar Woods High School’s production of Nevermore! indulged a resounding heartbeat in the swirling letters of Edgar Allan Poe’s soul, the echo forever lingering in the “kingdom by the sea,” casting the melancholy mystery across the audience of the tale of the poet and his beautiful Annabel Lee.

by Khrysgiana Pineda of Stone Bridge High School

Photo Gallery

Brittney Howard, Brandon Diaz, Jon Merlino	Brittnay Howard, Christian Perez, Kyra Meister
Nightmare Dance	Cal Veatch, Brandon Diaz

Photos by Connie Bertke

This Tony award winning musical, with book and lyrics by Greg Kotis and music by Mark Hollmann, opened with an invigorating cast that invited the audience in to the dismal, yet comedic, world of Urinetown. Urinetown: The Musical is full of strong characters that were played by even stronger actors and actresses who embraced their characters to the largest extent. For example, the powerful ensemble of The Poor put their heart into understanding and recognizing who their characters were. The vivacity of The Poor came across especially during the number “Run, Freedom, Run,” which was led by Drew Hare with an accessible amount of energy. The role of Hope Cladwell was played by Sarah Midolo, whose extensive facial expressions and on-point character mannerisms allowed for the audience to grasp her character’s development throughout the musical, from the innocent “Daddy’s Girl” to the new leader of the revolution.

With perfect comedic timing and expert usage of sarcasm, Jackson Lessler (Officer Lockstock) and Alie Campbell (Penelope Pennywise) stole parts of the show with their witty dialogue and extreme characterization. Campbell also stunned the audience with her gorgeous vocals in all of her solos, where not only was her vocal range impressive, but her ability to stay in character during large portions of songs as well. Assisting Jackson Lessler on stage to help narrate portions of the show was Alex Poirier who played Little Sally, where she showed much character growth throughout the show. Although their roles were smaller, they were not overlooked, as Molly Magoffin (Little Becky Two Shoes) and C.J. Thomas (Hot Blades Harry) who both stood out among the masses of the ensemble.

The tech for this show is not to be overlooked. The hair and makeup crew headed by Alie Campbell did a fantastic job using realistic looking makeup to create dirt stains on The Poor in contrast to the pristine detail work of the UGC Ensemble. The stage crew of Urinetown was expedient in every one of their movements. They were agile and fluid, changing scenes with an animated amount of life.

Loudoun Valley High School’s Urinetown pulled the audience into the odd futuristic world of paying to pee. The cast and crew never brought a dull moment to the stage, and appeared as though they were teeming with energy throughout the entire show. The chemistry of the cast was visible in the ways that they were comfortable interacting with each other in the background of larger scenes. Urinetown: The Musical leaked with the feeling of being alive, and allowed the audience to leave enjoying life a little bit more.

by Sam Roth of Briar Woods High School

Photo Gallery

Bobby Strong (Drew Hare) and Josephine ‘Ma’ Strong (Emily Jackson) sing ‘What is Urinetown?’	Officer Lockstock (Jackson Lessler) and Officer Barrel (Ashlyn Custer) lead the Urinetown police in ‘Cop Song’
Officers Barrel (Ashlyn Custer) and Lockstock (Jackson Lessler) prepare to seize Bobby Strong (Drew Hare) as ordered by Caldwell Cladwell (Patrick Dahlman)	The Poor of Urinetown stand behind Little Sally (Alex Poirier) and Bobby Strong (Drew Hare) as they lead the rebellion against higher public amenity fees in the ‘Act 1 Finale’
Little Sally (Alex Poirier), Bobby Strong (Drew Hare), and Hope Cladwell (Sarah Midolo) lead the cast of rebellious Poor in ‘Act 1 Finale’

Photos by Patty Schuchman Photography

Although there were a few bumps on the performance road, Run Rabbit Run Theatre’s production of The 39 Steps showed some creative effects that proved to be quite humorous. The play, which takes a funny look at the stories and movies of Alfred Hitchcock, opens with Richard Hannay (Phil Erikson) setting the stage for the show about to take place. His heavy British accent took some getting used to, but after a while it just became a part of his character. The action takes place before World War II, and involves some convoluted situations involving spies, murder, national security and romance. Four actors play over 100 roles, not counting the stage hands who played very minor roles in the closing scene.

Penny Hauffe played three of the female characters. She was able to make two out of the three characters distinctive by going from blond to brunette and changing her mannerisms from sultry to more annoyed, especially due to the fact that in the second act she spent a great bit of time handcuffed to Hannay. The two “clowns” were played by Kevin Daly and Tom Johnson. They had some of the funniest bits, including an airplane chase sequence and a frustrating flock of sheep. The audience did not always know how to react so at times the bits by the clowns was somewhat sluggish and carried on a little too long. However, most of the physical comedy was fun to watch.

The lighting was probably the biggest disappointment of the evening. One scene involved the owner of an inn and his “wife” having a conversation with a third-party. With the way that Director Meredith Bean McMath blocked the scene, they were both in a shadow and thus were both hard to see and hear as well, making the action happening onstage very difficult to follow. Several other scenes were oddly lit, or maybe just underlit. The costumes were colorful and period appropriate. The stage crew was extremely efficient with the many set changes and tweaks, with a few very funny bits, such as the town names visible from the train.

Although there were a few lighting and pacing problems, The 39 Steps was enjoyed by a good-sized audience with a cast that was comfortable and enjoyed creating an evening of laughter and merriment.

Photo Gallery

Hannay and Margaret (Phil Erickson and Penny Hauffe)	‘Anything suspicious, let us know, sir.’ ‘I will, Constable!’ (Tom Johnson at left with Kevin Daly).
‘Pulling the communication cord!’ Pamela (Penny Hauffe) and the Constable (Kevin Daly)	The Housekeeper (Kevin Daly) finds something nasty in the wingchair.

Photos by Dave Levinson

Cast

• Richard Hannay: Phil Erikson
• Annabella, Pamela, Margaret: Penny Hauffe
• Clown 1: Kevin Daly
• Clown 2: Tom Johnson

Crew

• Director/Producer: Meredith Bean McMath
• Technical Director/Lighting and Sound Designer: Garrett Milich
• Stage Manager: Annie Stokes
• Properties Master: Kaitlyn DeLitta
• Set Manager: Alex Tappan
• Crew: Kaitlyn DeLitta, Wes Gums, Alex Tappan
• House Manager: Cindy Hayden

Disclaimer: Run Rabbit Run Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

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

Based on the 1980 movie of the same name, the vivacious spirit of Fame took the stage under the direction of David De Silva, with book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. The musical made its debut in 1988 in Miami, Florida, as Fame on 42nd Street, and was later showcased in an Off-Broadway run from 2003 to 2004. Set in the context of the emerging artistic styles of the 80s, this show intertwines the individual challenges of eleven uncommonly talented students. As they grapple with the trials of their adolescence and of their art, these teens compete for the triumph of fame.

The spotlight of the night was stolen by Telos Fuller in the role of Tyrone, a dyslexic, macho dancer. From the moment Fuller first swaggered onto the stage, he had a gravitational presence, bolstered by his rich voice and pure suave. He carried the drama of the show, particularly in “Tyrone’s Rap,” where he embraced the unique stylization in a crescendo of emotional intensity. Shelly Walsh, as the quirky actress Serena, was another standout. Her adorably spastic demeanor and innocent crush on ambitious actor Nick Paizza (Nate McGraw) charmed the audience members. As Walsh and McGraw interacted in their duets, their natural chemistry and melodic harmonies made them a heart-warming pair.

Though the ensemble cast at times seemed to lack enthusiasm, there were many dance scenes that showcased explosive choreography. Additionally, a number of supporting performers ignited the stage: Matthew Stewart, as the love-stricken class clown Joe, made the audience roar with laughter with his over-the-top expressions and deadpan comic delivery. Sierra Orr, as the larger than life dancer Mabel, was also wonderfully hilarious in her song “Maybel’s Prayer,” as she laments the ineffectiveness of her “see-food” diet in which seeing food is always a prelude to eating it. Two of the teachers at the arts academy, Ms. Sherman (Corinne MacLean) and Ms. Greta Bell (Jackie Mass) approached their roles with impressive maturity, as they fought over the importance of the arts and academics with captivating intensity.

Despite several minor issues, the technical elements contributed to the vivacious vibe of the production. The 80s-style costumes were eye-catching and funky, and, with the help of the performers’ period hair and make up, they transported the audience back to the age of disco and leg warmers. Though sound glitches tripped up a few scenes, the jiving beats of the orchestra enhanced the lively atmosphere.

In a show brimming with talent, Freedom High School’s unforgettable production of Fame certainly made the audience “remember its name.”

by Marielle Burt of McLean High School

Photo Gallery

Amanda Starkey, Jewel Thomas, Victoria Romano, Jamie Galpin, Morgan Taylor, Molly McDonald, Katheryne Dean	Entire cast
Front four are Morgan Taylor, Telos Fuller, Jackie Mass and Katheryne Dean	Kathernyne Dean flying through the air

Photos provided by Freedom High School