Rent was based on the opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, and became a rock musical with music by award-winning composer Jonathan Larson, based on an idea by playwright Billy Aroson. Larson died before seeing the success of Rent, but won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical.

McLean High School’s production of Rent was complex and busy, but still carried the somber undertone of the serious nature of those affected with HIV/AIDS. The story follows roommates Mark Cohen (Alex Stone) and Roger Davis (Damian Leverett). Mark is dealing with a break up with girlfriend Maureen Johnson (Madelyn Paquette), who has left him for a lesbian relationship with Joanne Jefferson (Nancy Pruett), and Roger has just found out he is HIV-positive. Roger begins a relationship with a stranger named Mimi Marquez (Camila Alfonzo-Meza) who is also HIV-positive. Mark and Roger are also friends with their former roommate Tom Collins (John Williams) and his lover and drag queen Angel DuMott Schunard (Max Johnson) who also has AIDS. Mark and Roger’s former roommate Benny Coffin III (Jack Posey) is the landlord who is trying to evict Mark and Roger out of the apartment.

Rent was packed with performances, with songs including many strong duets including “Light My Candle” with Leverett and Alfonzo-Meza, and “Tango Maureen” featuring Stone and Pruett. Each song became a complicated display with various dance performances with intricate choreography. The dancing at times detracted from the vocal performance, but overall highlighted some of the joys of being artists. “La Vie Boheme” was presented with the company cup tapping their way to the beat, which was creative but sometimes distracting. “Seasons of Love” was the culmination of the musical, which had a standout solo performed by Carla Calderon, who brought the house to applause.

Besides the vocal performances, many actors had difficult emotional torches to carry and did so with ease. The chemistry between Roger (Leverett) and Mimi (Alfonzo-Meza) was palpable. Attraction between Johnson and Williams became strongest at the end when Angel passed away and Williams mournfully performed “I’ll Cover You (Reprise).”

Johnson’s performance of Angel was a strong comic relief for the sometimes-depressing plot line. His dedication to character showed, and had the audience in peals of laughter when producing a mountain of tissues out of his bosom or parading around in heels and a dress. Alexi Darling (Sydney Lo), who tries to convince Mark to come work for her at a television show, was another powerful comedic relief.

Technically, the show was virtually seamless. The lighting brought emotional depth to certain scenes such as Angel’s death and Mimi’s dance scene. One of the standout parts of the show included the special-effect snow, where a snow machine created a real snow stage. The set portrayed the living space in which the friends became a family, and worked well with the needs of the performances and dancing.

McLean’s performance of Rent was something unlike anything else seen on a high school stage. The actors and actresses understood the depth of their characters and portrayed a moving story that proves that dealing with hardship together can make relationships become more valuable.

by Sydney Bair of Stone Bridge 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

The play, written by Arthur Miller, is set in 1950s New York and follows the lives of the Carbone family after they take in two illegal immigrants from Italy. The play’s protagonist Eddie Carbone (Damian Leverett) must wrestle with his inappropriate romantic feelings for his 17-year-old niece Catherine (Lexie Shoaibi), whom he has raised since childhood and is now losing to one of the Italian immigrants, Rodolpho (Max Johnson). This struggle wears on Eddie until eventually he snaps, betraying his friends and family, and eventually causing his own death. The show has run in both New York and London, and the 1965 Broadway revival won the Tony award for Best Revival of a Play.

McLean High School’s production of A View from the Bridge was incredibly powerful. The small cast worked wonderfully together to create believable relationships and realistic characters, delivering a show that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. While the show itself is light on technical aspects, the McLean tech crew did a nice job complimenting the actors, and helped to contribute to the realistic nature of the show.

Damian Leverett tackled the extremely advanced character of Eddie Carbone with remarkable maturity and did an outstanding job capturing the character’s intricacies and of showing his psychological turmoil. Levertt’s portrayal of Carbone was believable and powerful, and beyond the level of a high school actor. Lexie Shoaibi did a good job as Catherine Carbone, showing her character development from a sweet, silly girl to a young woman who must face the real world and make a difficult decision.

As the Italian immigrant Rodolpho, Max Johnson was both entertaining and funny, while still honoring the realistic, tragic style of the rest of the cast. Siena Richardson did a good job portraying Beatrice Carbone, Eddie’s wife, and was able to capture Beatrice’s complex jealousy from seeing her husband fall for her niece in a way that was heart wrenching and believable. The commitment of the entire cast to their characters was evident in everything they did, making the play believable and powerful.

The show did not contain many technical elements, but those that were there were effective and enhanced the actions of the cast. Most impressive were the set and props, all of which stayed true to the time period. The costumes, hair, and make-up were also all well done and helped add to the show’s realism. Lighting and sound were barely noticeable, but did a good job enhancing certain plot points. Tech as a whole was simple, but it was well-executed and effective, and added to the play’s overall production value.

The cast and crew of McLean High School’s production of A View from the Bridge worked well together to create a show that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. They handled difficult themes of love and betrayal with impressive maturity and professionalism. Their production was bold and believable, and certainly earned its respect.

by Michelle Huey of Walt Whitman High School

The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan by Phillip C. Klapperich was first performed at the Chicago House in 2002. This play focuses on the darker aspects usually avoided in the original story of Peter Pan written by J.M. Barrie. The play takes a dive into Peter’s psyche and the reasoning behind the children’s make believe games to create a modern and dark Peter Pan. It is an interesting, if unorthodox retelling of the classic children’s tale.

McLean boasted fabulous character development. Every member of the ensemble possessed a thorough understanding of their character that contributed to a beautiful and believable show. Nick Stone (Peter Pan) built a substantial and impressive character, embodying the childish spirit of Peter Pan. His interactions with the characters created powerful scenes, but one of these interactions surpassed the others. Stone worked extremely well with his own shadow, played by Elliott Duffy. Duffy made a striking and authentic contrast to Stone, and embodied the joyful tone needed for Peter Pan. He presented a powerful, hilarious character that added energy to the entire stage.

Max Johnson (Slightly) formed a hilarious and adorable Lost Boy. Johnson portrayed his character in every movement, line, and interaction, and perhaps most important, maintained his high energy level throughout the entire show. A fellow Lost Boy, Aster Ryu (Tootles) created an uproarious character that greatly added to the stage presence of the Lost Boys. Lexie Shoaibi (Tiger Lily) gave the conviction, power, and strength of an Indian chief. She never broke character, and emitted strength in every line, her power unbroken.

All three distinct ensembles were simply stunning in their interaction and characterization. The joviality of the Lost Boys, the strength of the Indians, and the maliciousness of the Pirates, were completely believable and an indispensable portion of the show.

The technical staff did exactly what it was supposed to do, highlighting everything the actors did. Notably the lighting staff impressively shifted the mood of scenes, and created beautiful transitions. The costumes also added to the time period and realism of the characters. Finally, a gorgeous score composed by McLean student Damian Leverett added to the energy and mood of the show, creating masterful transitions and energized sequences.

Overall, actors portrayed their characters fantastically, but in certain areas more depth could have been added to keep the realism vibrant. At points, the energy level dropped, but strong characters like Slightly and Peter’s Shadow were always able to push the energy right back up. Split focus also plagued the stage at times, distracting form the main point, but the high energy and realism overshadowed this fact.

McLean took a difficult retelling of a classical children’s tale and with a brilliant technical staff, amazing characterization, and defined ensembles, created an exciting and intense show, that with a bit of pixie dust, flew.

by John D’Angelo of West Springfield High School

Photo Gallery

Lexie Shoaibi	The Cast
The Cast

Photos provided by McLean High School.

Thursday evening Laura and I attended a “red carpet” performance of McLean High School’s The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan. Basically, before their opening night performance we had the opportunity to meet the cast and crew of the show. The people we met were all extremely excited that their show was about to open. I personally can’t imagine meeting lots of people just before going on stage. Aah, the power of youth.

This isn’t a review of the production, just some of our thoughts about it. The role of Peter Pan was split into two roles, Peter and his shadow. Pan’s lines were split between the two gentlemen. They mimicked each other’s blocking, although occasionally they “split” from each other to interact with other characters independently. The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan introduces a narrator, the Doctor, a psychologist. The Doctor character was interesting at first, but became a bit heavy-handed as Pan appeared in his office as a patient.

The show’s basic plot is similar to Disney’s Peter Pan, and to the staged musical. But it differes in several spots significantly, overall making The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan a much darker show. That darkness required the cast to evoke a wide range of emotions, which was a stretch at times.

The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan runs through this evening, at 2 PM and 7:30 PM at McLean High School in McLean, Virginia. The show is double cast with a red cast and green cast (in honor of the Christmas season). The run time was two hours with one fifteen minute intermission. If you are looking to see a darker side of Peter Pan, this show is for you.

Director’s Notes

The story of Peter Pan has enchanted me since I was a child. I’m excited to bring Phillip Klapperich’s The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan to the stage because I think that it gives a fresh perspective on a classic tale that our audience can relate to on many levels. I’ve envisioned this how to be what the story of Peter Pan would look like in 2010. I’ve tried to capture the wonder and magic of Neverland and bring it to life in this production.

Throughout this process the McLean theatre family has welcome me and supported me in ways that I never thought could be possible during my first year as director. I am eternally grateful to everyone who made this monumental task a possibility for me. I would like to thank my actors for their dedication to the characters and ideas in this script, my technical crew for turning my crazy ideas into reality, my booster parents for providing me with endless amounts of assistance and advice, my family for their continued contributions to my theatre ventures, and my high school theatre director Tom Clark for being a true inspiration for my craft and my career. My first show at McLean has been a whirlwind experience that I will remember forever.

I would like to dedicate this show to my best friend Brittany McGrath who was with me every step of the way on this journey. Thank you for helping me find my love of directing and encouraging me to follow my passion for theatre. You always starred in each of my shows, so I’ve tried to capture your spirit in the character of Tinkerbell because I know that you were born for that role. I will never forget you and our awfully big adventure.

Synopsis

The critically acclaimed play, The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan, written by Phillip C. Klapperich, was first performed in July of 2002 at the House Theatre in Chicago. The play centers on the internal struggles of the classic Peter Pan character as he faces the terrifying reality of becoming an adult.

While the play stays true to the original work by J.M. Barrie, Klapperich’s script adds and alters various characters. The doctor serves as a narrator to take the audience on in-depth adventure through Peter’s psyche. Classic characters such as Tinker Bell, Hook, Wendy appear in a drastically different and more modern light.

This play plunges into some of the more sinister themes often skirted over in traditional portrayals of this beloved story. This is Neverland like you’ve never seen it before.

Disclaimer: McLean High School provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

The production centers around twelve jurors who are chosen to decide the fate of a young man accused of killing his father. The case is all but decided for eleven of the twelve jurors, but one, Juror 8 (Vanessa Bretas) believes the case is not as simple as it seems and insists on discussing the case with the other varied characters that make up the jury. 

McLean High School’s unique performance had the audience sitting on the stage, which helped create an intimate setting. The twelve jurors anchored the show, and were each played as dynamic individuals with fierce characterization. The cast’s dramatic and intense interpretation of the piece created an enthralling experience for the viewers.

Vanessa Bretas played the only not guilty vote, Juror 8, with a strong commitment to character. She commanded the audience’s attention as she took on a difficult role, which she tackled with aplomb. Matt Higginbotham’s Juror 3 was the most intense portrayal in the production. His monologues were jarring and emotional. 

In strict contrast was Elliot Duffy as Juror 11, a foreigner who also serves on the jury. Spot-on comedic timing and delivery, as well as a believable, impressive accent marked his performance. In addition, Duffy had a notable understanding of the text and delivered his lines with subtext that was sometimes lacking in the overly dramatic performances exhibited by some of the other actors.

Julia Katz as Juror 10, a member of the jury who harbors bigoted views, was also impressive. Her performance was marked by striking beat changes and subtlety along with big, dramatic monologues. In addition, she was one of the few characters who seemed motivated by the intense heat, an important part of the show overlooked by many in the cast.

Of the technical aspects, most noteworthy was a Jackson Pollack inspired painting in the wall of the set that doubled as a scrim through which the audience could see the testimony of witnesses during the trial (as the testimony was being discussed in the jury room). The sound also added to the show, though at times was a bit distracting. The set (Martin Zavala) and props (Jamie Richardson) helped give the show its intimate setting, while also reflecting time the period of the play, even to the smallest of details. 

Twelve Angry Jurors is a difficult play, intended to be a piece that is both thought provoking and entertaining – a task that McLean High School’s cast and crew tackled with considerable skill.

Caleb Wroblewski of Washington-Lee High School.

The play was written in the mid 1590’s by William Shakespeare. Although the play was originally set in Northern Italy, the theatre department at McLean boldly went in a new direction and set their version in France. The plot, of course, remained the same. Fifteen-year-old Romeo Montague (Michael Robinson) falls in love with thirteen-year-old Juliet Capulet (Vanessa Bretas), who is set to wed Paris (Stephen Lastova). Not only that, but the two families are also mortal enemies. Will the couple be able to live together in peace or will the story be one of woe and tragedy?

McLean’s performance of Romeo and Juliet was anchored by the use of exceptional, yet minimalist, set design. The different levels of platforms covered with white sheets created a plain backdrop that allowed the story to shine through with little distraction. Lighting underneath these platforms made for emotional ambience throughout the production.

Romeo (played by Michael Robinson) used the whole stage and made strong physical choices, leading to a very pleasing visual performance. It was clear that the whole cast knew what their lines meant and they did not seem uncomfortable with the heavy Shakespearean language.

Mercutio (played by Charlie Cook) enthralled the audience with his wide spectrum of emotion and actions. He flew through his lines flawlessly and was obviously comfortable throughout his time on the stage. The nurse (played by Kate Marlette) also stayed in character throughout and evoked the appropriate emotions from the audience.

The set featured a backdrop of various Impressionistic paintings. This was a point of interest and gave the production originality, along with color. Knives and canes took the place of swords, an effective substitution.

McLean’s production of Romeo and Juliet kept the audience interested. It brought new life to a play that has been done millions of times. The story remains the same, but McLean managed to breathe new life into this tale of woe.

by Maddy Miller of Robert E. Lee High School

Jack Worthington (Johnny Day) is a respectable gentleman, owner of a country estate, the guardian of Cecily Cardew (Louise Mittelman), and has a duo identity, Ernest Worthington. Jack pretends that he is visiting his brother Ernest in London while in reality he is escaping responsibility and wooing Ms. Gwendolyn Fairfax (Katie Ukleja). His friend Algernon Moncrieff (Calvin Battle) who also has a duo identity, Bunbury, impersonates another identity, Jack’s fictional brother Ernest Worthington, in order to meet the beautiful Cecily.

The amazing characterization and high energy of the cast anchored McLean High School’s production. Each of the actor’s British accents was excellent and expertly enunciated. Although some actors occasionally stumbled over the delivery of the fast paced difficult lines, they were able to recover very quickly and easily.

Calvin Battle drew in the audience with each comical line he delivered. In Act III, when he is pretending to be Ernest, and proposing to Cecily Cardew (Louise Mittelman), his facial expressions and body language are precise and exact even when he repeats the proposal all over again as if in slow motion.

Michael Robinson‘s body movements when placing the tea and sweets on the table for Algernon’s arriving visitors make his minor role as Algernon’s butler, Lane, unforgettable.

The set was simple, yet elegant and matched the time period perfectly. Musical sound effects (done by Joe Burgess) added to the comic relief during the entire production. Make up done by Kate Marlette, Elaina Kaiser, Julia Katz, and Talia Roth added to the elegance of the costumes that were designed and altered by Sara Lavenhar and Julia Katz.

McLean High School’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest is definitely a must see for all audiences.

by JoAnn O’Brien of Stone Bridge.

John Guare’s portrait of nobodies adrift in a sea of their own nobody-dom takes place during the space of one day – October 4th, 1965, the day the Pope came to New York. Hapless zookeeper-come-songwriter Artie Shaughnessy (an adroit Mike Gibson) spends the day juggling his insane wife, ambitious girlfriend, and vaguely criminal son, all while trying vainly to achieve Hollywood songwriting stardom.

Strong, simple lighting by Matt Schnall was creative yet minimalist, establishing time and working perfectly with Aaron Wolfe & Melody Ain‘s towering, ornate set.

None of the characters here are simple, each ranging from clownish to cruel or both at once. Most adept at balancing the two was Gen Blau as Bunny, Artie’s platinum-haired mistress, whose rapid shifts between endearingly bizarre to nastily contentious were never forced and always resulted in hilarity.

But it was the show-stopping, scene-stealing Malka Roth as the hilariously unhinged Bananas Shaughnessy who kept the show in motion. Roth took Bananas far beyond already comical dialogue and imbued her with a ghostlike, charming presence and clever, deliberate stage business. Not one line lacked the sincerity with a twinge of crazy that defined Roth’s character. Matching her excellence was Dan Lee as hapless son Ronnie, whose monologue at the top of the second act dripped with a mixture of desperate honesty and infuriated cynicism, supported by a ferocious energy that made his hilarious appearance seem entirely too short.

Julia Vans used her brief appearance as confused starlet Corinna Stroller to show off a splendid ability to keep a gag funny use after use and, most impressively, to provide a unique touch of vulnerability and honesty when telling the audience about her deafness. Her candid request – “don’t tell, okay?” – had audience members actually shaking their heads in acquiescence.

The three main leads were strong in their interactions with one another, but the appearance of more than one or two more characters made a scene suddenly feel awkward and aimless, exacerbating middling energy and bogging down the rapid pace that is the script’s core. However, this was partially countered by the fearless physical comedy of Lee and the four nuns. The makeup, while impressively creating a separate look for each character, left their ages very ambiguous and eventually confusing.

McLean’s talent made the ups and downs of this difficult show pure joy to watch – whether in laughter, shock, or simply going bananas.

by Lauryn McCarter of Herndon

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.