“Isn’t it fun to be in the movies?” Definitely, especially when an actor can portray a dancing salad, a singing Statue of Liberty, and a chain gang escapee, all in one show – A History of American Film. The New School Theatre’s recent courageous undertaking of this demanding piece demonstrated the company’s understanding of the […]
Thousands of Union soldiers mistreated in horrific conditions led to one man and the resonating question, “Why did you obey?” This was the high drama of Chantilly High School’s production of The Andersonville Trial. This play is based on the 1865 trial of Captain Henry Wirz (Eddie Monk) who is being held responsible for the […]
Some things in life are given. For everything else, there’s Satan. Hayfield Secondary School proved this fact with their boisterous production of Damn Yankees, recounting the story of an elderly baseball fan with visions of grandeur. With a determination to defeat the Yankees once and for all, Joe Boyd (Chris Frakes) strikes a deal with […]
In the small Russian village of Anatevka, the impoverished villagers lives are like “a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck.” From the beginning of the play, where a fiddler stands atop a barn playing a simple tune, James Madison High School’s spring production of Fiddler […]
Imagine a world where everyone looks and feels exactly the same. A world where everyone belongs to everyone else; and where no such thing as love, families, or even sadness exist. This is a Brave New World. Aldous Huxley’s famous novel, adapted into a play by David Rogers, is a very famous story of a […]
How do you woo a wildcat, tame a shrew, or win the love of a tempestuous woman? With big dance numbers, Elizabethan verse, and beautiful duets, of course! South County Secondary School combined the joy of a musical with the wit of Shakespeare in its production of Kiss Me, Kate. The musical premiered on Broadway […]
On April 26, as the rain came down outside the theatre, Episcopal High School presented an affecting production of The Diviners, a story of a mentally challenged boy attempting to overcome his fear of water with the help of a transient former priest. Written by Jim Leonard Jr. during his freshman year at Hanover College, […]
“Gentlemen, you’ve intrigued me. I think I’ll have to give Iowa a try.” With those words, Harold Hill sets off to try and con the hard-lined, stubborn people of Iowa with his craftiness, shiny instruments, and red-striped crisp new uniforms, in West Springfield High School’s version of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. Unbeknownst to many, […]
“Where do you live, Peter Pan?” Wendy asked, waiting anxiously for an answer. “Second star to the right and straight on till morning!” answered Peter. Well, Yorktown’s production of Peter Pan was ‘straight on’ and had a few ‘stars’ thrown in to boot. They brought Neverland to life, making anyone say ‘I Won’t Grow Up.’
Who doesn’t want money and fame, at least in theory? For the almost-famous wanting to get rid of the “almost,” it would be easy to fall under the spell of a wealthy producer offering that chance. Such was the concept driving H-B Woodlawn’s excellent performance of As Bees in Honey Drown. Written by Douglas Carter, […]