Twilight, written by Anna Deavere Smith, tells the story of the LA riots of 1992 through the victims’ eyes. It first appeared on Broadway at the Cort Theater in 1994 as a one-woman show, with Smith bringing the voices of African-Americans, Asians, Latinos, and Caucasians together, protesting the hatred and the violence that had just exploded. The play includes the story of Rodney King, a black man who was viciously beaten by four police officers; and ends with the story of Reginald Denny, a white truck driver dragged out of his truck at a stoplight and beaten by a group of black men. In addition, the play explores the many accounts of men and women who were shot, did the shooting, or simply tried to ignore it all.

The Duke Ellington School production was cast as an ensemble, with each actor playing several different characters that often crossed lines of age, race, and gender. This technique required the use of many different mannerisms, accents, and other such characteristics that the cast pulled off with aplomb. The actors remained in character from the moment they walked onstage, even though many of them had to remain completely frozen for five minutes at a time.

Though there were no specific leading roles, some actors stood out from the rest of the ensemble. Felicity Poussaint told the story of Elvira Evers, a pregnant black woman who had been shot but the bullet had lodged in the baby’s arm. In addition, Hillary Jones appeared several times as Elaine Young, a sassy real estate agent. Both the actresses’ commitment to their characters, dialect, and spontaneity in their monologues added energy to the show. Also notable was DevinRe Adams, who played crisp Congresswoman Maxine Waters to a perfect ten.

One particularly powerful scene utilized almost the entire ensemble as the single character Maria, a juror in the federal trial of the officers who beat Rodney King. Though the twelve actors playing Maria could have been more uniform as they shared the monologue, the overall effect left the audience reeling. Throughout the play, a few actors were inconsistent when playing a gender or race that was not naturally their own, but overall the use of accents and mannerisms was very impressive.

Each actor was barefoot and dressed in black, but used small costume additions such as a scarf, jacket, or necklace to distinguish a specific character. The minimalist set evoked not only a courtroom but a giant grave stone, leading the audience to wonder which begets the other. TV screens not only showed actual footage of the LA riots, but displayed the names of characters as they were being interviewed, to allay any confusion the audience felt in keeping the cast of characters straight.

Overall, Duke Ellington’s production was well executed and deeply moving. The minimalist sets and costumes let the actors tell the story, which they did with energy and enthusiasm. But perhaps most importantly is the voice the actors gave to the people whose lives were torn apart by the LA riots–a palpable cry shouting, “Open your eyes!”

by Claire Seaton of Washington-Lee

Photo Gallery

DevinRe Adams, Daryl Bright, Kayla Dixon, Dani Ebbin, Charles Franklin IV, Tiara Hodge, Hillary Jones, Elijah Lawrence, Felicity Poussaint, Duane Richards II, Ambrym Smith, Jordan Youmans	Dani Ebbin
Ambrym Smith

Photos by Brian Nielson

With music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen, Dreamgirls follows the ambitious girl group, “The Dreamettes,” as they are discovered and quickly become household names. However, the three girls, Effie, Deena and Lorrell soon realize all the trials and tribulations that come with being a star.

From the moment Duke Ellington’s Dreamgirls began, it was clear that this production was the result of outstanding and meticulous work. High energy flooded the stage from the vivacious first number, “I’m Looking for Something, Baby.” As the show progressed and rigorous dance moves and vocally demanding pieces were executed flawlessly, every member of the ensemble was deserving of praise.

Anitra McKinney stole the show as Effie, the lead singer who is quickly replaced because she does not fit the “look” that their manager, Curtis Taylor Jr, wants the group to embody. Her emotional transitions were evident as she gained the crowd’s favor, gently singing, “What About Me?” Perhaps the finest example of McKinney’s booming vocals and convincing acting was the moving Act I Finale, “(And I’m Telling You) I’m Not Going.” Playing opposite McKinney, Jumohny Walker as Deena and Ayanna Bakari as Lorrell also rose to the occasion in portraying their mature and challenging roles.

Even a show as memorable as Dreamgirls has a few weak areas. In Duke Ellington’s production, the major struggle was making the script accessible to audience. For those who did not know the storyline of Dreamgirls, this production did not provide assistance. With mediocre articulation and little emotional connection to the audience, Ellington’s production was not able to reach its full potential. However, the level they did reach is still one that is commendable and a showcase of innate talents.

In the past, famous personas such as Jennifer Holiday and Beyonce have assumed the roles of the Dreamgirls. With this in mind, Duke Ellington School of The Arts had some big shoes to fill. Their production of Dreamgirls did so triumphantly, leaving the audience in awe.

by Emily Woods of West Potomac

The piece was ensemble-oriented, and very much played like a sort of Chautauqua at times, with someone speaking and the rest of the ensemble, who sat on chairs surrounding the central stage, reacting. But some pieces were genuinely stories, and with very able story tellers. In the play “Lita,” by Aleca Piper, a girl recounts the day that her genitals were ceremoniously mutilated by her father. Piper, in the title role, was heart wrenching, tears pouring down her face as she spoke, conveying the horror and pain with singular beauty. “Sakina and Katie,” a play about two women who had acid thrown onto their faces, was a very moving piece in which Hannah Goldman and Danielle Miller made the audience feel their pain, screaming, crying, pleading for it to stop and for their mothers, explaining the aftermath, and the injustice and inequality that accompanied it. And Derrica Kerney as the title role in “Shoshanna Speaks” conveyed terror and uncertainty and injustice within our own military.

Playwriting is a very difficult art, because you have to strike a balance between words and emotions, making it neither too wordy nor too sparse, neither too quiet nor too over the top. The students of Duke Ellington demonstrated this balance well, creating compelling characters and lovely descriptions, and writing lectures that weren’t too preachy, yet drove the point home. In “The Bitch Asked for It,” Cienna Rose took on the issue of gang rape in the U.S., looking at it from several perspectives, including that of a Blood gang member, a News Anchor, a Victim, and a Husband. “Day and Night” by Billie Krishawn-Holmes, explored sex, alternating between Day, a girl who chose to have sex, and Night, a girl who was raped. She almost played with her characters, having them both describe the night and the moon, switching off, describing their views, either struck with beauty or terrified for life. And “For Sarah,” a speech on being an African American woman by Keziah John-Paul, was empowering but not overwhelming, choosing to question rather than declare.

The actors and actresses in this play commanded their audience to sit up and listen. This was no Saturday afternoon distraction, but a calling. The ensemble showed us what was happening now, all around the world, to women. They did so with grace and strength, telling us terrible tales, but never losing sight of the idea the battle in the 21st century is the fight to make men and women equal.

Review submitted by Nora Spellane of Woodrow Wilson Senior High School.

Our Town follows the lives of the inhabitants of Grover’s Corner, a fictitious town in New Hampshire, from 1901 to 1913. We see the relationship of two schoolchildren progress through adolescent awkwardness, marriage, and death, all of which serve as a catalyst for the themes the play presents: the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of companionship.

Chelsea Harrison breathes life into Emily Webb, the studious young girl that wants nothing but to grow up happy. Ms. Harrison uses facial expression and gestures to great effect to convey the righteousness of her character. Opposite Ms. Harrison is Nuri Hazzard, as an earnest, enthusiastic, and pleasing George Gibbs, the eventual husband and widower of Emily. Together, they share chemistry that is an endearing and real addition to the play.

Admirable performances as the stage managers of the play came from Elijah Cooper, Aleca Piper, and Ellen Winter. These three kept the action of the play moving, and provided the grounding elements of the ever-shifting plot. Also engaging were the two mothers (played by Mayaa Boatang and Micha Green), whose interactions were perfectly timed to garner the most laughs.

The entire production was carried along by the enormous energy and fluidity of the 22 person cast. Every member of the ensemble had purpose and focus, and were invested in revealing the deeper meaning behind every seemingly mundane movement that their characters made. There were rarely any mistakes in consistency, a feat made doubly impressive by the fact that the script eschews props, and has actors miming actions instead.

Also in accordance with the script, the set is minimal, and used to its fullest effect by the cast and crew of Our Town. Lance Lewis, Assahian Campbell, and D’Ana Mapp used this lack of a set to their advantage in the lighting design, which defined the boundaries of houses, and developed the mood in key scenes of the play. The sound effects were also used to help define movements and actions, from the clinking of the milkman’s bottles to the slap of newspapers hitting the front walk.

Overall, Our Town was a hauntingly beautiful look at American life at the turn of the century. The Duke Ellington cast members truly realize the life of the play as they live it — “every, every minute.”

by Callie Fosburgh of Woodrow Wilson Senior High School

One of the Cappies reviews was published here at ShowBizRadio, Cappies Review of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, The Wiz. That review was written by Amanda Litman of Robinson High School.

One fully expects a production by the famous Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) to be incredible, and the collaborative effort put in to The Wiz does not disappoint. From the beautiful costumes and scenery to the high soaring voices of the talented cast, The Wiz is an incredible two and a half hour voyage down the yellow brick road to Oz, and a hysterical and thought-provoking spin on the beloved “Wizard of Oz” story, brought to life by the students of DESA.

There is no one character that outshines the others. The powerful voice of Ciarra Goode as Aunt Em starts the show off on a high note. The incredible singing continued throughout the night in the form of Addaperle (Nyame-Kye Kondo) and Glinda (Briona Jackson), as well as Antonio Tillman, George Ross and Demitrus Carter (the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion, respectively). Tillman’s Scarecrow was so much fun to watch; Tillman knows how to use his body to convey his feelings. Carter also plays his character, the lion, incredibly well. His stage presence and unique comedic timing create a loving aura that was balanced by the skillful detachment that Ross’ Tin-Man conveyed.

The most entertaining character by far, though, was Kondo’s Addaperle, the witch from the North. From Kondo’s distinct speech cadence to her charming attitude, she created a witch that was feisty, funny and caring. She played perfectly off of Imani Bowden (Dorothy), who played Dorothy with innocence and strength. Her voice was able to carry off the range necessary for the difficult part and she balanced the three men on stage with elegance and flair.

Also notable for a high school production was the dancing. From the promiscuous Poppy Girls to the “Twister” dancers, the choreography added to the already strong production, and the dancers seemed light on their feet and like they enjoyed what they were doing.

On the technical side, the orchestra was astounding. The music seemed to take over at times, but the cast distinguished themselves impressively. There were a few minor costume malfunctions but, again, a talented cast does not let such a thing get in its way. While often the actors slurred their words or spoke too quickly, they managed to use their bodies and physical attributes effectively to get the message across.

DESA’s production of The Wiz was outstanding, both in the magnitude of its talent and the fun the audience had while watching it. Everyone in the audience seems to understand the power of the school, the theater and that they are part of something bigger then themselves. The show, as Dramatruge Michelle Orr put it: “encourages us to reflect on our individual human journeys, our cultural and societal trek as a nation and how this story can be observed as a vehicle for collective identification.” A show that does all that and also makes us laugh is a rare treat, and DESA delivers.

by Amanda Litman of Robinson

Written by Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie is an semi-autobiographical play about his mother and sister. Set in St. Louis in 1937, the action is drawn from the memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. His mother Amanda Wingfield, who continually reminisces about her childhood days, believes that her timid daughter Laura must either acquire a skill or get married. When she finds out that Laura has dropped out of business college, she is determined to find her a gentleman caller, and urges Tom to bring home a nice boy from work. Doing so proves disastrous, as the man Tom brings home is Laura’s high school fantasy, and is engaged to be married. As her mother despairs, Laura retreats further into her world of glass animals and Tom leaves, but cannot seem to escape from his memories of those he left behind.

Duke Ellington’s production was anchored by the amazing talent of the actors. Each member of the cast conveyed the complex and heady emotions of the script, making the production riveting and emotionally gripping. The intimacy of the Wingfield family was genuine, as love battled against the ever-present tension.

Amanda Fernandez, as Amanda Wingfield, was superb. Her portrayal of a protective and loving mother who was stuck in the past never wavered, and her momentum in each scene carried the play. Tom Wingfield, played by Devin White, grasped the audience in his reflective and sorrowful narration, and balanced the comic and dramatic elements of the script in his arguments with his mother. Ellenor Riley-Condit, as Laura, was also consistent, bringing to life a unique girl hidden by her shyness and her low self-confidence. Jim O’Connor (Sam Lahne), though a bit brash, was refreshing and energetic, pulling Laura out of her shell.

The set was intricate and creative, providing different levels to which the actors could escape. Lighting was well-designed, and used well when highlighting Tom as narrator. Props were effective, and though set changes were sometimes drawn out, they were always well-placed.

With a despairing story to tell, the cast of Duke Ellington pulled off an emotionally gripping tale that embodied the themes of no escape and the haunting nature of memory.

by Caitlin Nettleton of Washington International.

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.