Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, creators of the hit musical Ragtime, Seussical was initially a Broadway flop when it first premiered in 2000. Soon after the show’s rights were released for public use, however, it became a national hit, consistently being named one of the most performed musicals in the United States, specifically among high schools. The musical is a conglomeration of the many Dr. Seuss books and tells the story of Horton (Hunter Robinson), an elephant who hears tiny voices coming from a speck of dust. Once it is revealed that these voices belong to an entire town, Horton becomes protective of its people, especially after Sour Kangaroo (Cassie Szymczyk) lobbies to get him incarcerated for his “insane” beliefs. As the story progresses, the battle over the Who people becomes increasingly more important yet increasingly more difficult, leading to laughter and heartbreak for those involved.

As the Cat in the Hat, Drew Lytle expertly crafted the most uproarious, nimble performance of the entire production. Narrating much of the show for the audience, Lytle marvelously created unique facial expressions, paid constant attention to detail, and had complete dedication to character that made him an audience favorite and extremely personable (ironic, considering he played a cat). His chemistry with Jojo (Henry Metcalf), son of the Mayor of Who, made the show even more enjoyable, especially when the two sang together, such as in “It’s Possible” and “Our Story Resumes.”

In an ensemble often full of energy, it was the Bird Girls that dazzled. Although some of the cast sometimes seemed slightly off pitch, the Bird Girls harmonized beautifully, especially in songs like “Amazing Mayzie” and “Amazing Gertrude.” Also delivering a powerful performance was Zach Klein who, as Who Mr. Mayor, delivered fantastic vocals in conjunction with strong acting.

The technical aspects of the show were unparalleled, specifically the lighting. Led by Alissa Clayton and Lucas Lauber, the lighting was spot on, consistently adding to the moods of the scenes, using intelligent lighting to create fun shapes and designs on the cyclorama and walls of the auditorium, and having over 100 lighting cues to make the show pop. The set was also of note, as its creative designs and sensible application was used well by the cast. The use of a scrim and a fountain on stage also added depth and fun to the performance that made everything more enjoyable for the audience.

All in all, Herndon High School’s production of Seussical was a great success. Although there were some lags in energy, a fantastic set of leads and superb ensemble worked together to create a very comical performance. The technical elements, in general, were tremendous, adding excitement and color to the show. In the end, there is perhaps no better description for the performance than something Seuss wrote himself- “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!”

by Kevin Buckley of Stone Bridge High School

Brigadoon, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, first opened on Broadway in 1947. The musical centers around two American tourists who become lost in the wilderness of Scotland, far away from any towns marked on their map. However, following the haunting music emanating from the mist, the two discover a small village, erased from memory. In this mysterious town of Brigadoon, Tommy, one of these Americans, meets and fall in love with the beautiful Fiona. Unfortunately for the two starry-eyed lovers, their relationship must overcome many obstacles — for Brigadoon holds a deep and strange secret.

The sweetly enchanting Fiona was played with impressive poise by Molly Nuss. In wake of a recent injury, Nuss maneuvered through the challenge of her wheelchair with grace and confidence. Her angelic voice was utterly captivating, soaring through the lofty notes with stirring emotion and skillful vibrato. Nuss also had believable chemistry with her beloved Tommy (Paul Morgan). The two masterfully translated their budding affections with comfortable physicality and loving looks. Morgan also had a strong voice in his own right, and the two produced many exquisite duets such as “Almost like Being in Love.”

The colorful supporting cast added vivacity to the stunning village of Brigadoon. Tommy’s sarcastic and facetious best friend, Jeff (Chris Hronzencik), was absolutely hilarious. His fantastic comedic timing was matched by a true understanding of his character, perfectly balancing the humorous with the serious. Meg (Amy Freeman) was also energetic, garnering many laughs from her brazen advances. The enamored fiancées, Jean (Megan Overton) and Charlie (Cameron Copeland), were convincingly amorous. In songs such as “Come to Me, Bend to Me” their striking chemistry was augmented by Overton’s polished dancing and Copeland’s tender falsetto. Copeland also augustly demonstrated his dancing talent throughout the show.

Despite a few shaky elements, tech overall was solid. The orchestra in particular was phenomenal. Every part was perfectly harmonized and its volume instantly adjusted for each singer onstage. Scene transitions, though sometimes slow, were practiced and smooth. Huge set pieces were moved with little trouble by the stage crew, helping to create many different areas around the lively village. Also noteworthy was make-up, effectively highlighting each actor’s face to best improve visibility.

One may be willing to do anything for their love, even give up their whole life. This desperate emotion, as fleeting as Brigadoon itself, is as rare and precious as a miracle. The power of love is unstoppable, and the strength of Tommy’s love is what will bring him home to Fiona once again. Herndon High School’s stirring production of Brigadoon left the audience full of this unbelievable emotion.

by Emma Paquette of McLean High School

Photo Gallery

Megan Overton as Jean MacLaren and cast	Cast of Brigadoon
Molly Nuss as Fiona MacLaren and Paul Morgan as Tommy Albright and cast

Photos by Lynn Gabriel

Sanam Hashemi (Jane) and Lauren Gabriel (Elizabeth) both carried the poise, gentleness and sanity of their characters throughout the duration of the play. They provided a strong foil to the shenanigans of their feather-headed younger sisters Kitty and Lydia, who played off of one another with a truly sister-like chemistry, and the histrionic, vocal and equally feather-headed Mrs. Bennet. Noticeable were the overstated flourishes of the pompous Mr. Collins, the prim manners of Miss Bingley, and some well-delivered lines by the long-suffering Mr. Bennet.

The costumes and hairstyles were elegant and colorful, and unique enough to distinguish each character. The set was equally charming, a pastel colored country home with old books and teacups and cameo portraits, although the boundaries of the rooms within the home were a bit difficult to distinguish. The stage featured boxes of live flowers to evoke a real English garden.

The performance was by no means flawless, as some characters came off as caricatures, resulting in slapstick moments that felt out-of-place in a reserved period setting. Some of the accents were inconsistent, or exaggerated in a way that distracted from the lines themselves. The characters interacted with the furniture, but their movements and blocking were sometimes stilted, and they didn’t always behave as though they were comfortable within the place that should be home. More believable were their interactions with each other, especially the affection between the Bennet sisters. Overall, the enthusiasm of the players made for a humorous and delightful performance.

The players of Herndon High School presented a charming and vivacious version of this classic story where, in a society of dancing, curtseys and pretensions, finding love means seeing past first impressions and overcoming one’s own self-regard.

by Elizabeth Skelton of Teens and Theatre Homeschool program

Photo Gallery

Lydia Bennett (Cate Graney) and Kitty Bennett (Ali Flanagan)	Mathew Banks, Nicholas Black, Katie Hinders and Shelbey Keegan
Cast	Cast

Photos by Melanie Miller-Cvilikas

Based on the 1894 novel “Tevye and his Daughters,” also known as “Tevye the Milkman,” the musical centers on the father of five daughters and his escapades with his own religious beliefs along with the influences surrounding his family. Fiddler on the Roof opened in 1964 on the Broadway stage and ran over 3,000 performances, making it one of Broadway’s longest running shows before being adapted into the well known 1971 movie by the same name.

The theme of “traditions” was carried throughout the show with consistent energy and dedication as seen with the lively show opener “Tradition,” showcasing the town’s villagers and Tevye’s family while setting the focused tone of the show. Throughout Fiddler on the Roof, all characters and ensemble demonstrated a clear, consistent, and pleasing vocal blend as seen with many numerous company numbers. Musical numbers typically featured a fantastic use of stage space as well.

As Tevye, Andy Raoufi gave a solid performance that showed a true grasp of his character, creating a likable interpretation that was well-rounded throughout with his vocals, emotional dynamics, and comedic lines; his monologues to God often resulted in chuckles and laughter with well-delivered lines and good humor. Hodel (Christine Bobby) also performed with firm understanding as the oldest daughter, with smooth vocal control and consistency with her vibrato and high notes that were highlighted in “Far From the Home I Love.”

Emma Miller-Cvilikas was a delight with a mix of a relentless nature and surprising sweetness as Yente, the town’s hounding matchmaker. With a wobbly walk, snorts for laughter, and the occasional knee slap, she gave an excellent performance with vigor and many laughs during the course of the show. The musical number entitled “The Dream” was also a particularly memorable performance as Tevye’s nightmare scene was explored with a devilish wife from the grave (Liz Peterson) and fantastic use of a scrim, red cyclorama lighting, and rotational sets.

In turn, the production of Fiddler on the Roof used a variety of technological effects in order to create a believable and convincing atmosphere for its characters to live in, with a simple yet warm set designed by Herndon High School’s Tech Theatre Class. The sound was well mastered by Justin Burns who controlled a large number of mics with precision and accuracy. Although set changes could be somewhat drawn out, the Herdon High School Pit Orchestra handled these changes with good timing and strong and solid playing. With music over the high school level, the orchestra gave a fantastic performance without overpowering the cast members.

In the village of Anatevka, “times are changing,” but Herndon High School’s production of Fiddler on the Roof showed “constant devotion,” keeping focus and energy throughout to give a heartwarming and delightful performance.

by Victoria Tovig of Langley High School

Photo Gallery

Andy Raoufi (Tevye)	Andy Raoufi (Tevye) and Sarah Freeman (Chava)
Micala Fox (Golde) and Emma Miller-Cvilikas (Yente)	Nick Lytle (Motel), Chris Hrozencik (Rabbi), Ashleigh Markin (Tzeitel)

Photos by Melanie Miller-Cvilikas.

The first collaboration of the duo that would become known merely as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Oklahoma! premiered in 1943 to immediate acclaim. Its success, as the first production to integrate theatre, song, and dance, changed the face of musical theatre forever. Set in the Oklahoma Territory at the dawn of the 20th century, Oklahoma! is primarily a love story, featuring a touching romance between Curly McLain (Trevor Morgan) and Laurey Williams (Evi Dobbs) as well as a more comedic love triangle between a romantic cowboy, an uncommitted peddler, and the indecisive woman who just “Cain’t Say No.”

As Curly, Morgan dominated the stage from the opening notes of “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'” to its closing reprise. His solid portrayal created a believable character and effective foil to many of the show’s more exaggerated personalities. His powerful vocals were matched perfectly by Dobbs’ soprano, especially in the touching ballad, “People Will Say We’re in Love.” Dobbs’ Laurey was sassy but revealed a more sensitive side as the show evolved.

Ashleigh Markin and Joey Truncale stole the show as the fickle Ado Annie and her increasing impatient fiancé, Will Parker. Truncale was exuberant, invigorating the show with songs like his opening number, “Kansas City.” Although both Markin and Truncale gave excellent individual performances, they were never stronger than when they were together. Their hilarious rendition of “All Er Nuthin'” provided the show with one of its most amusing and memorable moments.

Although actors like Morgan and Truncale showcased high energy levels throughout the show, some larger musical numbers suffered from low ensemble energy. One exception was Andy Raoufi, whose portrayal of the shady peddler, Ali Hakim, charmed the audience. Throughout the show, basic choreography was well-executed by the cast as a whole; however, some featured dancers had difficulty coordinating their movements. Particularly impressive, however, was Kirsten Lloyd (Dream Laurey)’s performance during the show’s famous “Dream Ballet.”

The orchestra tackled a challenging score with finesse, rarely overpowering the actors. Microphone malfunctions sometimes made it difficult to hear the performers and some sound cues were overly loud. Simple but effective sets (Megan Warren, Colvin Rayburn, Hope Ruffner, Logan Peter) framed a brightly lit cyclorama, filled with all the colors of the Oklahoma sky. Bright, period-appropriate costumes brought additional legitimacy to the production.

Despite occasional technical difficulties, Herndon High School’s cast and crew delivered a remarkable performance — a standing ovation proved that even the audience couldn’t say no.

by Elisabeth Bloxam of Westfield High School

With World War II looming ominously in the future, the seven Von Trapp children live an unhappy, strict life. Their father, a Navy Captain, still mourning the death of his late wife, hires governesses instead of taking care of the children himself. However, when he hires Maria, a novice from the convent with a love for music and fun, their life will be changed forever.

Kate Merryman gave an excellent performance as Maria. She conveyed her love for life brilliantly through her acting and pleasing numbers such as “The Sound of Music.” Rob Fowler also gave an effective performance as the hardened Captain. His strong acting and soothing baritone voice rounded up his character nicely.

The Von Trapp children really helped carry the production, with their quick wit and melodic voices. They worked well off of each other and it showed in songs like “So Long, Farewell.” Joel Grossman (Max Detweiler) also added to the production with his comedic performance. However, sometimes certain characters were lacking energy during some of the songs, but it would be quickly picked up again in the acting.

The set was fairly simple, yet effective. A few of the scene changes lagged, and sometimes microphones were left on when the actors left the stage, but the cast and crew adapted effectively. The pit orchestra was excellent and achieved a balance in supporting but not overpowering the vocalists. The lighting added to the production from the opening spotlight on the nuns to the sunset over the mountains at the end.

Herndon High School took The Sound of Music and made it a pleasure to watch.

by Katherine Foust of The Madeira School

Trotskyite slogans, the FBI, income tax fraud, a Soviet exile, and the Czarist royal family’s remaining expatriates. A thriller? A mystery? A tragedy? Well, actually You Can’t Take It With You is something more like the Beverly Hillbillies meets Citizen Kane in an outlandish love story and off-the-wall comedy performed by Herndon High School.

You Can’t Take it With You was written in 1936 by George S. Kaufmann and Moss Hart. The original production ran for 837 performances on Broadway. It was made into a movie in 1938.

You Can’t Take it With You is the story of the extremely bizarre and eccentric Sycamore household. Alice Sycamore wishes to marry Tony Kirby, the Vice President of Kirby and Co., a successful corporation run by his father on Wall Street. Tension erupts as the Sycamores try to win over the hearts of the blandly normal and much wealthier Kirbys and attempt to convince them to let their son marry Alice.

Becca Marshall‘s portrayal of Penny Sycamore was hilarious. The energy and confidence that Marshall gave the role made the outrageous playwright (author of such works as The War Play, The Religion Play, and Sex Takes a Holiday) and bizarre mother come to life. Whether she was off in the corner writing her plays, or in the thick of everything, her dynamic performance was undyingly funny.

Tyler Andere‘s Mr. Kirby was also delightful, but a polar opposite of Penny. His sheer political correctness and normalcy, while just as well executed as the other actors, gave a balancing element to the rampant chaos of the rest of the show.

Jake Ellis‘ performance as Boris Kolenkhov was side-splitting. The intense and thick-accented Soviet émigré who fancies himself a voice of reason (“Perhaps they are stomach ulcers”) was always the center of attention whenever he was on stage. Sam McCracken‘s Mr. De Pinna, the firework-making hick, was both entertaining and adorable.

Sound had few errors considering the sporadic stream of firework noises that had to be played. Lighting was effective, and really stood out when the colorful pinwheels of red and light blue were projected onto the stage. A scene was added where most of the characters are hauled off to jail for a night (which was referenced, but not shown in the original script). The Jail Scene highlighted the slapstick nature of the show with it’s dubious stage combat between Kolenkhov and Mr. Kirby, and Mrs. Kirby and the Burlesque dancers.

With a heartwarming and hilarious ending, Herndon’s exquisite performance of You Can’t Take it With You leaves the stage until its two final performances on the 16th and 17th of November.

by Alex Badley of Homeschool

Laura: A few weeks ago we began publishing Cappies Reviews. The Cappies are high school students reviewing high school productions. On Saturday we were fortunate to be invited to attend Herndon High School’s production of Pippin. We joined 40 high school critics in attending and discussing the performance at intermission and after the show. The review by Elizabeth Venz, a student at Robinson High School, is also available.

Mike: Pippin is the story of Charlemagne’s son who has graduated from the university and is now looking for a meaning to his life. He tries many different things to find his place in life, including sex, arts, religion and war. At the end of the show he discovers how to find his own corner of the sky.

Laura: These high schoolers did a really great job. The dancing and singing numbers were very good. They used kind of a punk rock style, which I thought was kind of interesting. It probably made costuming much easier since these are probably what a lot of these students had in their closets anyway. I really had a good time with the show.

Mike: The students did a really good job with the show. It can be a very demanding show because it is such a huge cast. There are a lot of scene changes that can happen. But I think the students pulled it off very well. At the final bow I counted almost 60 people on stage. That’s an accomplishment just to get that coordinated and done correctly. They did a pretty good job with that.

Laura: This production of Pippin had two Leading Players. They were kind of like the narrators and also represented evil in trying to get Pippin to do things that he normally wouldn’t do just for his fame and glory. The First Leading Player was played by Tyler Anderes. He did a good job. He had some microphone problems. The sound on him kind of went in and out a few times. He definitely warmed up in the second act and had some good singing numbers.

The Second Leading Player was Samanatha Nees. She did a good job. She had some really good dance numbers and had a lot of energy and vitality when she was performing. I really enjoyed both of them.

Mike: Pippin was played by David Miranda. I think he did a pretty good job over all, although in the first act he seemed a bit tentative with some of his parts. In the second act you really couldn’t see any of that nervousness from the first act. I like how he was always doing something on stage. For example, during the song, “No Time At All,” sung by Berthe with Berthe’s Boys, he was in the background standing with Berthe’s Boys and he kept reacting to the boy who was standing next to him. I thought that was a really nice touch, even though you really weren’t supposed to be watching him, he wasn’t just standing there, he was doing something. I liked how he interacted with Theo in the second act. It seemed very realistic and you could feel the relationship changing.

Laura: Catherine was a widow who had a son and was trying to get help on her estate. She saw Pippin lying on the side of the road. Catherine was played by Kate Parkin. She did a very good job. I like the emotion in her voice. When she was getting ready to say that that was it, Pippin is leaving, he’d stick his foot up and she’d give him another chance. I really liked her energy. I also really liked the love she had for Theo. Her song, “I guess I’ll Miss the Man” I thought was very moving.

Mike: The closing song of the show, “Theo’s Corner,” sung by Theo (played by Nate Tao) brings the whole show full circle. I think the Ensemble with Theo did that number the best I had ever seen it done. I got chilled watching the hope that appeared on the faces of all the ensemble and the Leading Players when they realized, “Hey, we can do his with Theo now.” I think they really brought the show to a succesfull close with that number.

Laura: The lighting I thought was very well done. The Lighting Designers were Jen Wilson and Lauryn McCarter. One thing I thought was neat was that the cyc matched the emotion of the song that was being sung. I thought it made it very real.

Mike: The set was well designed. They did bring a few props on and off for different scenes. The set was designed by Dustin Vandenberg and Austin Lawerence. I think they did a pretty good job. There was a half built castle on one edge and some scaffolding that was used very effectively. The entrances to the wings was very accesible. I didn’t see any bottlenecks appear for people having to get off stage quickly. All in all I think this was a very good production and I think Herndon High school should be congratulated for doing a good job.

Laura: This production of Pippin was just this weekend at Herndon High School in Herndon, Virginia, but these kids did a great job. The whole cast and crew were all high school students and I think it’s really inspiring to see that the next generation has a whole lot of potential and you need to keep an eye on them.

Mike: So I encourage you to check out your local high schools. There is a lot of good theater going on, not necesaarily in all the profesional or community theater in the area. Go to the high schools to see what’s going to be happening in the next few years.

Laura: And now, on with the show.

Cast

• Leading Player 1: Tyler Andere
• Leading Player 2: Samantha Nees
• Pippin: David Miranda
• Charles: Nico Aquino
• Lewis: AJ Miller
• Fastrada: Katrina Rodakowski
• Berthe: Emma Jasper
• Catherine: Kate Parkin
• Theo: Nate Tao
• Band of Players: Abe Woycke, George Ly ons, Jordan Lofaro, Jon Lawson, Roger Russell, Alex Burns, Andy Hulme, Sam McCracken, Joey Patchen, Dustin Vandenberg, Matt Jackson, Monica Gilley, Hunter Hughes, Becca Marshall, Sarah Morgan, Carly Erickson, Matthew Sipe, Simi Khalsa, Tslya Vikram, Kelly Simoncic, Kaitlin Bishop, Grace Poltrack, Emily Lordahl, Meagan Carrick
• Roadie/Groupie Chorus: Joel Grossman, Kristen Joyce, Jessica Fauteux, Joey Truncale, Kaity Cookson, Kate Merryman, Evi Dobbs, Kathryn Miller-Cvilikas, Molli Atallah, Josh Hagstrom, Anna Kukla, Sarah Price, Erika Rodakowski, Matthew Sipe, Lindsay Jiao, Hannah O’Rourke

Crew

• Stage Manger: Sally Hall
• Assistant Stage Manger: Cyndi Frost
• 2nd Assistant Stage Manager: Sue Soudachanh
• Technical Director: Austin Lawrence
• Light Designers: Jen Wilson, Lauryn McCarter
• Light Crew: Nick Baker, Ethan Rundlett, Stephanie Gordon
• Sound Designers: Mike Aiello, Deni Partner
• Sound technicians: Ryan rocket, Danielle Sova
• Run Crew Leaders: Austin Lawrence, Danielle Sova
• The Crew: David Gauntlett, Mike Deffenbaugh
• Costume Leaders: Kaity Cookson, Christine Malec
• Costumes: Vinita Phonseya
• Make-up Leaders: Mae Gowin, Anne Marie Rundlett
• Make-up crew: Erika Giorgis, Sonya Frostad, Jacqulyn Mette
• Head Painter: Eliana Reyes
• Painters: Grace Poltrak, Gray Akers, Artsy kids we pull off the street
• Props: Amber Nguyen, Hannah O’Rourke, Jessica Fauteaux
• Set Designers: Dustin Vandenberg, Austin Lawrence
• Set Crew: David Gauntlett, Mike Deffenbaugh, Andrew Ray, The Cast, Tech 1 & 2

Punk rock and medieval history are two concepts rarely seen together, but were blended into a fascinating fantasy world in Herndon High School‘s Pippin. Young Pippin (David Miranda) is on the timeless quest to find himself and the show recounts all the trials he must endure. The punk rock theme helped to make Pippin’s story more accessible as a high school production and was cleverly incorporated through staging, costuming, choreography and ensemble work.

The highlight of the show was the enthusiasm and energy of the large ensemble. “Glory” was particularly well done with the ensemble fighting an epic battle in slow motion while Lead Players 1 and 2 (Tyler Andere and Samantha Nees) did a tap dance in front. Andere and Nees worked well together and helped to move the story along as it jumped from location to location.

Miranda played a bewildered Pippin gradually gaining more confidence as his journeys take him along. Scenes between Pippin and his father King Charles (Nico Aquino) were particularly amusing with the physical interactions between the taller son and shorter father. Physicality was also strong as Pippin explores his sexuality in “With You” with the group of “Sexy Women.” Along with the ensemble, minor characters helped to shape the story and add humor. Katrina Rodakowski played Fastrada, Pippin’s step-mother, as an over the top seductress obsessed with making her favorite son Lewis (AJ Miller) king. Rodakowski and Miller were an odd couple in the number “Spread a Little Sunshine.” Not appearing until the second act were Pippin’s love interest, Catherine (Kate Parkin) and her son Theo (Nate Tao). Parkin and Miranda’s voices sparkled in the sweet ballad “Love Song.”

Costumes by Kaity Cookson, Christine Malec, and Vinita Phonseya reflected the glam rock style and encompassed a range from medieval corsets to glittery leg warmers. Set and painting design by Dustin Vandenberg, Eliana Reyes, Gray Akers, and Austin Lawrence, added to the punk atmosphere with a deconstructed look to the castle with scaffolding. There were some problems with the sound dropping out at key points.

Herndon’s Pippin was an enjoyable romp through a medieval fantasy world.

by Elizabeth Venz of Robinson.