Anything Goes, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, first opened on Broadway in 1934. The musical has been frequently rewritten and adapted for the stage and screen; the version presented at Walt Whitman was the 1962 Off-Broadway revival. The musical is a farcical comedy set aboard a London-bound ship, featuring the entwining mischief of an assorted cast of characters and the wacky shenanigans and whimsical flirtations that result from their peculiar interactions.

Reno Sweeney, played with spunky pizzazz by Erin Craig, was the undeniable heart of the show. With her staggering vocals, seasoned dancing, and dynamic acting, Craig was the genuine manifestation of a triple threat. In contrast to some other members of the cast, she clearly understood the humor behind every line and committed herself fully to the nonsensical nature of the show. Her voice was utterly breathtaking, commanding attention with its electric tone. Her leading man, Billy Crocker (Bryan Eng), held his own against her explosive talent. Eng’s impressive voice was refreshing and his aptitude for accents was the source of many priceless moments.

Bolstering these formidable leads was a diverse supporting cast, full of vibrant and charismatic characters. Bonnie (Michelle Huey), the ditzy wannabe Angel, was particularly enthralling. Her eye-catching physicality and flashy personality were truly captivating. Sir Evelyn (Lucas Weals) was also entertaining, his perfectly awkward disposition and excellent comic timing leaving the audience in hysterics. Weals had also convincing chemistry with romantic interest Reno, making for many adorably sweet moments between the two.

The cast as a whole must be congratulated for their brilliantly synchronized tap routines. Such large numbers as the fabulous “Anything Goes” were carried out spectacularly, suffering from only a minute amount of missteps. Reno’s Angels were particularly notable for their coquettish behavior and genuine enthusiasm.

The technical work on this production was absolutely magnificent. Lighting was used to highlight certain areas of the set to great effect, creating many different locations onboard this ship. The swift and silent stage crew also contributed to the creation of different areas with their flawless transitions. Costumes especially shone, with vivid colors and sparkling accessories. They were also period appropriate, highlighting all the beautiful styles of the Roaring Twenties.

Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown onto this tiny little ship, blending together into a breathtaking display of chaos and discord. However, when all the unlikely parts came together, it resulted in one sensational production. Walt Whitman High School’s performance of Anything Goes left the audience in total awe.

by Emma Paquette of McLean High School

Photo Gallery

Jordan Abramowitz (as Hope Harcourt) and Bryan Eng (as Billy Crocker) perform ‘It’s Delovely’	Michelle Huey (as Bonnie) and the angels (Rachel Ordan, Nicole Ramirez, Katherine Paterson; Lex Payne, Catherine Trant) perform ‘Heaven Hop.’
Ryan Savage (as Moonface Martin) ‘reforms’ Lauren Eng (left, as Ching) and Makiko Miyazaki (as Ling)	The full cast of Anything Goes performs ‘Anything Goes.’
Erin Craig (as Reno Sweeny) and the cast of Anything Goes perform ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow.’

Photos by Marcus De Paula

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

Based upon Mary Shelley’s undying magnum opus originally penned in 1818, Victor Gialanella’s stage adaptation remains closely tied to the plot line of the original story with only slight changes and additions from the famed Gothic novel. The play follows Victor Frankenstein as he instills life into a stolen corpse and his creation’s subsequent struggle to survive in a world which recoils in terror at the slightest glance at him.

Walt Whitman High School aptly managed to create a truly terrifying piece of theatre, fusing advanced stage craft with believable portrayals of unbelievable horrors. Joe Lilek, as the Creature which Dr. Frankenstein created, gave a chilling performance, displaying mastery of both body and voice. As Lilek’s character delved deeper into the world of man, his character physically changed from a grunting, off-balance newborn to a chillingly eloquent and sprightly monster, commanding the stage with both petrifying glares and awe-inspiring expressiveness. His makeup, designed by Lena Aragon, consisted of a realistic scar running down his forehead and chest, in addition to a slathering of discolorations across his body. Lilek’s interactions with Nathan Liu, playing an old blind man named De Lacey who befriends the creature, provided much needed comic relief, playing off Liu’s subtle humor to create adorable and hilarious interactions, such as teaching the Creature to read and helping him understand spoons.

Jay Besch, as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, realistically developed his character, clearly portraying his amassing trepidations and concerns. While other performers were occasionally liable to fall into a melodramatic style of acting or to under-react to devastating situations, Besch stayed in the bounds of believability even under great strain. As his wife to be, Sasha Berger took upon the role of Elizabeth with maturity, giving a performance backed by a womanly physicality and a pragmatic disposition when faced with adversity. The pair of gravediggers, played by Sam Dodd and Sophie van Bastelaer, worked well together, encapsulating the filthy, lower class temperaments needed by their roles.

The technical aspects of the production truly stitched together the horror genre into a cohesive and bloodcurdling play. The lighting effects worked brilliantly to portray both emotion and real world occurrences, utilizing cold, blue washes of light to evoke serenity, which would quickly be quashed by blinding strobes to and bright cycloramic flashes to represent lightning. The two tiered set featured a staircase which parted down the middle, revealing Frankenstein’s steam punk style lab equipment, complete with real sparks, blasts of compressed carbon dioxide, and whirling knobs and levers. The stage crew was wholly invisible, conducting scene changes with near unthinkable speed and silence, transporting furniture on and off stage completely unnoticed. The sound crew perfectly executed booming and startling effects, interweaving them in with a ever present, unnerving sound track.

With a spine chilling performance backed by extraordinary tech and talented leads, Walt Whitman High School’s production of Frankenstein revitalized a classic with realism and wit that even the undead could enjoy.

by Max Johnson of McLean High School

Photo Gallery

Jay Besch as Victor Frankenstein and Joe Lilek as the Creature	Joe Lilek
Joe Lilek	Jay Besch
Jay Besch as Victor Frankenstein, Joe Lilek as the Creature and Lena Aragon as the Companion

Photos by Marcus De Paula

Sadly, Side Show is not well known due to its short run on Broadway. The show has, however, developed somewhat of a cult following, leading to multiple off-Broadway productions over the years. Side Show is a semi-biographical depiction of Daisy and Violet Hilton’s rise to fame as performing Siamese twins. It delves deeply into what combination of physical, mental, and emotional afflictions classify a person as a freak.

The two leading ladies, Daisy and Violet Hilton (portrayed by Jane Bernhard and Emily Madden, respectively) serve as the emotional and thematic anchors for the show, only appearing on stage without the other in dream sequences. Technically, each of their performances were flawless, with both displaying beautiful diction, characterization, and vocal power. They truly shined, however, in their emotional connections with the audience and other actors on stage. Never for a moment was it hard to believe the torment and heartbreak that the Hilton sisters were forced to endure as “freaks” in the Vaudeville circuit. Their spectacular use of each other delivered incredibly poignant and moving conclusions to both acts in “Who Will Love Me As I Am” and “I Will Never Leave You.”

Jay Besch as Terry Connor not only portrayed the enigmatic businessman phenomenally, but also displayed an experienced baritone voice with a maturity level far beyond his years. His powerhouse vocals in “Private Conversation” shook the audience to its core, forcing them to contemplate Connor’s cold exterior juxtaposed with the torrent of emotion surging inside him.

The most difficult portion of producing Side Show must have been the book itself, which calls for almost nonstop vocals and orchestral music for the entirety of the production. Of course, neither the ensemble nor the orchestra disappointed. Several of the harmonies during choral moments (especially those in “Tunnel of Love” and “Say Goodbye to the Freak Show”) were beautifully sung by the ensemble, all of whom appeared to be singing with spectacular vocal control. Furthermore, the orchestra — which could not have sat quiet for more than two minutes over the course of both acts — delivered mellifluous accompaniment to incredibly difficult pieces at the quality of a professionally recorded soundtrack.

Among the supernatural events occurring on stage, however, the lighting stood out as brilliantly plotted and outstandingly executed. Frequent changes in color and direction never let the audience catch a break from the action onstage, which was always beautifully illuminated to just the right degree at just the right angle.

The best part about Side Show was the fact that each and every person on stage knew who they were and what their job was. Yes, the show had its humorous portions, and yes, there were moments of brightness in song and dance, but a sense of unease always pervaded every aspect of the performance. The Hilton sisters would never be accepted as true performers, nor would they be accepted as real people; they would always and forever be known as freaks. That dark edge is what took Whitman’s Side Show from a phenomenal production to a masterpiece.

by Devin Goodman of Thomas S. Wootton High School

The play was written in 1979 by Peter Shaffer and was loosely based on the lives of Mozart and Salieri. Amadeus was inspired by a short play called Mozart and Salieri and later adapted into an opera by the same name. It was made into an Oscar winning movie in 1984. The play first premiered at the Royal London Theater in 1979 and later premiered on Broadway in 1981. It was nominated for 7 Tony awards and it won 5.

The Whitman production looked and sounded terrific, transporting the audience back in time and allowing them to truly experience the unique genius of Mozart and the obsessive nature of Salieri’s interest in him. The scenes were presented as flashbacks with freeze frames that allowed the audience to intimately understand Salieri’s memories.

The leads were all exceptional in their roles. Mozart, played by Sammy Zeisel delivered a hyper manic energy as well as a convincing physical performance. His high pitch laugh was unique and will not be forgotten. Salieri, played by Noah Gavil was also convincing with his affectations and tone of voice. His monologues were long yet full of passion, never breaking character or losing intensity. Constanze, played by Sarah Blush contrasted the two men by giving a softer less driven character.

The supportive cast was also on point and always in character. They all worked together to truly represent the people of the late 1700s. Notable performances include Count Rosenberg (Andre Dahreddine) with his mastery of a realistic Italian accent, Baron (Luis Alvarado) with his Austrian accent and Katharina (Grace Laboy) whose vocals were amazingly beautiful with strong operatic abilities hitting all the high notes.

Technically the show went off with few problems other than an occasional microphone with feedback. The sets were elaborate and realistic for the time period. Costumes and hair were immaculate and well designed. The men and women wore wigs and decadent period costumes. The lighting was done to set the right mood while never overtaking the stage. The orchestra never missed a note and played at optimal moments, never overpowering the performers.

Simply put, Walt Whitman High School has created a masterpiece with their current production of Amadeus.

by Ariana Nasseri of Winston Churchill HS

Damn Yankees, which premiered in 1955, chronicles the story of Joe Boyd (Clayton Smith), a dedicated and discouraged Washington Senators fan, who sells his soul to the devil, Mr. Applegate, (Andy Berry) for the chance to go back and be the team’s star player, Joe Hardy (Sammy Zeisel). However, Joe underestimates how much he will miss his wife, Meg (Leah Chiaverini), even when Applegate sends in his prime home wrecker, Lola (Lily Maroni) to tempt Joe away. Ultimately Damn Yankees proves that like the song says, “a man doesn’t know what he has until he loses it.”

Whitman’s production of the show was outstanding. The special effects, complete with fog, strobe lights and even a trick where Applegate pulls fire out of his sleeve really added to overall effect of the show. The set was incredibly detailed and the huge scene transitions from the Devil’s office to the locker room to the “Limbo” nightclub were performed swiftly and efficiently by the crew. In addition, the cast written commercial jingles made the scene transitions almost unnoticeable, though they became a bit repetitive by the end of the show. Any microphone or prop malfunctions, of which there were a few, were quickly breezed over by the unaffected cast.

The leads of the show were committed and talented. Vocal standouts included Sammy Zeisel, Leah Chiaverini, and Clayton Smith, especially during their beautiful harmony in the poignant song “Near to You.” The energy during Lily Maroni’s solos “Whatever Lola Wants” and “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” was captivating as was her portrayal of Lola’s growth throughout the story.

The commitment and energy of the entire ensemble, especially the chemistry of baseball team was fantastic. While there were a few vocal slips, and occasional dancing mishaps, the ensemble really helped energize what was a pretty long show. And in addition, the student choreography by Sarah Blush was impressive, especially in “Six Months,” which included almost the entire ensemble.

All in all, Whitman’s production of Damn Yankees was so outstanding that the cast had the audience ready to sell their own souls to be able to see it again.

by Emily Weiswasser of St. Albans & National Cathedral Schools

Originally a classic opera, Elton John and Tim Rice applied their considerable talents to update the plot of Aida with today’s music, creating a captivating production. Set mainly in ancient Egypt, it tells the classic tale of love denied between Radames (Aaron Mouton), an Egyptian captain, and Aida (Andrea Carroll), a beautiful Nubian princess. When Aida is captured by Radames’ men, she poses as a slave to protect her father, the Nubian king. Radames and Aida are drawn to each other, even as Radames makes Aida a present to his fiancé, Amneris (Mikayla Braun), setting up a powerful love triangle among the three. Added to the mix is a plot by Radames’ father Zoser (Stephen Kent) to assassinate the king, bringing an undercurrent of tension to the musical. Radames and Aida’s love is fulfilled only as they die together, but it apparently transcends time, as their modern-day incarnations recognize each other in the final scene.

From opening curtain to final bows, Walt Whitman High School’s superb production of Aida enthralled the audience. Combining a strong ensemble, notable vocals and acting, Aida was a truly impressive experience.

Carroll’s portrayal of Aida was magnificent, showcasing her splendid voice combined with her extensive operatic training. As her love interest, Mouton gave a strong performance that capitalized on his acting skills. Braun was notable both for her vocals, and her transformation from a frivolous princess to a noble queen. Elliot Rosenbaum (Mereb) and Stephen Kent (Zoser) provided credible supporting performances, and the entire ensemble worked well, carrying the momentum throughout the story, with a particularly stirring rendition of “The Gods Love Nubia.”

The set was designed with an open feel, showcasing the backdrop as a color palette which the tech staff painted with various colored lights. Against this backdrop, the strategic use of silhouettes greatly enhanced the overall effect. The audience actually broke into applause at one scene in which the backdrop portrayed a night sky by utilizing hundreds of twinkling lights. Faced with a complex and varied score, the pit orchestra rose superbly to the challenge.

Striking, from both the visual effects and the powerful vocals, Walt Whitman High School’s Aida was a smashing success, transporting the audience into ancient Egypt on a quest for love.

by Danielle Stockton of Madeira