On May 27, I attended the annual CAPPIE AWARDS at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall in downtown Cincinnati to participate in the celebration of productions and performers from area high schools. I annually help recognize students who serve as critics. Part of the Cappies program has teens from high schools visit other schools to critique performances. I handed out awards to the outstanding team of students from Taylor High School, as well as a second recognition, sponsored by CityBeat, identifying the outstanding single critique written during the 2015-2016 school year.
I evaluated a half-dozen essays selected the by Cappies organizers, provided without the names of the critics or their high schools. (All six reviews I considered are reprinted below.) I subsequently learned that the critique I selected was by Griffin Daly, a student at Walnut Hills High School. I have invited him to take the next step in his critical journey by joining CityBeat’s team of reviewers for the upcoming Cincinnati Fringe Festival. If he agrees, you soon might read his online comments about some of the “FringeNext” productions by area high school students at CityBeat.com.
As luck would have it, in addition to Daly’s review of White Christmas, two other reviews I considered provided commentary on the most recognized productions for the 2016 Cappies — Walnut Hills High School’s staging of The Cherry Orchard (Outstanding Play, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Featured Actor in a Play) and McAuley High School’s production of Mary Poppins (Outstanding Musical, Actor, Actress, Choreography, Female Dancer and Song, for “Step in Time”)
White Christmas: The Musical at Cincinnati Christian Schools
REVIEWED BY GRIFFIN DALY, Walnut Hills High School
Love is like the weather — and, in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical, when it snows, it’s a blizzard. Cincinnati Christian Schools showcased phenomenal vocals, charming chemistry and excellent choreography in their recent production of the 2004 musical, a stage version of the beloved Christmas classic.
The show, with music from the film by Irving Berlin and book for the stage by David Ives and Paul Blake, tells of soldiers-turned-stars Phil Davis (Alex Dunman) and Bob Wallace (Samuel Curtis), their courtship of an aspiring sister-act, Betty (Bernadette Beacham) and Judy Haynes (Brooklyn Allison) and their mission to put on a Christmas show to save their old general’s struggling Vermont Inn.
The chemistry among the quartet of leads was electrifying. Sparks flew between Phil and Judy from the beginning as they get acquainted in “(The Best Things Happen) While You’re Dancing.” However, with Bob and Betty, things went from awkward to worse as they sparred with biting repartee. Betty and Judy shone with the spirited “Sisters,” while a cross-dressing Phil and Bob performed the song’s rip-roaring reprise, perfectly replicating each flick of the wrist and twist of the hip from the ladies’ original.
Of the leads, Betty delivered particularly moving vocals. In the sweet “Count Your Blessings,” she harmonized beautifully with Bob, while in her solo song, “Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me,” her complex mix of resentment and regret were palpable in her strong yet warbling voice.
The leading couples were supported by a hilarious ensemble. Among them, Bailey Brinck and Olivia Nell delighted as the hysterical Rita and Rhoda (the philandering Phil’s interests prior to Judy), whose high-pitched giggling and flirtatious dances punctuated several scenes.
Irving Berlin’s works were known for complex choreography, and CCS brought their best to this challenge. The entirety of the show’s dancing was student choreographed, a pleasant surprise, given the professional caliber of their moves! Choreographers Brooklyn Allison and Jillian Lewis showed their skill best on “I Love a Piano,” a riotous tap number that Judy, Phil and a tremendous ensemble of background dancers prepare for their revue.
Like their choreography, CCS’ sets were also completely student-designed and noteworthy, especially given their spatial challenges. Although students prepared the show at their school, the actual performance took place at the Aronoff Center, and the transition took place less than a week before performances began! Students risked damaging set pieces and losing components (they always lose something, Director Wayne Beaver joked to the Cappies), though this certainly wasn’t evident. Pieces from a large snow globe to a Christmas-decorated barn perfectly accentuated the actors’ performances.
Cincinnati Christian School’s beautiful rendition of a beloved classic ended with the iconic number, “White Christmas,” when the cast invited the audience to sing along, and the barn doors opened to reveal, at last, snowfall. Their delightful production reminded that love, positivity and a little holiday cheer can keep us warm in any season.
The Cherry Orchard at Walnut Hills High School
REVIEW BY JEN MINNELLI, Mother of Mercy High School
Walnut Hills High School transported us to Russia with their beautiful rendition of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. The play was written by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov in 1904. It was later translated into English by Tom Stoppard. The story follows the life of Liubov Ranevskaya, a widow who returns to her Russian home after living in France for a while. Her home includes a cherry orchard, which holds fond memories for her and her family. Because she is in debt, her beloved cherry orchard is to be auctioned off, and Liubov must learn to live with this sudden change.
A blackbox theater, though small, gave the show a much more intimate feel than that of an average stage. The audience members were actually thrown into the story, seeing as the props and set surrounded them. This served to further establish the illusion of the stage. Because the audience seats were set up around the perimeter of the theater, the actors did a great job of performing to the entire audience. Never once did they stay in one place. They were constantly moving and constantly turning to perform for all angles of the audience. Even when there was one character that could not be seen, there was a different focal point that audience members could turn to. Even when not at the main focal point of the stage, all actors present stayed entirely in character. In this way, Walnut Hills was able to portray a beautiful metaphor of watching life.
All actors in this production truly challenged each other to become better. There was not one character that overpowered the rest. The talent was across the board, which makes it very difficult to give praise to only one person. Instead, it is the entire cast that deserves all of the acclaim. The character chemistry was amazing. Whether it was Liubov (Clara Weisheit) with her brother Gaev (Augustus Corder) or Anya (Anna Donnelly) with her love interest Trofimov (Devin Knott), characters performed better with their counterparts than alone. The entire cast did a phenomenal job of portraying the rich emotions of their characters. Again, it is difficult to single out one person for this, but one scene stands out most vividly: Lopakhin’s (Austin Lamewona) proposal to Varya (Maddie Eaton). The scene was mostly expressed through physical movement and not words. And these movements, these pauses, worked more beautifully than any words could. It is truly a testament to the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”
There has been much debate over whether this play is a tragedy or a comedy. Instead of focusing on just one, Walnut Hills focused on moments. There were sad moments, and there were lighthearted moments. Not one character was designated as the “comic relief.” Instead, each character had their own lighthearted and heavy moments. Emotions fluctuated through characters, which is very human. This, in turn, makes all of the characters very relatable. Two actors who were incredibly successful at showing the human nature of their characters were Isabella Noe (Charlotta) and Declan Robison (Yepikhodov). These two characters, though funny at times, had stronger motives behind their actions. Often they joked around to hide their pain and feelings of isolation, something that everyone has done at one point or another.
On top of the fantastic acting, the show was technically sound. The handmade cherry tree setting was gorgeous, and the cherry blossoms falling from the ceiling at the end of the show evoked intense emotion from the audience members. The metaphorical raising and lowering of the white curtains did not go unnoticed. And the attention to small details from the lighting crew was impeccable, especially creating the silhouette of a window in Anya’s bedroom. Lastly, the student-composed musical score served to transport us to Russia as well as intensify the intimacy of the production.
Walnut Hill’s The Cherry Orchard was a show more beautiful than words can tell. And the beauty of this show was achieved by the hard work of all involved. It was easily the best show I’ve seen all year, and I would absolutely love to see it again.
Mary Poppins at McAuley High School
REVIEW BY JENNA GRIPSHOVER, Scott High School
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: the only word that accurately describes McAuley High School’s performance of Mary Poppins this weekend. The stage version of the Disney classic and children’s books wowed a packed house on a Saturday night, with cheers echoing throughout the house from the first song to the curtain call.
Danielle Mouch rose above the rest (quite literally) as Mary Poppins herself. Mouch’s posh accent and perfectly timed wit made her the perfect Mary Poppins, emulating Julie Andrews’s original incarnation of the now-iconic character. Mouch kept the audience cheering for more, from her very first second on stage to her exit, flying off like a shooting star into the night.
Sam Osterwisch portrayed Bert, the lovable chimney sweep with a talent for dancing, and it’s impossible to argue that Osterwisch wasn’t born to play the role. The actor seamlessly became the character onstage, popping in and out of the scenes to provide narration to help the audience along. Osterwisch and Mouch worked together incredibly as the lead characters, providing a contrast between the two that made the relationship even more real on stage.
Jacob Nichols and Raelynn Snodgrass were a vocal powerhouse duo as George and Winifred Banks, both putting on a successful performance in songs such as “Cherry Tree Lane,” “Good For Nothing” and “Being Mrs. Banks.” Nichols’s lower timbre perfectly matched that of a father, framing his songs with the sort of brooding strictness that provided the story’s main conflict. Snodgrass’s vocals, on the other hand, were light and timid to provide a stark contrast from her onstage husband. In “Being Mrs. Banks,” Snodgrass got an opportunity to show her true vocal talents and deserves praise for her incredible performance.
The play’s set was complex and beautiful, comprised of rolling rooms and rooftops and hand-painted backdrops. The stage crew and set design team of Abby Kreimer and Julie Lasonczyk worked together to make scene transitions quick and flawless, mastering movement between scenes without hesitation and as naturally as scene movement can be.
All choreography was created by the student talents of Maria Huey, Jenna Lawhorn and Nora Honkomp. Huey specifically shined during her tap solo in “Step in Time, “and Honkomp set the mood with her solo in “Feed the Birds.” The team set up a high-energy dance sequence for every single choreographed song and set the whole show to an upbeat pace.
McAuley High School’s production of Mary Poppins succeeded in bringing the magic of a nanny with an umbrella to life with the incredible use of technical effects, musicianship, and energetic performance.
A Piece of My Heart at Dixie Heights High School
REVIEW BY JENNA GRIPSHOVER, Scott High School
The Vietnam War left a scar on American history and everlasting memories for those who were a part of it. Many Americans fail to acknowledge the significance of the Vietnam War, forgetting the many lives of soldiers lost in the conflict. A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro, an account of the all too real stories of six women who served as emergency room nurses in Vietnam, was brilliantly staged by the students of Dixie Heights High School.
The play features six main female characters, all stationed in Cu Chi, Vietnam, and documents the horror that Vietnam brought upon their lives, even after they returned home to America. The subject matter is intense and terrifying in its reality. Most high schools would be afraid to approach performing this show, but Dixie Heights executed it almost perfectly and left the audience more than impressed.
Mary Mills, who played an anti-war-hippie-turned-Vietnam-nurse named LeeAnn, was incredibly passionate in her performance. She showcased LeeAnn’s inner struggle between fighting in the war and fighting against the war with every line spoken. Mills succeeded in molding together two types of common women in the time of the Vietnam War, a woman searching for peace and a woman who risks her life in order to save the lives of those fighting for her country.
Sissy, played by London Dailey, started the play somewhat unaware of the true horrors she would face as a nurse. The character falls in love countless times with soldiers who all end up losing their lives on the battlefield. Dailey did a fantastic job portraying the raw emotions that Sissy feels during her time as a nurse in Vietnam. In the second act, Dailey presented the audience with the after-effects of Vietnam through her character, such as the physical ailments caused by Agent Orange and the post-traumatic stress disorder that many soldiers and military workers faced long after the war.
The set consisted of rolling and moving platforms that morphed into a multitude of different angles and set-ups throughout the show. Although the staging sometimes made it difficult for the actors to be seen by the audience, the constantly moving scenes gave many opportunities for the cast to be seen in creative and profound positions.
Along with Dailey and Mills, Lindsey Dames (Steele), Cassidy Townsend (Whitney), Sami Durstock (MaryJo), Rachel Milligan (Martha) and an ensemble of 22 actors paid homage to the veterans of the Vietnam War, closing the show by leaving their most prized possessions at the Vietnam Memorial in tribute to the countless soldiers who died overseas, as well as reminding the audience of the great sacrifices made by both men and women during the war in Vietnam.
Death of a Salesman at Gallatin County High School
REVIEWED BY ELLIE CONNIFF, Highlands High School
In 1949, Arthur Miller wrote his now iconic play, Death of a Salesman, as a commentary on the American dream as it was beginning to change in the mid-century as modern sensibilities began to come about and new values were coming to prominence.
Death of a Salesman portrays the intense psychological journey of salesman Willy Loman as he reflects on his family relationships, especially with his brother and his two sons. The story culminates in Willy’s ultimate dissatisfaction with his experiences, which results in a suicidal car crash.
Overall, Gallatin County High School showed an incredible and insightful understanding of Arthur Miller’s complex classic. With their intricate portrayals of Miller’s iconic characters, the students reinvigorated this staple of American theatre.
Starring as the tortured and self-reflecting Willy Loman was Boston Beach who showed surprising maturity in his portrayal, despite not having the depth of experience that Loman exemplifies. Beach invested himself in Loman’s struggles with an emotional understanding far beyond his years, creating a character arc that was believable and incredibly moving.
Among the supporting cast, Austin Adams and Cody Williams are commended for their portrayal of Biff and Happy Loman, respectively. The pair had incredible chemistry, believably displaying the complex relationship between the brothers and also taking the time to find comedic moments within the high drama and familial tension that runs throughout the show. Additionally, Jessica Bond stood out in her small but memorable portrayal of The Woman.
From a technical standpoint, the show was very aesthetically pleasing. James Eversole’s minimal and dramatic lighting cast sharp and uniquely placed shadows that matched the ominous nature of Willy’s troubles, almost foreshadowing his death. Additionally, Kelli Deaton and Romy Orloff’s costume design remained perfectly within time period fashions, while also matching the sensibilities of each character.
Although it is almost 70 years since the first publication of this great American classic, the story’s themes of reflection, harsh reality, and the rift between the ideal of the American dream and its true manifestation in society still hold true today.
Godspell at Cooper High School
REVIEWED BY NOAH MOORE, Highlands High School
Brick by brick, heart by heart, the scene was set; a dreary, lifeless school graced the stage. Enter Jesus stage right. Add flashes of vibrancy and color. Bring in the musical mastery of Stephen Schwartz, and a moving production is on its way. Cooper High School’s production of the acclaimed Godspell tied chilling realism and ludicrous comedy together to create a show from which life poured.
Originally written as a children’s show, Stephen Schwartz wrote and orchestrated the global phenomenon known as Godspell in the early ’70s, and it opened Off-Broadway in 1971 before transferring to The Great White Way in 1976. The show performs the story of several parables written in the book of Matthew from the Bible and presents them in interpretive and comprehensive ways. Between riveting numbers such as “Day by Day” and spine-tingling ballads of pent-up emotions set free in “Beautiful City,” the show combines the articulacy of music and the integral elements of the classic story.
The definition of a “cast” is the actors in a piece of theatre, but for this production, “family” would have made a good substitute, for every actor shared a deep connection with one another and they truly shined best in moments of loving unity. The relentless energy was something rare, as they were filled with vigor even in moments of solitude, putting all they had into their characters and telling a story in a groundbreaking way.
Never failing to elicit cheers with a soft-spoken, purposeful voice was none other than Jesus, portrayed by Jacob Threadgill. Not only did he have outstanding vocals, but his compassion and solace ran through his veins and extended far beyond his words. A flash of red lifted him above the others as he struck down demons, crying out “I’m dying!” — words doused in emotion and solitude.
Rooted in the power of the ensemble, the show bore no star, but rather had an ensemble filled with life and talent. Among the scene-stealers was Trevor Labree, who played his namesake, shining in numbers of vocal dominance, such as “All Good Gifts,” but also setting the bar of comedy high and didn’t look back. Also worth noting was the spunky, yet reserved Lauren Klayer, as herself, who shined not only in every calculable dance step, but also thrived in the non-calculated moments of character exploration.
Impalpable was the perfection put on by sound crews led by Coy Baker. They never detracted from the show, but brought the audience an artwork with the masterful sound effects and few sound flubs, a rarity with the sporadic nature of microphones.
The lights faded as eyes gazed into the vast unknown. A moving piece of theater filled the spirits of all in attendance and recounted a story of deep truth, lacerating emotion, and beauty beyond words. Cooper High School’s Godspell brought the audience on an emotional journey of love and self-discovery and cast a spell on all in attendance.
Rick Pender’s STAGE DOOR blog is posted every Friday at CityBeat.com. Find more theater reviews and feature stories here.
This article appears in Jun 1-8, 2016.
