Oklahoma!‘s significance in musical theater canon is indisputable. It was one of the first “book musicals,” that told aspects of the story through song and dance. The show opened in 1943 and ran for 2,212 performances, and the 1955 film adaptation won an Academy Award. It remains a popular musical, and was revived in 2010 at Washington’s Arena Stage.

Oklahoma! takes place in 1906 Indian Territory, the soon-to-be-state of Oklahoma. It follows farm girl Laurey Williams (Amelia Heesen) as she is courted by cowboy Curly McLain (Billy Weber) and farmhand Jud Fry (Lionel Jackson). It also features Aunt Eller (Jordan Reilly), the maternal figure to all the characters, Will Parker (Cameron Mitchell), a spendthrift sweetheart of a cowboy, and his girl Ado Annie (Tiffanie Snyder), a hormone-riddled teenaged girl who flits from one man to the next.

St. Andrew’s boasted a well-rounded cast, with Weber and Heesen standing out as vocal leads. Weber created an amiable and likeable Curly from his first few moments onstage, and Heesen balanced him out by showing the evolution of Curly and Laurey’s relationship through her initial standoffishness and eventual chemistry. Reilly and Micheal McMillen (as Ali Hakim, a peddler) kept energy levels high with their comedic delivery and physicality, and Micheal McShane as Ike Skidmore and Brian Bries as Andrew Carnes drew big laughs despite limited stage time.

While there were some issues with sound mixing and with harmonies, Weber and Jackson’s performance of “Pore Jud is Daid” was powerful and evocative, and the most moving number of the show. St. Andrew’s student orchestra, who played in costume and were occasionally integrated into the show, did a good job with a difficult score. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s production embodied the hopeful spirit of the show, with beautiful lighting and set design, strong characterizations, and powerful voices.

by Eva Monroe of Woodrow Wilson High School

Photo Gallery

Jordan Reilly as Aunt Eller, Billy Weber as Curly, Amelia Heesen as Laurey	Tiffanie Snyder as Ado Annie and Cameron Mitchell as Will Parker
Michael McMillen as Ali Hakim with Ross Munk, Jennifer Clogg, Louay Youssef, Adit Mahmood, Michael McShane, Ben Greene, Justin Harmon, Memuna McShane	Lionel Jackson as Jud and Billy Weber as Curly
Amelia Heesen as Laurey and Billy Weber as Curly

Photos by Bruce Weber

Pippin, Stephen Schwartz’s musical rendition of Roger Hirson’s book, hit the Broadway stage in 1972. It has since become one of Broadway’s longest-running shows and this successful musical will in fact return there for a revival performance this spring. The story follows the course of a Medieval prince’s life and search for meaning. Pippin, son of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (or “Charles”), feels empty and anxious for fulfillment. In response to his eagerness, the mysterious and mischievous Leading Player gathers his troupe to guide Pippin along his quest. In the course of his journey, the prince hunts for meaning in war, frivolity, revolution, and ordinary life, while the Leading Player pokes fun and attempts to drive the story towards the “Grand Finale.” While Pippin and his father are based on real historical characters, the plot is whimsically fictitious and showcases upbeat, modernized tunes.

The cast of St. Andrew’s Pippin engaged the audience throughout the performance. Pippin himself (Chris Naughton) emanated confidence onstage, accurately portraying the passions and worries of a typical adolescent. His father Charles (Robert Schepis) further added to the show with his bombastic personality and voice. From his pompous “War is a Science” to his dramatic death (and magical resurrection), he ignited laughter among the audience. Energy from the Leading Actor (Drew Looney) also contributed to the show’s mystical nature.

Supporting actors also caught the audience’s eye. While some dance numbers lacked synchronization, several ensemble members performed with energy and poise. Featured actors such as Pippin’s stepbrother Lewis (Billy Weber) and grandmother Berthe (Sami Spaccasi) were especially entertaining, for their comical and over-the-top mannerisms allowed them to capture the spotlight in their moments onstage. Although some characters struggled to maintain pitch in the musical numbers, they delivered the comical plot through sweet melody and sound acting. For instance, the beautiful widow Catherine (Amelia Heesen) presented a warm and melodious voice that suited her character, and Frastrada (Jordan Reilly) convincingly portrayed the devious plots of an ambitious queen.

The set of Pippin made clever use of a small stage. A large platform, which folded down from one of the bandwagon walls, provided versatility. With it, the the set believably became the King’s court in one scene and Catherine’s home in another. The cast also made great use of the white screen behind the platform, creating shadows at certain points to help narrate the story. In addition, the orchestra especially enlivened the performance with impressive skill. Even when the characters grew rather disconnected with the audience, the vivacious music successfully supported them and drove the story home.

Through the simple yet creative set, comical acting, and splendidly executed music, St. Andrew’s Pippin made up for a few of its shortcomings and produced an entertaining and thought-provoking performance that interested the audience.

by Sophie Buono of Oakcrest School

Photo Gallery

Charlemagne (Robert Schepis) sings ‘War is a Science’ while his son Pippin (Chris Naughton) and others listen attentively	Amelia Heesen as Catherine (sitting) is surrounded by (clockwise from upper left) Rachel Sidel, Allie Sklarew, Julia Schepis, Gabi Gedo and Katy Riechers
In the Finale Pippin (Chris Naughton) is encouraged by Lewis (Billy Weber), Fastrada (Jordan Reilly), Leading Player (Drew Looney), Charlemagne (Robert Schepis) and Berthe (Sami Spaccasi) as well as the ensemble	Fastrada (Jordan Reilly) sings ‘Spread a Little Sunshine’ to her son, Lewis (Billy Weber)
Charlemagne (Robert Schepis) with the Leading Player (Drew Looney)

Photos by Vince Weber

West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephan Sondheim, first opened on Broadway in 1957 to mostly positive critical reception. The musical tells the story of the Jets and the Sharks, two culturally divided teenage street gangs at constant odds with one another. When Tony, a white boy from the Jets, meets and falls in love with Maria, the Puerto Rican sister of the Sharks’ leader, it sets in motion a catastrophic course of events that can only end in tragedy.

The ensemble as a whole did an outstanding job of keeping the energy levels high during group dance numbers despite having some difficulties with synchronization of movement. However, the utterly joyful chaos created by the Jet males during “Gee, Officer Krupke” was pure boisterous fun. The haphazard movements and the hilarious interactions perfectly illustrated the close bond of the gang members.

The leads did a fine job of vigorously diving into their daunting roles. Tony, the confident former Jet leader, was played with enthusiastic commitment by Ben Coleman. He guided the show with determination and devoted mastery of his lines. Opposite him as Maria, Kiah Simms lent her high angelic tones to the part, her exquisite voice capturing each note in its intense hold.

However, for all the leads’ virtues, it was the supporting cast that carried the show. Anita (Abigail Stephenson) pulled off the steamy and passionate moods of her role with striking assurance. Her triple threat of talented acting, dancing, and singing was refreshing in a show that contained some who struggled in one of these areas. Her chemistry with Maria was unmistakably genuine and created some amusing and heartwarming scenes. Riff (David Anders) was also quite talented, his intrepid but caring demeanor creating some touching moments among the Jets. His second in command, Action (Chris Naughton), was charming in his role, being an appropriate ray of light in an otherwise mournful play.

The tech was impressive, although a few mistakes were noticeable. The stage crew did an admirable job of changing the remarkable amount of set pieces in a reasonable amount of time for each scene. The orchestra was by far the best technical element of the show. The difficult score was played through with no mistakes, and they effortlessly kept pace with the actors.

West Side Story shows not only racism and discrimination at its zenith, but it also demonstrates love and acceptance; two things that modern society sometimes needs to be reminded of. Even in today’s ever-changing world, the ideas of overcoming adversity and seeing past the color of one’s skin that are presented clearly in the fatal romance of Tony and Maria resonate through time. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School demonstrated these messages with zeal in their thoughtful performance of West Side Story.

by Emma Paquette of McLean High School

Photo Gallery

Maria (Kiah Simms) and Anita Abby Stephenson in the bridal shop	Robert Schepis as Bernardo, Billy Weber as Diesel and David Anders as Riff in the War Council Scene
Tony (Ben Coleman) and Maria (Kiah Simms) singing ‘One Hand/One Heart’	Abigail Stephenson as Anita in ‘Tonight’
Matt Mitterhoff, Chris Naughton, Billy Weber, Background – Cameron Mitchell, Alex Palmer, Connor Orr, Sam Wolf and Michael McMillen

Photos by Bruce Weber

Guys and Dolls was created with the collaboration of the music and lyrics of Frank Loesser and writing of Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, premiering on Broadway in 1950. It tells of two couples and how their fates are gambled away. Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit struggle to keep their relationship intact after a fourteen-year engagement and no wedding. Adelaide suffers from a terminal cold, presumably due to the stagnancy of their relationship, while Nathan covertly organizes craps games, sidestepping the edict against gambling during the early 1950s. Meanwhile, Sky Masterson, another risk taking gambler, woos Sarah Brown, a missionary leader on a bet and finds himself falling in love against his will.

Paralleling the romantic interludes, there was an unmistakable tension between the unruly gangsters looking for a hideout where they could gamble and the policeman who made it a habit to literally breathe down their necks. These gamblers pranced around in spiffy suits, spewing Manhattan accents as convincingly as if they had actually been pulled off the streets of the Big Apple. Rambunctious tangoing led to a savage fight involving a bottle being cracked over a participant’s head. From smirks and sarcasm to touching moments of tender confessions of love, the impassioned atmosphere of this production was palpable.

Hilarity was introduced to the performance by means of snarky banter between Sky and Sarah. Sky Masterson, played by Ben Mitchell, had a smooth and suave attitude. His tough determination to win a bet followed by his transformation into a vulnerable romantic, was as touching as his voice in “Luck Be a Lady” was swoon-worthy. In short, Sky was every bit the amorous, charming Guy one would expect to be able to entice the Doll. Sarah Brown, played by Astrea Somarriba, was convincing in showing her initial resistance to Sky’s attempts to persuade her to go out with him. Her growing affection for Sky was transparent in her exemplary transition to relenting.

Meanwhile, the dynamic relationship between Adelaide and Nathan added another dimension to the continually satisfying entertainment. Marta Knudson, as Miss Adelaide, took the flamboyant role and enthusiastically threw herself into it. She retained the stridency of her character voice while singing gustily, never breaking character while, impressively, simultaneously dancing. This was a purposeful, strong-minded show girl who was clearly resolute in her decision to marry Nathan.

Also, Nathan Detroit, played by the magnetic Robert Schepis, imbued his lines with sincere substance. His earnest pleas to Adelaide for forgiveness and witty, uproarious jokes were fiery. Other actors deserve recognition too for their interpretations of their characters. Nicely Johnson, played by Drew Looney, sang a superb rendition of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” and Harry the Horse, played by Alex Palmer, not only delivered his lines strikingly, but on occasion, creatively ad-libbed lines that were priceless.

The stage itself was appealingly simple, accented with minimalist creative props such as a luminous street light and sparkling street signs. The spotlights framed the actors in such a way as to create two shadows, an enchanting effect. In addition, the orchestra made up for its diminutive size with strong sound and pure talent.

Without a doubt, this show was thrilling. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s Guys and Dolls truly gave new meaning to the rolling of a dice.

by Olivia Meyer of Oakton High School

Photo Gallery

Sky Masterson (Ben Mitchell) and the Gamblers sing “Luck Be a Lady Tonight”	Miss Adelaide (Marta Knudson) and Nathan Detroit (Robert Schepis)
Miss Adelaide (Marta Knudson) and Sarah Brown (Astrea Somarriba)	Nathan Detroit (Robert Schepis), Miss Adelaide (Marta Knudson), Sarah Brown (Astrea Somarriba) and Sky Masterson (Ben Mitchell)

Photos by Bruce Weber.

The musical is not serious whatsoever and abounds with hilarity despite a potentially serious plot. The year is 1877 and the young Frederic has just finished his apprenticeship to a band of pirates. He has been alive for 21 years but due to having been born on a leap year, he has only had five birthdays. As he prepares to leave the pirates, he comes across the daughters of a Major-General and falls in love with one called Mabel. As the pirates and the Major-General contend with one another, Frederic must choose sides.

St. Andrew’s School’s performance was quite entertaining. Whether it was experienced for the first time with this show or their tenth time, it was a unique performance that had something for everyone. Perhaps the most unique part was Joey Schepis’s (Major-General Stanley) performance of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” which included inside jokes that hit home with some members of the audience.

Jonah Orr (Frederic) had a nice voice and portrayed his character as young and earnest, despite being raised by pirates, and showed his love for Mabel. Kati Richer (Mabel) had a beautiful singing voice, however the notes her character had to hit made it difficult to understand exactly what was being said.

Ben Mitchell (Richard the Pirate King) had a wonderful stage presence and voice and did a good job of portraying a king who could be both fierce and gentle. Astrea Somarriba (Ruth) had a beautiful voice as well and made a nice transition from a caring and desperate nursemaid to a tough pirate woman. Joey Schepis added comedy both with his physicality as well as his asides to the audience and helped bring energy to the cast. The ensembles of the pirates and the constables were both well knit and both had an array of unique characters which helped to make the show more believable.

The live music provided by the St. Andrew’s Stage Band was well done with no sound problems. The band also had a unique character as all had pirate headwear and became a part of the show, not just providers of music. The lighting was adequate and most notable at the end of the show when it was used to suggest the sun rising after the night-time setting of the second act.

This motley crew provided quality entertainment. St. Andrew’s School’s performance showed that maybe pirates aren’t so bad after all.

by Jacob Brisson of Hayfield Secondary School

Photo Gallery

Greg Michel, Ben Mitchell, Joey Schepis	Jonah Orr, Ben Mitchell, Astra Somarriba

Photos by Sue Harris Phillips.

Urinetown is an award winning satirical comedy that pokes fun at politics, social irresponsibility, and even other musicals. Written by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis and directed by John Rando, Urinetown was first performed at the New York Fringe Festival. It debuted on Broadway on September 20, 2001 and enjoyed 965 performances before closing on January 18, 2004. It was nominated for seven Tony awards and won three, including the award for best original score.

The story begins in a corrupt and drought-ridden city controlled by a ruthless businessman named Caldwell B. Cladwell, who is head of the Urine Good Company, or the UGC, a water conservation tyrant. Cladwell makes the citizens pay high prices to use the public bathrooms and uses his merciless accomplice Penelope Pennywise and her sidekick Bobby Strong to enforce the fees at the poorest of the city’s toilets. But when Bobby Strong’s father is carted off to the horrid and infamous Urinetown for illegally peeing on the sidewalk, Bobby starts to question the rules he used to enforce. With the help of Cladwell’s daughter, Hope, and the rebellious and poor patrons of the bathroom called Public Amenity #9, Bobby sets off on a quest to make the city a better place to pee.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s production of Urinetown was delightful and entertaining. Though there was low energy throughout the cast in the beginning of the show, by the second act the characters were fired up and excited. With the help of the narrator, Officer Lockstock, and his good friend Little Sally, the audience enjoyed every jovial and unexpected twist in the plot.

Jesse Schellenger, who played Bobby Strong, kept the musical alive with his high energy and clear vocals. His talent was especially apparent in the song “Run, Freedom, Run” where he leads the rebels in an uplifting song to remind them of their revolutionary purpose. Jacob Horn and Alex Lis-Perlis, who portrayed Officer Lockstock and Little Sally respectively, had good chemistry and kept the show moving with their amusing narratives.

The songs “Don’t Be the Bunny” and “Act One Finale” were lively and full of vocal talent. “Act One Finale” was especially enjoyable and entertained the audience with memorable lines and references to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Les Miserables.

The sets and costumes of St. Andrew’s production of Urinetown were well made and appropriate for the slums of Urinetown. The all student-conducted St. Andrews Stage Band did an excellent job of mastering a difficult score and was always on cue. A handful of technical issues with the sound and the lighting didn’t stop the members of the cast from moving forward.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s production of Urinetown is a wonderfully thought-provoking experience. Combining life lessons with parodies of other musicals, cast members learn to trust themselves and to follow their hearts. With a funny script and a strong cast of characters, Urinetown was everything you don’t expect in a musical and more.

by Kelly Danver of T.C. Williams

Bagpipes and plaid sashes alert the audience that indeed, this is the famed Scottish play. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is widely known not only for being the Bard’s shortest work for the stage but also for the sinister nature of its plot and the aura of bad luck that comes to surround those involved in the production. Happily, St. Andrew’s cast was spared from this pattern of misfortune, and was able to spin the tragedy sans calamity from the opening lines of the witches to the eerie closing scene. Shakespeare’s play explores the destruction that comes with murder and guilt, the struggle for power, fate, and the proximity of evil.

The cast handled the difficult language admirably. Lines were not forgotten. Levels were sometimes used, which did wonders for a number of scenes. The scenes were visually attractive, and the focus of some actors was impressive.

The audience appreciated Drew Singer‘s intensity and commitment as the title character. At times he recited his lines as though they were his vernacular. Singer was one of the few actors on stage who made use of facial expressions to convey the emotional turmoil that so characterizes the play. The Lady Macbeth of St. Andrew’s production, played by Kimi Hugli, was strangely feminine and sweet, and the femininity created an intriguing chemistry between the couple. Hugli, too, portrayed much through facial expressions, and her focus at moments of heightened emotion was praiseworthy. William Moodie offered up a haunting version of Macduff, one plagued by disturbances. Neither his pitch nor his emotional state varied much, which was an interesting character choice.

While many in the cast lacked commitment and energy, Vishal Narang was positively full of life and brought energy to the production, without overpowering the title characters. He proved to be both exceedingly entertaining and truthful, a difficult thing to pull off. Narang clearly understood his lines, and recited them confidently and with humorous inflection. The various officers and attendants were a treat to watch when the focus was on others – their somber, mimed discussions appeared genuine, and were accented nicely with gesticulations and secretive inclinations of the head. Sarah Danly was the picture of young male exuberance as Macduff’s sword-play enthusiast son. Her tonality was spot-on for a little boy addressing his mother in that time period.

Aileen Hugli, Michael Moodie, and Garrett Upton did a wonderful job with the costumes – they were simple, yet ornate, yet not so ornate that the costumes proved to be a distraction. The colors of the plaid sashes communicated the rank of the wearer easily. The set was likewise simple with some nice detail, and it did not hinder the movement of the actors. The makeup was outstanding for the ghost of Banquo, especially in the blood department. The hand that gave the rugged appearance to Macduff’s face was a skilled one. The tech crew, dressed in unobtrusive black, was quiet and appeared to have operated smoothly.

Macbeth was an ambitious choice in production, and the cast deserves a round of applause for memorizing the difficult lines.

by Allie Lundquist of Yorktown