El Paso Cappies

Cappies Nominees for 2012

The El Paso Cappies have nominated the following for their outstanding work in high school theater. Who will win? Join us our 10th Gala awards ceremony on May 19 at Socorro High School. More information may be found at http://www.cappies.com/elp

 

 

El Paso Cappies Nominees 2012
Marketing and Publicity
Nominees:	Taylor Bencomo, David Morgan, Cindy Marshall, Ian Eisenberg, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Erica Kearbey, Iris Torres, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Andrew Torres, Eastwood High School, Optophobia
Sound
Nominees:	Ryan Boyette, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Misty Prince, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Piumrug Supasap, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics
Lighting
Nominees:	Nathaniel Arvizu, Anthony Marc, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Brandon MrCormick, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz Dalila Pinon, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE
Sets
Nominees:	Rene Acosta, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Kristian Wolf Pina, Burges High School, Tartuffe Joshua Roedling, Eastwood High School, Optophobia
Costumes
Nominees:	Aime De Anda, Allison Esquivel, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Marissa Ortega, Evelyn Moreno, Lillian Tarabulski, Giovanni Calderon, Coronado High School, The Crucible Lillian Tarabulski, Paulina Hernandez, Kristen Byers, Alexa Boccccio, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's
Make-up
Nominees:	Hope Hernandez, Eastwood High School, Optophobia Jaclyn Herrera, Jackie Salinas, Burges High School, Tartuffe Ivy Nava, Elizabeth Ramirez, Jackie Salinas, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics
Props
Nominees:	Camille Maria Acosta, Burges High School, Tartuffe Jason Castillo, Mercedez Mason, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Adrian Soto, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE
Special Effects and or Technology
Nominees:	Carlos Machado, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods James Matamores, Brandon McCormick, Chris Rhodes, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz Derek Swander, Shelby Fisher-Garibay, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's
Stage Crew
Nominees:	Veronica Vestal, Alena Huhn, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Alyssa Ortega, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Socorro Techs, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE
Orchestra
Nominees:	Americas High School Symphonic Orchestra, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz
Choreography
Nominees:	Genesis Fang, Erica Kearbey, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE David Morgan, Giovanni Calderon, Evelyn Moreno, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Marissa Panteja, Amanda Varela, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Creativity
Nominees:	Kevin O' Leary, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz
Ensemble in a Play
Nominees:	Conspirators, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Nicole McIntyre, Denise Ortiz, Elizabeth Gomez, Joshua Roedling, Eastwood High School, Optophobia Workers, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics
Ensemble in a Musical
Nominees:	The Daughters, Eastwood High School, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr. Guards, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Uriel Perez, Angel Medina, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Featured Actress
Nominees:	Lillian Faith Martinez, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics Ana Quinanes, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Jenna Quiroz, Eastwood High School, Optophobia
Featured Actor
Nominees:	Colton Segapeli, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Andrew Torres, Eastwood High School, Optophobia Eliezer Zamora, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Female Dancer
Nominees:	Alexandra Lund, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Victoria Steadman, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Jasmine Wrighd, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz
Male Dancer
Nominees:	Giovanni Calderon, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Troy Payne, Eastwood High School, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr.
Female Vocalist
Nominees:	Ema-Elyz Espinoza, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Kristen Moreno, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz Valerie Parada, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE
20. Male Vocalist
Nominees:	E. J. Harrell, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz Brandon Ramirez, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Andrew Sianez, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods
Comic Actress in a Play
Nominees:	Camille Maria Acosta, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics Alexandra Pon, Socorro High School, Antigone Now & And Bethany Wilburn, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions
Comic Actor in a Play
Nominees:	Joseph Fernandez, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Kristian Wolf Pina, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics Chris White, Eastwood High School, Optophobia
Comic Actress in a Musical
Nominees:	Ryan Boyette, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Caitlin Burnside, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Sarah Coria, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz
Comic Actor in a Musical
Nominees:	Abraham Garcia, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Marcos Holguin, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Tyler Kyle, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Supporting Actress in a Play
Nominees:	Jaclyn Herrera, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics Brianna Minjarez, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Aurora Quetzal Rivera, Burges High School, Tartuffe
Supporting Actor in a Play
Nominees:	Rafael Flores, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions Kristian Wolf Pina, Burges High School, Tartuffe Noah Torres, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Nominees:	Madison Alford, Eastwood High School, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr. Daisy Gomez, El Dorado High School, Into the Woods Cynthia Marshall, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Nominees:	Jorge Porras, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Abraham Quezada, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Colton Segapeli, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Lead Actress in a Play
Nominees:	Madison Alford, Eastwood High School, Optophobia Aurora Queztal Rivera, Burges High School, Anna In The Tropics Whitley Tucker, Burges High School, Tartuffe
Lead Actor in a Play
Nominees:	Gabriel Franco-Kull, Burges High School, Tartuffe Brian Frescas, Eastwood High School, Optophobia Uriel Perez, Montwood High School, Epic Proportions
Lead Actress in a Musical
Nominees:	Valerie Dominguez, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Erica Kearbey, Socorro High School, Disney's Aladdin DLE Jenna Quiroz, Eastwood High School, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr.
Lead Actor in a Musical
Nominees:	Rafael Flores, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee David Morgan, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's Andrew Torres, Eastwood High School, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr.
Song
Nominees:	Pandemonium, Montwood High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Evening Star, Americas High School, The Wizard of Oz Back to the 80's megamix, Coronado High School, Back to the 80's
Play
Nominees:	Optophobia, Eastwood High School Epic Proportions, Montwood High School Anna In The Tropics, Burges High School
Musical
Nominees:	Back to the 80's, Coronado High School The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Montwood High School The Pirates of Penzance, Jr., Eastwood High School
Rising Star
Nominees:	Rafael Flores Montwood High School Anna Peralta-Azor El Dorado High School Andrea Salgado El Dorado High School
Junior Critic
	Hannah Georges Coronado High School Andrew Sianez   El Dorado High School Andrew Torres    Eastwood High School
Senior Critic
Nominees:	Moriah Garcia  Coronado High School Andrea Hurell    El Dorado High School Ashley Vasquez  El Dorado High School
Critic Team
Nominees:	Coronado High School Eastwood High School El Dorado High School

 

76 Trombones Invade Coronado High School Stage

Coronado High School’s cast of The Music Man marched into their gorgeous theater this weekend with so much warmth and energy that the stifling cold of the past week was all but forgotten.  The audience was transported to small town River City, Iowa in 1912 to meet Harold Hill who is determined to con residents out of money by pretending to be a music teacher bent on forming a boy’s band. Clever young librarian Marion Paroo uncovers his deceitful agenda, forcing Harold to decide if winning her over is worth risking capture by the authorities. Eventually, Harold manages to win over not just Marion, but the entire town.

 In the leading male role Phillip Bull definitely looked the part. His liveliness, strong stage presence, and crisp articulation of tongue-twisting lines made his scam believable. His chemistry with Marion, played by Ariel Moffeit, was enjoyable to watch as their characters grew closer in various entertaining and well-choreographed numbers including “Marian the Librarian.” Moffeit ‘s sweet soprano voice breezed through tough numbers and brought her romantic character to life. The supporting characters were just as important as the leads, and the very large cast added an exciting energy to the show during group numbers. The enjoyable “Pick-a-Little Ladies” and the adorable barber shop quartet sang their numbers in perfect harmony and got many laughs from the audience. Ian Eisenberg as Mayor Shinn was consistently hilarious and stole the show whenever he was on stage. Young Ben Gutierrez played Winthrop, who changed from a shy, lisping child to a confident boy who began bursting into song.

 The technical feats were just as impressive as the acting and singing, and the cast definitely used the large stage to their advantage. Quick rotations of the many moving set pieces differentiated scenes. Actors moved up and down aisles, in front of curtains, and used every bit of available space to give the audience the impression that they were a part the town. The most striking aspect, though, had to be the sheer number of costumes the very large cast wore. Each day in the story brought a new time-period-appropriate outfit for not just the main characters, but for the many supporting characters and chorus members as well. From the fabulous hats and dresses of the town women, to the crisp, striped blazers and old-school ties of the men, the costumes were always exciting to see.

 While The Music Man is a very challenging classic musical, the Coronado thespians didn’t seem to notice as they succeeded in entertaining the audience with a near-flawless show.

by Khayla Golucke of Montwood High School

 

He's just a “bang-beat, bell-ringing, big-hole, great-go, neck-or-nothing, rip-roarin', every time a bull's eye” salesman. In 1912“Professor” Harold Hill travels River City, Iowa and convinces its citizens to start a boy’s band. The unsuspecting citizens do not know that Hill plans to run off with their money for instruments and uniforms. But everything changes when Harold Hill meets River City librarian and music teacher Marian Paroo. When all is said and done Hill kept at least some of his promises in Coronado High School’s production of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man.

 Coronado’s large cast included different age groups to compose the many families of River City and even though youngsters Amaryllis (Jordan Hunt) and Winthrop Paroo (Ben Gutierrez) were cute as can be, we must not forget who we came for--The Music Man. Philip Bull led the cast as the traveling salesman conman. Ariel Moffeit  played opposite Bull as the withdrawn Marian Paroo.  Moffeit brought charm and strength to her role as a woman who gradually allows Harold Hill into her life and opens her heart to love. Ian Eisenberg entertained the audience as the uptight and accusatory mayor of River City. Eisenberg was hilarious, using great comedic timing to nail every witticism. Choreographers Sandra Sanchez and Giovanni Calderon shone as Mayor Shinn's daughter Zaneeta and her boyfriend Tommy Djilas with their featured dancing and animated personalities. But personality abounded in ensembles like the “Pick-A-Little Ladies” led by Mayor Shinn’s wife, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn (Jenna Doddridge) and the bickering men of the school board (Daniele Altermann, David Morgan, Nick Smith, and Brian Gutierrez) who came together in harmony as an a cappella quartet.

The costumes (Shelby Fisher-Garibay and Lillian Tarabulski) really added to the show, differentiating age  and class groups. The set was quite impressive and although scene changes were a bit on the rough side, all was forgotten once the lights came on to reveal bookcases for the library and the stores and buildings of River City.

“Whaddya talk, whaddya talk? You can talk, you can talk, you can talk” all you want but Coronado’s production of The Music Man was extremely entertaining and the cast’s tremendous performances made the audience want to get up and go to River City, Iowa.

by Tehmi Hernandez of El Dorado High School

 

Guys and Dolls from Burges High School Shine

Luck was truly a lady tonight as we gambled our way to glory in Burges High School’s performance of Jo Swerling and Abe Burrow’s dazzling musical of “Guys and Dolls."

 Guys and Dolls is 1950's musical that follows the story of Nathan Detroit, Sky Masterson, and various crap shooters as they struggle between daily life and their passion for gambling. The original production premiered on Broadway on November 24, 1950 and was directed by George S. Kaufman. From then on the musical got seven revivals in both Broadway and in London.

 Burges High school’s production captured all the aspects of the show and delivered them in a glamorous way. The choreography was dynamic and daring, truly portraying the essence and style of a New York era. The production was filled with strong vocal energy and the set adaptable for quick scene changes.

 The Crap Shooter ensemble was full of energy and charisma their wild performance of many musical numbers such as “The Oldest Establishment” was exiting and well choreographed. Among the crap shooters was Nathan Detroit, one of the leads who both singing and acting was astonishing. Nathan Burges truly portrayed his character of Detroit as he wandered desperately on stage to win his lady’s love and continue gambling at the same time.  Joshua Montes played Sky Masterson. Montes was able to became a gambling lover who falls for a army girl on account of a bet.  Through his performance Montes’s Vocal energy and character focus was accurate even when Dancing astounding musical numbers like “luck be a lady."

From the Dolls corner came Marilyn Wallace as Miss Adelaide. Wallace’s performance was hysterical and well prepared. She stayed in character, had a strong vocal energy, and counted as a nice comic relief for the production as she sang “Adelaide’s Lament." Although a small role, Gabriel Franco’s character of Joey Biltmore was another gambler who was noteworthy. Franco may not have had much stage time but his dancing often stole the spotlight from among the crap shooters.

What are big cities without night lights? The technical work showed us the lights of New York‘s buildings. The set and lights really gave a precise vive of city extravaganza with such accuracy that one would believe to be looking up at the buildings from below. Costumes and makeup were charming as well, a well displayed set of 1950s glamour dresses and snazzy suits.

Burges High School’s production of “Guys and Dolls” was entertaining and unique it took us through the life and times of a 1950s gambler. 

 

by Daniel De La Rosa of Socorro High School

In New York City, the sun begins to set, and every one heads home to their families for dinner. The stars come out and twinkle with the full moon in the night sky. In the streets, groups of anxious men with dollar bills in their pockets, and propositions on the tables head over to crap games or to hidden areas to place a bet on who can kick a cheesecake the furthest or which cockroach will reach a finish line first. In Burges High School’s musical production of Guys and Dolls, the insane gambling world of New York is brought to life on the stage of the Chamizal National Memorial Theatre.

Guys and Dolls begins with Nathan Detroit, who is overpowered by a gambling problem, worrying about his fourteen-year engagement to Miss Adelaide, and her anxiousness to tie the knot. Finding himself swayed once more by the roll of the dice, he finds himself making a bet that his friend Sky Masterson won’t be able to get a girl on his mind to go to Cuba with him on a date. Accepting Detroit’s bet, a simple game of chance turns into a love story between two opposites and their journey of understanding the other.

Nathan Burgess (Nathan Detroit) had a good connection with Marilyn Wallace (Miss Adelaide.) They both acted like a couple that has been engaged for fourteen years. Ms. Wallace’s voice was at its best during “Adelaide’s Lament.” Her cheerful characteristics were well done, and her accent never faded away whenever she was onstage. Joshua Montes and Lillian Faith Martinez’s (Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown) chemistry with one another was strong, and created its defining moment in “I’ve Never Been in Love Before the Raid” with their interactions.

Every single one of the dancers were in sync with each other. Although it sometimes took away from the actors’ facial expression, their body movements were well played, especially the Crap Shooters during “The Crapshooter’s Dance.” Each member had their own personality, and they would always take advantage of their character in order to make them memorable. Gabriel Franco-Kull (Joey Biltmore) had amazing movements, particularly with his flips and communication with other dancers. 

The beautiful lighting of the city and Cuba at night with a twinkled touch was delightful to observe after every scene change. All of the costumes fit the time period well as well as each of the individual characters. The entire set was very well constructed, and gave off the feel of actually being in the wondrous streets of New York and the life of Cuba after dark.

 With an eye-catching set, well-balanced relationships, and energetic choreography, Burges High School’s production of Guys and Dolls is one that will leave a positive lasting impression. 

by Christina Vargas of Socorro High School

 

Rumors abound at Americas High School

For some people, life is all about reputation. In our society, maintaining the positive and ideal image, especially for high society figures, is essential. Sometimes, however, our images are rocked by scandal or rumors, as shown in Americas High School's hilarious adaptation of Rumors by Neil Simon.

The play is introduced with two characters, a couple by the names of Chris and Ken Gorman. The Gormans were planning on having a lovely night with their friends for their client Charlie’s 10th wedding anniversary, but their plans are suddenly changed when they discover Charlie in his room with a bullet through his ear lobe. As the party guests continue to arrive, they must decide whether to share what they discovered, and risk spilling his secret to the public, or find a way to hide it. Much ruckus is created and with the help of many hilarious and unique characters the show never fails to entertain. 

Overall, the acting was nice and enjoyable. Christian Cuevas as Ken Gorman was notably one of the most believable and well developed characters. Texas Quezada as Lenny Ganz, a dorky, yet witty accountant, was also very enjoyable to watch. Kristen Moreno and E.J Harrell as the Cusacks were also extremely memorable. Both always brought laughs, even with small gestures, and made a very hilarious pair. Arguably some of the funniest characters, though, were the ones with the least amount of stage time-the police officers (Anthony Molina & Sarah Ireland.) Though they were only on stage for one scene, both officers took full advantage of every line and reaction and left the audience in fits of laughter.

Though technically the show was simple, it was sufficient. The costumes and makeup were fitting, looking expensive and well made as their characters demanded. The set was designed as the living room of a wealthy man's house, featuring many doors and an upstairs. The stairs, especially were very well made, not shaking even an inch when cast members ran up and down or fell on them. However, perhaps the most interesting technical aspect of the show was the director. Erika Mendoza, a student at Americas High School, in her directorial debut, managed to do a job comparable to a professional, which was certainly impressive.

Overall, Americas High School was faced with an exceptionally difficult task: putting on an adult show about lawyers, accountants, and politicians, while having very little life experience themselves. However, though this may have been so, they truly overcame the challenge and were able to make this a enjoyable and entertaining show.

by Marissa Rojero of Eastwood High School

 

When attending a small wedding anniversary, one would expect a grand time with laughter, cheerful socializing of other couples, and the actual host attending the anniversary. When everything goes into a frenzy about four couples covering up the truth about the attempted suicide of their host, who is the deputy mayor of New York City, as well as gossip about each other, Americas High School’s comical student-directed production of Rumors brings a great amount of humor that made it very enjoyable.

Though there were some issues with volume and energy, they both picked up as the show progressed. Playing the panicked Ken Gorman, Cristian Cuevas had good energy towards the end of the first act and onward. His expressions from being deaf due to the sound of the gunshot were hilarious as well, as his interaction with the other actors as he was trying to comprehend what they were saying. Portraying the confused and frantic Chris Gorman was Andrea Olivas. Her drunken mannerisms remained constant, and her volume improved as the show progressed in its chaos.

 Texas Quezada (Lenny Ganz) had amazing energy during his explanation of the incident with the gunshots when he was impersonating the party’s host. His relationship with Kiriana Herrick (Claire Ganz) was amusing when they would gossip about scandalous affairs between other acquaintances, which gave both of them very distinct personalities.

 E.J. Harrell and Kristen Moreno (Ernie and Cookie Cusack) went perfectly well together. They both brought a huge amount of energy, and their characteristics made their characters unique. Ms. Moreno’s crawling on the ground and random back spasms helped give life to her performance. They were also able to feed their energy off of each other, which helped strengthen their connection.

 Anthony Molina and Sarah Ireland (Officer Welch and Officer Pudney) were enjoyable to watch all the way from their entrance to their final exit. Both of their mannerisms always had a comedic touch to it, and their tone of voice when talking and muttering to each other made them very memorable characters.

The complexity of the set helped give off the feeling of being in a large home with the structure of the staircase heading up into the other rooms. The costumes were slightly off in time periods but they each fit their characters well. The simple lighting gave off a warm feeling of being at home and worked well with the color of the walls.

With comical personalities, and relationships, Americas High School’s production of Neil Simon’s Rumors is one that had people laughing throughout.  

by Christina Vargas of Socorro High School

 

There Be Giants at Hanks High School

The cast was very energetic and even the actors whose faces were covered were in character with their changes in voice tone and speed. The different sculpted head of the giants were all so unique to each giant with different colors, designs, and even shapes, giving an otherworldly feel.

 Kyle Kehrwald as Sophie was loud and articulate and played her character as a child very well with wide eyed expressions. Joel Calderon as the BFG was very humorous with a voice change he made as a giant and putting more emphasis in his gestures while wearing the large frames of the giant suits.

Rene Carbajal as the little boy Sam was very comedic with his voice as a little boy and then to that as an older man when talking to the President in the dream sequence. Carbajal and his interaction with Anthony Escajeda as the Heads of the Army and Air Force was very enjoyable to watch an drew many laughs from the audience. 

Costumes suited the characters well such as Sophie’s nightgown and the both the Queens of England and Sweden with their own style of pink pantsuit and green gown with pearls. The frames of the giants made an impact for the show, seeing these towering figures walk down the aisles among the audience and bringing the audience into the story with the interactive skit during intermission very creatively done by Joe Angel Saldivar.

The Knight Players brought to the stage a very memorable story of friendship and acceptance  between a little girl and a goofy but kind giant. “The BFG” is certainly a show for children and adults to watch together and enjoy.

by Ashley Vasquez of El Dorado High School

 

Sophie has been captured by the BGF! The Big Friendly Giant has to take Sophie from her orphanage in order to keep his existence quiet. Most giants would gobble Sophie but not the BFG. He takes her in and a friendship between them begins to blossom.

Sophie, the little orphan girl with a big heart, was played by Kyle Kehrwald. She was so adorable. When she and the BFG did their fart dance it was just so hilarious. She did a great job and was enjoyable to watch.

The childler eating Giants including the BFG was put together amazingly. The paper mache heads and the draping of clothing were very innovative. 

The soundtrack to the play was very appropriate and delightful. The audience was into it and the actors were feeding off it nicely.

The intermission skit was nicely executed and having the audience interact with the giants was a great idea. The audience had to scare away the childer eating giants by screaming and roaring louder than them. It was a good way of keeping you waiting for the second act to take place.

Coming into Act two the Queen of England has nightmares of giants taking all the childers. When she wakes she learns her dreams are true. So Sophie and the BFG along with the queen decide to lift the giants with a helicopter and put them in a hole. The creativity of making this a reality was mind blowing. They used shadow puppets to show all of this happening.

Overall, the show was a success. It was fun for all ages and took you to the state of mind that anything is possible and real if you merely believe.

 by Celeste Carbajal of El Dorado High School

 

Socorro's Oz is Over the Rainbow

Flying monkeys, singing munchkins, and a yellow brick road. Oh my. Socorro High Schools production of “The Wizard of Oz” did an admirable job at trying to tackle a cultural classic. Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, this story has been sung and danced across generations and is a familiar name in any household and the Socorro Teartristas were more than happy to take on the challenge.

 The musical follows Dorothy Gale, played by Valeria Parada, as she is whisked up in a tornado and dropped off in the Wonderful Land of Oz. She runs into a brainless Scarecrow, Daniel de la Rosa, a heartless Tin Man, Victor Gonzalez, and a cowardly Lion, Abraham Quezada, as she makes her way to the Wizard, Luis Verdeja, in order to try and find her way back home. Along the way she is helped by Glinda the Good Witch, Erica Kearbey, and hindered by her evil counterpart the Wicked Witch of the West, Ana Quinones.

The actors did their best to create their own interpretations of the characters rather than rely on the movie. This would mean that audiences well acquainted with the film will see a whole new direction for the characters, each with their own unique feel.  The population of Munchkin Land was played by young children from nearby schools. It was nice to see young children on stage playing the delightful and high pitched villagers of the story. Also, Toto, was played by a small sweet dog by the name of Katie, much to the pleasure of the children in the audience.

One thing audiences will recognize are the costumes; each one matching the movie and the character perfectly. Sets, such as the backdrops borrowed from UTEP, and the set pieces built by the students, were constantly moving back and forth and scenes quickly changed to the next one, often resulting in snags and mishaps but ending in a beautiful setting.

In the Land of Oz there will be laughs, singing, and dancing. Audiences will enjoy watching the musical from their childhood with characters that feel fresh and new. Socorro High School's production of “The Wizard of Oz,” was definitely over the rainbow.

 

by Andrew Sianez of El Dorado High School

 

Walk with Socorro High School’s Teatristas down the yellow brick road to the shimmering green gates of Emerald City in their production of “The Wizard of Oz”. Encountering cowardly lions and venturing through enchanted poppy fields the Teatristas bring the memorable book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” to the stage as Dorothy Gale embarks on her journey over the rainbow to the magical land of Oz.

Adapted from the book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, “The Wizard of Oz” tells the story of Dorothy and her beloved little Toto as they make friends with the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. While they travel through Oz, evading the malevolent intent of the Wicked Witch of the West, they ultimately learn that everything they desired were things with them all along.

 The cast worked so well together in dance numbers like the “Jitterbug” and the stage crew in charge of moving the sets did a good job in working quickly and in sync with each other. The cast was articulate and interactions with ensembles like the Munchkins were very delightful to watch as young children sang and acted with their older cast members.

 Valeria Parada with her fearful expression of Toto being taken away to her lovely singing in “Over the Rainbow” played Dorothy Gale well, Daniel De La Rosa,the Scarecrow, was great fun throughout the play especially the song “If I Only Had a Brain” made for very a very enjoyable scene and show.

Abraham Quezada as the Lion delighted use all, with little mannerisms like his habit of holding onto other characters in fear was comedic, and especially with his facial expressions. Victor Gonzalez as the Tin Man was very in control of his body and impressively limber while wearing what appeared to be a soild metal Tin Man costume. The crow ensemble were a humorous trio and their costumes were very clever with beaks, dress shirts, and crow’s feet socks.

The lighting was very appealing and a palette of colors were used for different scenes such as “King of the Forest” which was dominantly one color but also with tinges of pink, blue, and green. The farmhouse of the first scene really did move as the tornado approached making such a good storm effect and the spinning of the farm house along with the strobe light added more to it. The use of smoke for the Wicked Witch for her melting scene was very effective and the use of lights as fireballs worked very well.

The Teatristas with the many obstacles of a tech heavy show were able to come through to bring an entertaining and unforgettable book to the stage. Their production of “The Wizard of Oz” is sure to bring laughter and a new appreciation for family and friends this holiday season.

 by Ashley Vasquez of El Dorado High School

 

 

A Singular Sensation at Eastwood High School

"A Chorus Line" is the story of the struggle of 18 dancers and their shared dream. Out of 18 only 8 can make it. Hearts will be broken and tears will be shed. Eastwood HIgh School did a great job of performing this show.

The first act was kind of long but it was still enjoyable to watch. Some of the actors could have projected more but overall it sounded good. Val (Brianna Barcena), Diana (Amber Silva), and Ritchie (Donovan Gibbs), were all outstanding characters in the first act. They had great energy and made the audience enjoy watching them dance and sing. From the great flips performed by Donovan Gibbs to the great voice of Amber Silva, everything on stage kept the audience interested.

The sound really stood out in first act. The sound was done live by Paul Pinon, percussion, and Art Avila, bass. They both did a great job because their sounds worked perfectly with the show.  They both sounded great. As well as the sound, the lights in act one were great. They really worked perfectly in sync with the show. Perfect timing in every light cue. The only thing wrong with the tech was the microphones. I felt that they were distracting and werent always working properly. Other than that - great tech.

Act Two was somewhat shorter than act one but still equally as enjoyable. In this act, we saw a change of shoes from the converse to what looked like dress shoes which still didn't fit for a broadway musical audition. Great energy from everyone. Cassie, played by Lori Janae Green, had a long dance.  A stand out dancer was Gabriela Aguilar, playing Laura, in both the first and second act.

 During one of the songs in the second act, I liked how the dancers looked like they were trying to remember the choreography, and after a while looked like they were getting tired and trying to get ways to stop for a minute when nobody was looking.

The whole play was really enjoyable to watch, and the energy given by all of the actors was through the roof. I give all of the actors props for this show because I know all of that dancing and singing can take its toll on an actor's body and mind. After watching this show, I now realize why this is the fourth longest running Broadway show. Thank you for keeping the spirit of the show alive.

by James Matamoros of Americas High School

"Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again! Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!" Originally created by Michael Bennett, this Broadway show has won it all. It is the fourth longest running show. The Eastwood Troupers proudly presented "A Chorus Line." We take a journey with the dancers, to see what is behind the talent and the glamour and glitz.

The show started by presenting the famous opening number of "I hope I get it," performed by the company, which did a commendable performance. To get a cast of about 19 people who require dancing and singing skills for a high school is rather difficult. The presence that the company held together throughout the show was impeccable. The high kicks were together, the snaps were together, and even the notes that the company hit were together.

I would like to commend the four young ladies who choreographed four of the numbers on the musical. Lori Janae Green, Brianna Barcena, Sarah Madrid, and Christina Rodriguez all did an outstanding job. The cohesiveness of the dance numbers and how they all had a flow with the song, made you forget that it was a high school performance.

 In this show, you got to connect with the characters in another level. Although there were upstaging problems at times, they never broke character. When they knew that had a mistake and forgot the words of the song, they didn't do anything short of recovering from that mistake and making sure they ended with a bang!

 Since this musical started, people have fallen in love with each and every single character. You learn about these people and all the hardships and difficulties that they had to go through to get to where they are. Everyone needs a job, and no one is getting younger. You see them face reality, and how they learn to overcome it.

 The Eastwood Troupers gave it their all, and it was shown on stage. They told the story of all these people whose lives revolve around singing and dancing, and how eight of those people, succeeded in life after the dancing in that line.

by Terah Sustaita of Burges High School

 

A Living Comic Strip at Montwood HS

On Sunday, December 05, 2010, I felt like I was reading the comics in the Sunday paper while watching You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown performed at Montwood High School. Music and laughter filled the room while watching old time favorite characters sing and dance. Songs by Snoopy, Lucy, Sally, and Charlie Brown himself were memorable in their performance and never disappointed.

This musical was based on the classic comic strips called “Peanuts” by Charles Schultz and also a book by John Gordon. It was later adapted by Andrew Lippa and added music and lyrics by Clark Gesner. There is no plot, solutions, or endings, but short skits throughout the play. Charlie Brown is a boy with nothing extraordinary about him, except that he has a lot of ambition. He has a little sister who is overly dramatic named Sally, and many friends including a forceful girl named Lucy and her thumb-sucking, intellectual brother Linus.

Charlie Brown played by Adrian Salas was exceptional in his role. Charlie Brown is known for being awkward, yet cheerful and he met those expectations well. His voice was well heard in and out of song. He had a boyish quality that made him seem younger and innocent as all the characters of Peanuts are. Sally Brown played by Aja Segapeli was enjoyable to watch. She had an over-dramatic feature that fit the role of “little sister” perfectly and never had a dull moment. She had a beautiful voice that stayed in the character of the little girl she played. One scene of her and Snoopy played by Colton Segapeli was a perfect captured moment of a young girl and her dog looking for rabbits and enjoying their youthfulness which I expected from the characters. Colton Segapeli had me believing he was an actual dog living the dog life. His role added to the play in a comic way, and the chemistry between him and other characters was always amusing.

The music and choreography of the show was simple which made it just as fun. All the characters had high energy and looked like they were all having a good time which helped me have a good time also. The music and lyrics were adorable and the actors portrayed little kids so well, I heard what sounded like little kids singing. While some sound cues were a tad late and some words lost, the show progressed in a way that kept me smiling the entire time.

Overall, the show was one that made me miss my childhood days of playing on the playground and thinking things out of the ordinary that only a small child can. The cast and crew created a performance that the entire family can enjoy with classic characters that bring back memories. You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown really delivered in performance making it one I will not forget.

by Elizabeth Phinney of El Dorado High School

 

The auditorium went pitch black and a spot light came up on a little boy. And so began a trip down memory lane. All in Montwood schools production of “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown”.

“You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown”’ takes us into the life of Charlie Brown, a little boy who can’t punt a football or even fly a kite. The musical first premiered off-Broadway on March 7, 1973 and on Broadway in 1971. Montwood High Schools production displayed exceptional talent.

Everyone fed off everyone else’s energy. The whole cast had excellent characterization which made the production believable.  Ears were filled with delightful sounds as the cast members sent boisterous music throughout the air. 

Aleksya Aguirre who played Lucy had a tough role to portray but played it off well. From happy to crabby to sad, we always understood where she was taking her character. Her voice was very good and thunderous.

“My life is like a Shakespearian tragedy”, said by Sally (Aja Segapeli) was only one of her many comedic lines. Segapeli’s energy was extraordinary as she made the age of her character come to life.  Charlie Brown (Adrian Salas) portrayed a lonely boy whom thought no one liked him.  His sadness was felt by all through is fantastic facial expressions and tone of voice.

The set was straightforward yet it caught the audience’s attention. Memories of younger years were felt by all.  It transported you back to simpler days of playing with blocks, elementary school, and Saturday morning cartoons and comics. The costumes were really colorful. Each character seemed to have their own different color so that you could distinguish them.   Scene transitions ran very smooth.

Overall, Montwood High Schools production of “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” was fun and entertaining for the whole family.

by Kira Clouser of El Dorado High School

 

Burges slams the doors in Noises Off!

There’s nothing better than drama in a British accent. On Saturday, December 4th, Burges High School spectacularly performed “Noises Off”, a play about play, and all that goes on backstage. The first act shows us the dress rehearsal. Anyone that has performed knows the dress rehearsal is always a pain in the, well, you know. The director frustrated, the “techies” stressed, the stage manager overwhelmed, and the actors, well the actors being actors. There's fumbling with props, getting cues correct, and saying the right lines. From the very first few lines, it was obvious to see this was going to be a great show. Throughout the first act, lines were delivered well and with power, characters remained kept up and were played beautifully. Cues were amazing and the entire blocking of the play was great.

The second act portrayed the backstage and all the drama going on while the show was going on. There were couples fighting and love triangles everywhere. Everyone was trying to kill each other and cues being missed for the play. Chaos and commotion took shelter backstage, as everything was going wrong, the drama from backstage leaking to their performance on stage. How to choreograph every detail of anger, tripping and stumbling, no one knows, but either way, the second act was the best of the show. Laughter filled the room as Garry, played by Joshua Montes, walked in trying to kill whoever appeared to be making a move on Dotty, played by Molly Butler and Selsdon, played by Isaac Torres, looked for a bottle of whiskey. Every mistake and mishap was time precisely on stage and everything was done well. The third act was one of their last performances. Every line was said incorrectly and people were just falling over and coming on stage bleeding. The actors were messing up so w ll, we almost forgot this wasn’t real.

The entire play was among the best I’ve seen. A great play performed by Burges. Every actor kept his/her character up and were very believable. This was an amazing show and was hardly believable to be a high school play. The entire show was relatable to any actor in the audience and had us all rolling in the aisles. Every line kept us on the edge. Great job Burges, and props to the director as well, as they only had four weeks to pull off such an amazing show!

by Ammi Rivas of Ysleta HIgh School

 

 The making of a play goes through many transformations.   The good, the bad, and the ugly are seen as the cast members shed tears, drip with sweat, yell with frustration, and cry with drama.  All of this was experienced in Burges' production of “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn

 The audience is taken through the different stages accomplished by a cast in order to put on a flawless performance as three acts of “Noises Off” begin to unfold.   

In the beginning (Act 1), the cast and crew are conducting a final run through.  They are met with a lot of late exits, loss of the talent, and a multitude of bad things that can and will happen.  A month later (Act 2) during a matinee performance, they are backstage where emotions of love and hate fill the air.  Finally (Act 3), months later nothing has improved.  All of the hard work and struggling to make everything perfect has failed.

 Marisa Mier (Poppy Norton-Taylor) did an outstanding job as a stage manager trying to organize everything so it was where it was supposed to be.  Thomas Woo (Timothy Allgood) did a superb job to show how a tech gets tired from endless hours of working on the set. Albert Scott Payan’s (Lloyd Dallas) performance as a frustrated director deafened ears with all of his yelling.  Joshua Montes (Garry Lejeune) changes brilliantly from loving two woman on and off the set.

The entire cast displayed a vibrant amount of energy during the full performance.  The audience was rolling with laughter from beginning to end.  The magnificent effort revealed by each and every one in the cast gave you an idea about all of the hard work that is needed to make a show come together.

 Technical aspects of the performance were extremely good.   The fading of lights and music was smooth and pleasant to the eyes and ears.  Creating two sets in one ensured an easy transition.

There is no such thing as a perfect production.  Friendships are tested and relationships are built.  The Burges High School Mustang Theatre Company showed us this in “Noises Off.”

by Kira Clouser of El Dorado High School

 

Musical Dinosaurs at Ysleta High School

At Ysleta High School’s performance of the Dinosaur Musical, the characters display inventiveness and problem solving all while coping with political turmoil and overcoming adversity and personal obstacles. Who knew that dinosaurs could be so human?

 The Dinosaur Musical is a kid-geared show offering humorous ideas as to how dinosaurs ran the world, including the invention of spaghetti and a “Treaty of Meat” that created peace among all dinosaurs. The musical shows the subsequent events of young and unsure Quincy taking the throne and being ill advised by Mr. Glut and Mrs. Gapp to end the Treaty of Meat, and the resistance that arises to fight the new laws.

The cast’s energy and liveliness had a noticeable boost once the set changed from the threadbare stage to Swifty’s Volcano Café, which allowed more set and character interaction and therefore more dimension to the show.

Krissina Guzman as Carlotta, a singer who covets a comeback, offered attitude and a starlet personality, and easily portrayed the balance of motherhood and her role in the resistance. John Perez as Mr. Glut effortlessly and shamelessly manipulated the new king, led the troops with the newfound break in the Treaty of Meat and drove himself with a “win at all costs” attitude along with his partner in crime Mrs. Gapp, played by Bonnie Baltazar.

The Dinosaur Musical features a supporting cast of various characters with very large personalities, be it Baltazar as brazen Mamma Lucrezia, or Ammi Rivas as sassy Genevieve. Baltazar was able to hit the notes in all the songs she sang while keeping her Italian character in check. Lexi Garcia as Mindy and Jovi Von Kolb as Eleanor had a sisterly chemistry that propelled their storyline from point a to point b. Richard Lopez, who played Armando, offered a truly humorous break in particularly stressful scenes. Be it from the first where the dinosaurs are concerned for their food to the last where he dies, and in all other scenes embodied the dinosaur-meets-actor peak.

The play’s technical aspects paid homage to actual creatures and objects while taking a comical and cartoonish approach to the props, set and costumes. The costumes gave a nod to T-Rexes and other various dinosaurs, all while giving the dinosaurs character and flair that enhanced their individual personality. The lights gave the scenes a sense of urgency when they flashed red for danger and an obvious break when “a few days have passed.” 

The Dinosaur Musical, while from some respects may be like the spaghetti before the sauce, that is “not so bad, but not so great,” overall would offer a child an entertaining experience with a cute take on fearsome creatures. The performance would easily hit the mark for its intended audience and be the equivalent of the spaghetti with the sauce, a success. 

by Kyle Kehrwald of JM Hanks High School

 

On Thursday Ysleta High School theater performed “The Dinosaur Musical” and entertained people of all ages.  A meteor struck earth and dinosaurs are at point of extinction.  The dinosaurs are trying their best to not eat on another but things are not going as planned.

“The Dinosaur Musical” was written by Willie Reale.  On December 4, 2005 it had its world premier at F. Otto Haas Stage.  This musical is originally for children.

Ysleta High schools production of “The Dinosaur Musical” was very appropriate for children.  The characters worked well together.  There were some characters that had more energy than the rest but it all mixed in just right.

Mrs. Gapp, played by Bonnie Baltazar, and Mr. Glut, played by John Perez, had good energy for a children’s musical.  Through out the entire production their energy never dropped and they both portrayed their character with great personality. Mrs. Gapp (Bonnie Baltazar) was enthusiastic as both characters- a T-Rex and Mrs. Gapp-. Mr. Glut (John Perez) was captivating, his acting and the way he persuaded Prince Quincy, played by Sociana Amaro, into doing what he wanted for himself was realistic.

Armando, played by Richard Lopez, had a great sense of humor.  His character was nicely portrayed.  Every time he introduced himself and said his entire name it was funny, it did not get boring through out the production of the play.  His first appearance on stage was a pleasure to watch.  He brought up the energy level that was lacking at some points and kept his enthusiasm up.

 The costuming was creative.  Masks and the gloves that were used were adorable, very well suited for a children's musical. The goggles that were used for Armando (Richard Lopez) were a good prop.  The setting was lacking during the first act, but when the second act began, there was a lot of color and that made up for the first act.

The song “Swift’s Volcano Café” was very catchy. The cast brought up the energy level during that performance, most of the characters looked like they enjoyed what they were doing.  The overall production was good.  There were moments were the energy level dropped but the cast was able to bring it back up.   

by Carolina Alvarado of Americas High School