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Make sure the location where the Critics are going to sit is roped off, reserved and make sure your ushers enforce this until the Critics arrive. It can be quite awkward when Critics enter the theater, right before curtain, and do not have enough seats, or have to sit around others in their seating area. Unless there is full house and every seat is needed, it's a good idea not to have parents of students at your school, or anybody else, sitting next to Critics. The Critics like to write down notes during shows, and they don't like to do it when somebody from the school is sitting next to them, peering onto what they may be writing.
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In each of these two sets of four reviews, note the slightly varying treatment of the same show elements, in corresponding paragraphs. Add up those slight variations—from the measured praise to the extent of criticism—and the overall tone of each review diverges significantly from the others. When read in full, each review reflects the score deserved by the show. Each is written well enough to be deserving of being selected for publication, by mentors who might find the words of praise and criticism to be accurately stated.
SOUTH PACIFIC: Review of a musical worthy of an 8 or 9
Use a paradise location to describe the most un-paradisiacal of situations, and you've got South Pacific, an epic tale of love, prejudice, and palm trees performed brilliantly last weekend by Little Valley High School. This Rodgers & Hammerstein musical won nine Tonys in 1950, and ran for over 2000 performances on Broadway before hitting the screen in 1958.
On a tropical island during World War II, love blossoms between Navy nurse Nellie Forbush (Mary Johnson), a self-described "hick" from Arkansas, and expatriate French planter Emile de Becque (Joe Smith). Meanwhile, recent Princeton graduate Lt. Joe Cable (Brad Williams) falls head-over-heels for Liat (Michelle Robinson), a soft-spoken Tonkinese girl whose mother Bloody Mary (Jane Thomas) is more than happy to wed her off.
The themes of prejudice, inequality, and the inhumanity of war that finish off this Pulitzer-prize winning musical were skillfully brought to life by a vibrant cast that showed real understanding of every nuance of the story.
Little Valley's production was buoyed by the incredible energy of the entire ensemble. Poignant duets were lined with perfect sadness and melancholy, while big ensemble numbers projected a robust excitement. Every line was delivered with just the right amount of starch or emotion, as the tightly focused cast made full use of every exploitable element, whether a punch line or dance line, a hope or a fear.
Mary Johnson clocked in with an outstanding performance as 'cockeyed optimist' Nellie Forbush. Between joking around with the Seabees, rehearsing with fellow nurses for the Thanksgiving show, or trying to conquer her Arkansas prejudices, Johnson styled a well-rounded character while revealing the poise and grace of a leading lady throughout.
As Emile de Becque, Joe Johnson combined the air of an elderly gentlemen with a classic seductive Frenchmen in a dignified, resilient performance. On duets like "Twin Soliloquies," Johnson's operatic soprano and Smith's tenor combined for an enchanting tone.
With a mix of playful mock and big-boned jolliness, Jane Thomas provided a full-fledged comic foil as Bloody Mary, with entrances that made audiences roar.
Matt Baker's Luther Billis and his ruffian crew of Seabees added their own puckish twist to the script's comic relief. "There's Nothing Like a Dame" has a bombastic chipper to it seemingly unwritten in the script; while Baker's solo performance on "Honey Bun" drew huge laughs with his stunning mastery of a jiggling coconut bra. Throughout the cast, line articulation was outstanding, and vocalists showed superb range and styling with very difficult music. Every song conveyed exactly the attitude required for the character and story.
Justin Bonner's stage crew kept the show running smoothly at all times. The sound was nearly flawless—no small feat for a show with this many vocalists using microphones.
Among the many other superb technical aspects were Jill Benning's sets, with their use of cool blue backdrops and luscious green flora to capture the show's tropical atmosphere, and Martha Cunningham's costumes, a simple but effective mix of sailor suits, military uniforms, and traditional Asian frocks.
For an exciting production with near-professional polish, Little Valley deserves many rounds of applause, as this "enchanted evening" proved nothing short of spectacular.
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