In the Heights
Samantha Sims 3/19
On March 20th and 21st, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School put on their multi-art inclusive production of In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The actors ranged from freshmen to seniors who decided to explore or expand on their skills in acting, singing, and visual arts. This made the last performance of the musical on the Thursday night all the more impressive to me as an audience member. I saw a blend of creativity, each ingredient originating from an art focus offered at the high school. Every individual that was incorporated fulfilled their purpose and had a hand in making the show outstanding.
Actors filled the staged in front of a colorful background. Pretend stores and homes were built out of painted wood and paper signs that read "Rosario's Car Service," "La Bodega," and "Daniela's Hair Salon." Fine details like graffiti on signs, fire escapes, and crumbled up newspaper on the gray surface made the setting even more realistic. The cast utilized the space well. Characters came from various exits, including the doors or windows of the fake stores. Not only did visual arts shine in the aesthetics of the stage, but also in selected scenes and costume changes. For instance, graffiti artist, Graffiti Pete, played by Luis Sierra, is paid to create a mural of the beloved Abuela Claudia played by Jailene Resto. The image is a stunning painting of the woman, surrounded by flowers and color.
Behind the stores were music students on flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, keyboard, drums, and more. All songs were backed up by live music, rather than a CD or pre recording. Their sound was seamless and synced with the individuals on stage perfectly, making them resemble professionals. Sometimes, I felt myself forgetting that the music was being performed right then. It was hard to believe the music was not coming from somewhere else, because it was that impeccable. Each song played melted into each other and complimented the actors, singers, and dancers. The music students worked as a solid foundation for the show.
Dancing was a consistent element of Coop’s production. Actors danced to the rhythm in unison with the large group of background characters. Some individuals came up to the balcony and into the isle of the audience seats and danced there. A small selection of dancers from different grades would move in scenes to illustrate what the singers were singing. Their moves were intricate and breathtaking. Junior Jan M. Rosello Viera had many “wow” moments that caused the audience to clap and cheer as he flipped and split. The dancers partnered up several times to pick one another up in the air. In addition, the dancers were also acting. Even though they had little to no speaking lines, I could feel their emotion in their facial expressions. Des’Tahnee Manick-Highsmith stood out to me as one of the dancers to do this.
The actors also showed personality. The leads were all strong. The characters they played were believable. Tomás Echevarría, a junior, played a stern father who comes off as serious and invested in his work. His wife played by Yasharia “Yoshi” Leguisamon is less restricting on their daughter, Nina Rosario also known as Alanna Cajigas. Her personality as well as the family’s dynamic was evident in her solo “Enough.” Freshman Naiyara Diaz was a humorous, quirky beauty salon owner was also played well. Her and her entourage were an entertaining group to watch. They talk to back to one another in a fun song titled “No Me Diga.”
The singers evoked much emotion in their songs. Some songs were upbeat and exciting. Those who knew the play before watching the performance sang and danced in their seats. I found “Piragua,” “96,000,” and “Carnaval del Barrio,” to be the most amusing. Not only did actors sing, they also rapped, like Rylan Mayo and Zamir Alford. Other songs were more solemn and low energy as the characters went through their hardships. “Breathe,” “Blackout,” and “Atencion” were tear jerkers. All in all, the cast was full of strong voices who went above and beyond.
The setup was meant to imitate a tight-knit community belonging to Dominicans, Mexicans, Chilenos, and Puerto Ricans in Washington Heights, New York. The culture was carried out in the production. The actors did not stumble when speaking a different language. It was hard to believe not everyone wee Spanish speakers. The representation of these different nationalities was important. It was empowering to Hispanics, because they were finally being celebrated collectively on stage. Stories of immigration and being outcasted in America were discussed. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all types of Hispanics come together in this neighborhood and be proud of their heritage. I learned more about the culture, the language, and history.
Many of the people apart of the musical can agree the show’s journey was difficult, but worth it in the end. Many were able to connect with new people. Some stepped out of their art at Coop to pursue their interest in acting. As an audience member who did not know who the students were, I would think everyone on stage was an actor, dancer, or singer, content in their usual art focus. They all made In the Heights seem effortless and a happy family to be apart of. Congratulations to the cast to putting on the best piece of theatre I have seen since being at Coop. Their standing ovation on Thursday night was well deserved.
Samantha Sims 3/19
On March 20th and 21st, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School put on their multi-art inclusive production of In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The actors ranged from freshmen to seniors who decided to explore or expand on their skills in acting, singing, and visual arts. This made the last performance of the musical on the Thursday night all the more impressive to me as an audience member. I saw a blend of creativity, each ingredient originating from an art focus offered at the high school. Every individual that was incorporated fulfilled their purpose and had a hand in making the show outstanding.
Actors filled the staged in front of a colorful background. Pretend stores and homes were built out of painted wood and paper signs that read "Rosario's Car Service," "La Bodega," and "Daniela's Hair Salon." Fine details like graffiti on signs, fire escapes, and crumbled up newspaper on the gray surface made the setting even more realistic. The cast utilized the space well. Characters came from various exits, including the doors or windows of the fake stores. Not only did visual arts shine in the aesthetics of the stage, but also in selected scenes and costume changes. For instance, graffiti artist, Graffiti Pete, played by Luis Sierra, is paid to create a mural of the beloved Abuela Claudia played by Jailene Resto. The image is a stunning painting of the woman, surrounded by flowers and color.
Behind the stores were music students on flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, keyboard, drums, and more. All songs were backed up by live music, rather than a CD or pre recording. Their sound was seamless and synced with the individuals on stage perfectly, making them resemble professionals. Sometimes, I felt myself forgetting that the music was being performed right then. It was hard to believe the music was not coming from somewhere else, because it was that impeccable. Each song played melted into each other and complimented the actors, singers, and dancers. The music students worked as a solid foundation for the show.
Dancing was a consistent element of Coop’s production. Actors danced to the rhythm in unison with the large group of background characters. Some individuals came up to the balcony and into the isle of the audience seats and danced there. A small selection of dancers from different grades would move in scenes to illustrate what the singers were singing. Their moves were intricate and breathtaking. Junior Jan M. Rosello Viera had many “wow” moments that caused the audience to clap and cheer as he flipped and split. The dancers partnered up several times to pick one another up in the air. In addition, the dancers were also acting. Even though they had little to no speaking lines, I could feel their emotion in their facial expressions. Des’Tahnee Manick-Highsmith stood out to me as one of the dancers to do this.
The actors also showed personality. The leads were all strong. The characters they played were believable. Tomás Echevarría, a junior, played a stern father who comes off as serious and invested in his work. His wife played by Yasharia “Yoshi” Leguisamon is less restricting on their daughter, Nina Rosario also known as Alanna Cajigas. Her personality as well as the family’s dynamic was evident in her solo “Enough.” Freshman Naiyara Diaz was a humorous, quirky beauty salon owner was also played well. Her and her entourage were an entertaining group to watch. They talk to back to one another in a fun song titled “No Me Diga.”
The singers evoked much emotion in their songs. Some songs were upbeat and exciting. Those who knew the play before watching the performance sang and danced in their seats. I found “Piragua,” “96,000,” and “Carnaval del Barrio,” to be the most amusing. Not only did actors sing, they also rapped, like Rylan Mayo and Zamir Alford. Other songs were more solemn and low energy as the characters went through their hardships. “Breathe,” “Blackout,” and “Atencion” were tear jerkers. All in all, the cast was full of strong voices who went above and beyond.
The setup was meant to imitate a tight-knit community belonging to Dominicans, Mexicans, Chilenos, and Puerto Ricans in Washington Heights, New York. The culture was carried out in the production. The actors did not stumble when speaking a different language. It was hard to believe not everyone wee Spanish speakers. The representation of these different nationalities was important. It was empowering to Hispanics, because they were finally being celebrated collectively on stage. Stories of immigration and being outcasted in America were discussed. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all types of Hispanics come together in this neighborhood and be proud of their heritage. I learned more about the culture, the language, and history.
Many of the people apart of the musical can agree the show’s journey was difficult, but worth it in the end. Many were able to connect with new people. Some stepped out of their art at Coop to pursue their interest in acting. As an audience member who did not know who the students were, I would think everyone on stage was an actor, dancer, or singer, content in their usual art focus. They all made In the Heights seem effortless and a happy family to be apart of. Congratulations to the cast to putting on the best piece of theatre I have seen since being at Coop. Their standing ovation on Thursday night was well deserved.
Senior Play: Last Days of Judas Iscariot
|
"Take Me Out"
|
“Take Me Out”
Samantha Sims (11/30/18) “My sexuality doesn’t concern you...I am still me. I am still the man,” main character Darren Lemming (played by junior Tomas Ecevarria) declares. The baseball player is a gay black man whose sexual orientation has recently been revealed to the public. Both his fans and teammates react differently to the information, causing Darren to face racial discrimination, homophobia, and stereotyping. In addition, other characters work through their own anger, grief, and denial. Take Me Out also takes on religion, language barriers, and murder—just to list a few. Actors go the extra mile to learn new languages, such as Rylan Mayo who plays a Japanese man on the team, Takeshi Kawabata. As Ashiana Reyes and Jorge Rivera speak fluent Spanish in a locker scene, Spanish speakers in the audience laugh at a joke they exchange. None of the three stumble or mispronounce any words. They deliver their lines effortlessly, making their portrayed nationalities realistic. The interpretation of God varies from character to character. This plays an essential part in the play’s theme. Careless Darren surprisingly believes in God. He says, “God makes Himself known in stupid stuff. For the holocaust and typhoons, He was absent. That’s not how He works.” His business manager, Mason Marzac, played by Ammon Downer, says, “I don’t believe in God...yet I’d still like to believe something about being human is good.” Both belief systems put life into perspective. Take Me Out was originally produced by Richard Greenberg. The play is adapted by Coop students and directed by theatre teacher Charley McAfee. The assistant director is a senior named Ammon Downer, who also plays Mason as mentioned before. At the beginning of the performance, he introduces himself and addresses the play’s relevance to him. As being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, Downer connects with Greenberg’s piece on a deeper level. More than that, Take Me Out encourages self reflection and challenges society’s values. Our differences often distance us from one another instead of connecting us together to understand one another better. Downer writes in the program, “To me, this is why Take Me Out is such an important play. It encourages us to examine the boxes that societal expectations have confined us to...I believe each individual should be empowered to determine their own identity and that such self-examination is essential to creating a better, more accepting society.” In contrast to the complexity of the plot, the stage setup alone is simple. There are not many props. Items include a foldable table, a black wooden bench, and two empty glass beer bottles. Actors wear red, blue, grey, and white baseball uniforms. They also read from their scripts. Relatively, the play is stationary, yet the actors take advantage of the space. The positioning of characters in selected scenes is strategic. For instance, baseball game scenes are brought to life when the actors stand around the stage as if they are actually playing a game. Tre Moore who plays Davey Battle stands at home plate, his arms up as if he is holding a bat and is ready to swing. Shane Mungitt played by Luis Alderman throws his arm forward like he is actually pitching. Take Me Out is full of humor and the actors carry out this comedic tone out effectively. The audience laughs and hollers at key lines. At other lines, the audience is silenced by the intensity and sensitivity. The play is modernized to fit 2018 and the subjects discussed appropriately, which stimulates the audience. One sitting in the Black Box Theater of Coop could not simply watch, expressionless. The emotions are so high and raw the audience is left with their jaws hanging. There are moments when a character is so overcome with their circumstances that they lash out at other characters in the play in loud, sudden episodes. This includes flipping tables, crushing papers, and violating personal boundaries in ways that are uncomfortable for viewers. In short, the performance is not for the faint of heart. The language is vulgar. Subjects touched upon can be considered “taboo” and off-limits. This is the play’s beauty, which lies within its explicitness and realness. Although provocative, the play surfaces the ugliness of society and those that still refuse to be accepting and tolerant of differences that are uncontrollable elements of each person, including race and sexuality. Religious Davey Battle shouts at his best friend Darren after he learns about his homosexuality, “We all have demons but not as disgusting as yours...We shut up about them.” He describes Darren’s coming out as “[splashing his] ugliness on everyone.” In another scene, Shane Mungitt screams at Kippy Sunderstrom and Darren. These moments are shocking and leave the audience speechless. Overall, the play confronts rejecting someone for being their self and is a way to remedy some of the damage done because of that rejection. It is a step towards change and societal improvement. I applaud the cast for doing such a wonderful job of expressing this message to the audience and the school for being brave enough to put on the production. |
"Exit Strategy"
|
