Cappies Review: Man-Eating Pianos Stalk H-B Woodlawn Stage

By Teresa Ribeiro
Cappies Review
Oakton High School

ARLINGTON, VA — "Like a regular play just without all that dumb visual stuff," "The Keys" from H-B Woodlawn was, undoubtedly, unlike anything before it. The student-written script was originally meant to be a screenplay but was adapted into a radio play to fit this year's circumstances. But don't be fooled: the show is, thankfully, nothing about the current state of the world. Instead, these students chose to focus on another equally intriguing issue: man-eating pianos. The silly humor contrasted by the scary premise, attention to the audio environment, and impressive voice acting made the show engaging and full of artistry.

The small cast allowed everyone to shine in this unique show. First, Kathy (Charlotte Moulton) and Jeff (Philip Juras) had a clear (and possibly failing) relationship. Their arguing and questioning of love in the midst of hungry piano ambushes gave a breath of reality and hilarity to the show. Juras skillfully portrayed an immature high school boyfriend, while Moulton never failed to put Jeff in his place with her sharp delivery of all her character's quips. She also was able to pull off the ever-important scream — expected of any scary story — with credibility and respect to any headphone users. Speaking of listening, every actor mastered playing off the sound design with perfection. Every beat taken and line said over background noise was thoughtful and effective. Last, but certainly not least, Mirek Jungr, the narrator, set the tone for the entire play. Without him, the story would not have been nearly as successful with its flow and reception.

In addition, the show benefited greatly from the use of various innovative technical elements. First, the background music helped establish the mood and build suspense in tandem with the writing, but it never overpowered the actors. Similarly, the writing (Lex Garcia) and sound design were packed full of imagery. The script relied on a "show not tell" approach and proved effective at putting the show into a visual environment without any visuals. Even more impressively, the students included sound effects they made themselves. Water fountains around the high school, glass, and even pool noodles were used to meet the various auditory needs of the show. Finally, all this was possible because of the clarity of all the audio in the show. Lex Garcia, Cameron Davis, Josue Rocha, and teacher Dan Paris ensured that every line was crisp and at an appropriate level for the situation of each scene. These elements all contributed to the show being an immersive experience, even in a not-so-realistic world.

The small but mighty cast, the in-depth technical work, and the personality that shined through from the entire cast and crew contributed to the successes of this show. All in all, it was full of talent, engaging, and very weird (in the best way). With all the serious topics being discussed and portrayed on stage in recent times, it was refreshing and creative of H-B Woodlawn's students to share this wacky thriller. You don't want to miss it!

Listen to audio of H-B Woodlawn's production of "The Keys" below: