Cappies Review: Stage Door

“Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul,” Marilyn Monroe once famously said. production of embodied that quote as it mocked Hollywood and all that it stood for.

The show, written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, opened in 1936 on Broadway. It tells the story of Terry Randall (Amanda Miesner) struggling to make a living as an actress in New York while living at the Footlights Club, home to many struggling actresses, in the West Fifties. Her success is constantly undermined by that of her roommate Jean Maitland (Alex Johnson), who becomes a Hollywood starlet, and her two beaus: playwright turned Hollywood screenwriter Keith Burgess (Matt Tillman) and film producer turned Broadway director David Kingsley (Adrian Tafesh).

The set, designed by Lauren Phillips, Brad Vitale and Chloe Vasquez, was incredibly realistic and detailed, with actual rooms behind every door. Its period elegance added to the authenticity of the show. The wallpaper change between the first and second acts was quite impressive, as it showed time had passed. The Footlights Club Girls created an excellent, giggly and gossipy atmosphere within the club. Connor Haggerty was hilarious as Judith Canfield, a sarcastic, full of swagger and less-than-ladylike struggling actress. She entertained with many hilarious impersonations throughout the show and was always in character.

Miesner and Tillman had a tangible connection when bantering wittily, and they exhibited Terry and Keith’s downward spiral, making their possibility of a good relationship slim to none. The lack of romance in that relationship and Keith’s departure for Hollywood left the perfect opening for David Kingsley to woo Terry. Tafesh’s portrayal of Kingsley as a passionate, earnest gentleman who cared about the theatre and Terry’s success in it was wonderful.

Robbie Novak was a standout as Sam Hastings, the adorable Texan who often called on his girlfriend Bobby Melrose (Nicole Paladeau). He played his part in a sweet, endearing way and never lost his accent. Natalie Spitzel was also impressive as Olga Brandt, the quiet piano player always muttering cynically under her breath. Her piano playing was fantastic and her accent never wavered.

Although there were slight problems with staying in character and keeping accents, and some words were lost due to enunciation problems, the cast handled it well. The running crew did their job well — they were never seen.

Chantilly High School pulled off this production with charm and wit, as well as a lot of Broadway attitude. They really captured the feeling of actresses just waiting for their big breaks, and one could truly go home saying: “I live and breathe the theater.”

By Sarah Paez of T.C. Williams High School through the high school Cappies program, the critics and awards program for high school theater. In this program, high school students are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools and write reviews for local newspapers. At the end of the year, student critics vote for awards that are presented at a formal Cappies Gala.