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The Cappies -- the Critics and Awards Program from High School Theater and Journalism -- is once again training teams of student writers to review a season of high school productions in Fairfax County.

Twelve stage shows opened at the county's public and private high schools last month. Each cast designated one performance as its "Cappies show" and invited two to three dozen Cappies critics to review it. Teacher-mentors led discussions during intermissions, before and after shows, and the critics then went home and wrote 300- to 400-word reviews, on deadline. The best-written reviews were then selected by the teacher-mentors for publication in local newspapers.

In this first of a two-part series, the Fairfax County Times features five of the reviews sent to us. For more about the program, visit www.cappies.com.

J.E.B. Stuart High's 'Anne of Green Gables'

by Danielle Wilbur

Centreville High School

The joyful wonders of a child's mind, the inexplicable bond between passion and beauty, the not-so-graceful transition from childhood to maturity ... thus describes the marvelous production of J.E.B. Stuart High School's "Anne of Green Gables."

This time-honored story follows the life of Anne Shirley, a lively, imaginative orphan with a flair for dramatics. She is adopted by the elderly and tender Matthew Cuthbert and his sister, Marilla, who immediately disapproves of Anne's untamed vitality. Although the Cuthberts were expecting a boy, they decide to keep Anne after her captivating, contagious spirit begins to etch itself onto their lives. Life in Avonlea provides Anne with a sense of belonging and an opportunity to satisfy her fantasy world through the beauty of nature and depth of new friendships. She blooms through challenges, triumphs and uncertainties, all while maintaining her romanticized and promising outlook on life.

In the title role of Anne Shirley, Rachel Frenkel was like a ray of sunshine, lighting up the stage every time she walked on. Not only did she display Anne's inquisitiveness and passion faultlessly, but she also struck the perfect balance between the comedic and dramatic aspects of the character. Frenkel managed to create an immaculate illusion of Anne's maturing into an elegant and determined young lady. However, Frenkel was not the only standout in this production.

Osama Ashour and Jamie Ahlborn, playing the Cuthberts, gave memorable performances as they solidly established the change that Anne brought to the lives of their characters. The unique chemistry between Ashour and Frenkel was especially appealing. In the role of Rachel Lynde, Marilla's uptight neighbor and close friend, Mariana Barbosa had the audience laughing at her quirky representation of the classic anti-feminist. Despite the occasional lapse of energy, the cast as a whole brought forth a very believable performance.

The simplicity of the set paralleled the simplicity of country life, while the pleasant variety of costumes enhanced the societal emphasis of fashion in that time period. The numerous scene changes occurred swiftly, much appreciated due to the lengthiness of the show, with only an occasional distraction.

Full of old-fashioned artistry and dynamic characterization, J.E.B. Stuart's production superbly conveyed the richness of life through this delightful, animated classic.

Westfield High School's 'Brighton Beach Memoirs'

by Billy Baker

Chantilly High School

It is difficult and confusing to grow up in any circumstance, but when three extended family members live in your house, your brother and father have job troubles, and you have an irresistible urge to see your cousin naked, it becomes even more of a challenge. Such is the story of "Brighton Beach Memoirs," the Tony-award-winning 1983 comedy by Neil Simon performed at Westfield High School.

Taking place in New York, this play follows the young Eugene Jerome (Kevin Clay) just embarking upon puberty, constantly antagonized by his mother Kate (Phoebe Dillard) and fully a witness to the money troubles his brother Stanley (Adam Thomas) and father Jack (John Walsh) are experiencing. Aunt Blanche Morton (Emily Howell) is still reeling from her husband's death several years ago and living with the Jeromes along with her two daughters, the sickly Laurie (Elisabeth Bloxham) and attractive Nora (Sarah Bowden). As anxieties about health, jobs and sibling favoritism jostle in proximity within the home, the end result is never certain, but the powerful connections of family are always just under the surface.

The production's main actor, and occasional commentator, was Eugene. A consistent, realistic New York accent was the foundation of his dry, snappy humor, delivered with impeccable timing to much laughter. He frequently addressed the audience but made it evident when he was speaking to one of the other actors.

One of those actors was Phoebe Dillard, playing his mother Kate. Playing a well-defined character with intensity, keeping her accent and physicality constant, she delivered at crucial moments, often supporting the play. Adam Thomas, playing Stanley, performed admirably as well, exhibiting excellent rapport with his brother Eugene and believably displaying his internal conflict between coaching his brother and the comfort of his own home and the outside world.

Throughout the production, something was nearly always happening in the background. Actors heard what was happening on other areas of the stage -- often riotously, such as Laurie overhearing the brothers' conversation -- and featured actors who were allotted only a couple of quick lines played with aplomb. Some players, however, seemed stilted, often dropping accents, although this was occasionally overshadowed by powerful vocal expression.

Technical aspects of the show were good. The set had some complexity, with operating doors and lamps, along with an interesting cutaway effect to reveal the upstairs bedrooms. Lights were on cue, and although simple effects were used, little things -- the alterations from day to evening to night, for example, or the lights singularly highlighting Eugene or a certain room -- created considerable impact and were executed consistently.

Westfield delivered some big laughs and thought-provoking scenes. While "Brighton Beach Memoirs" had its acting flaws, its players put on a mature, thoughtful piece with grace and humor.

Centreville High School's 'Dracula'

by Jeremy Kallan

St. Albans and National Cathedral School

With the recent success of TV shows and movies such as HBO's "True Blood," and the Twilight saga, vampires have become a hugely popular, entertaining subject in the media. Centreville High School's recent production of "Dracula" is no exception. Full of mystery and suspense, as well as blood-sucking creatures of the night, its production was both entertaining and frightening.

Bram Stoker's 1897 novel is the inspiration for this play and many other adaptations of the vampire story. The play was adapted for the stage by Hamilton Deane in 1924 and later adapted for American audiences by John L. Balderston. In 1927, the play opened on Broadway and, in 1931, a film based on the stage adaptation found great success with Bèla Lugosi in his first and arguably most famous role. The play won multiple Tony awards for its revival in 1977, and now Centreville High School has mounted its own revival of this celebrated stage classic.

The play's volatile nature was best characterized by Anthony Ingargiola's performance of Renfield, which demonstrated an impressive range of emotion and expression, as well as a captivating stage presence. While the play had no clear lead role, Renfield stood out as a dynamic character, thanks to Ingargiola's attention to the complexities of his character's mental illness. In the role of Dracula, Ian Lyons was appropriately creepy and poised as the blood-hungry Count, and his slow pace of speech and style of movement created an intimidating character.

There were several characters who experienced a significant change or development throughout the story. The one actress who best portrayed this range was Annemarie Scerra (Mina), who demonstrated considerable skill and stage presence. The minor characters and ensemble did an incredible job of setting the tone. Especially notable was the ensemble of almost 20 blood-thirsty girls who remained on stage for most of the show, creating a frightening mood. While specific characters were impressive, the cast as a whole sometimes lacked the vital energy that was necessary to push this often-monotonous show forward.

The cast was backed up by a very capable tech crew. While the lighting suffered from numerous execution errors, the overall lighting design was quite effective. The set, which was built by the Technical Theatre III class, made great use of the expansive stage with several impressive settings. Mandi Rathjen, makeup designer, did an excellent job with basic makeup, as well as with the more challenging pale faces, bruised necks and blood stains. Overall, the tech crew created a visually stunning production.

While this play sometimes lacked energy and had several distracting technical difficulties, creative direction and standout performances brought the show together into a suspenseful, frightening and entertaining production of the timeless story of "Dracula."

West Springfield's 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'

by Emily Adler

W. T. Woodson High School

West Springfield's theater department lures you through the wardrobe and into the world of Narnia, a land inhabited by mystical creatures and talking animals. We follow the lives of siblings Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy as they fight the White Witch over control of Narnia, all within the comfort of West Springfield's cozy theater.

The siblings find themselves running from war in London to an old professor's home in the country. Lucy, the youngest, climbs into a wardrobe and lands in the middle of a mystical land called Narnia, ruled by the White Witch. It's up to the children to return Narnia to its formal glory under the rule of Aslan, a great and powerful lion. Conflict resumes as the White Witch fights for Narnia against Aslan and his followers. Adapted by Joseph Robinette from C.S. Lewis' novel "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," the show stays as close to the book as possible with its kooky, talking animals and intense war battles.

Commanding the Witch's Army, Ruthie Rado demanded attention as the White Witch. Countering her character was Aslan, performed by Austin Barbera, who played up the lion's more loving characteristics in his portrayal. Providing comic relief were Mr. Beaver (John Barbato) and Mrs. Beaver (Kathryn Howard). Along with the ensemble, Barbato and Howard did an incredible job of supplementing animalistic elements to truly become their characters, and they stayed committed throughout the show. Megan Fraedrich gave a strong performance as Fenris Ulf, servant to the White Witch. Fraedrich was authoritative and threatening as she attacked various characters during fight scenes.

To visualize the land of Narnia, West Springfield's Tech Design Team built functional set pieces that doubled as the inside and outside settings of the show. The West Springfield High School Makeup Artists created animal faces that helped distinguish among the animals, some of which were more difficult to characterize.

With clean sets, complex fight scenes, smoke and believable characterization, West Springfield brings a fun adventure to Northern Virginia for all ages to enjoy.

Paul VI Catholic's 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again'

by Brenda Perez

Herndon High School

A dark stage slowly lights up, and music begins playing. The pink panthers sneak onstage. An air of mystery fills the air, drawing the audience in. So began Paul the Sixth's performance of "The Pink Panther Strikes Again."

Charles Dreyfus, former chief inspector, had always had a grudge against his old friend Jacques Clouseau, chief inspector. When Clouseau pushes Dreyfus over the limit, Dreyfus' sanity goes. Determined to kill Clouseau, Dreyfus does whatever it takes, even if it means risking everyone's lives.

A seemingly hard script to perform, the PVI cast performed this play with the best of its ability. At the beginning the sound was a bit choppy, but by the second act the sound cues were on the spot. By using the pink panthers as part of the run crew, the actors played with it and seemed to be having fun on stage.

Jacques Clouseau (Tommy Hodge) convinced the entire house of his cluelessness, and also of his determination to help his friend. Hodge's French accent never seemed to falter throughout the entire show. Just like Clouseau, Olga (Meghan Shea) had a Russian accent that helped her portray her character and was consistent the whole time. Everyone could see the pain in her eyes and hear it in her voice when she tried countless times to kill Clouseau, her love.

Dreyfus (Jake Miller) went through a complete transformation from his first step toward the Sane Committee to becoming the raging madman. Miller's stage presence was commanding; his voice and physicality were used fully as his character, leaving a lasting impression on audience members.

Because this play took place all over the world, there needed to be a way to distinguish between places. Even the smallest of props seemed to make the difference. The choice of objects used was a wise one, and the doomsday device was simply astounding! The lighting was also subtly changing with the different colors, and it worked well.

No doubt this was a very challenging piece to perform, but PVI managed to use all their abilities, acting and tech, to make this performance a memorable one.