The central conflict of the play follows a young man, Orlando, and his love, Rosalind, who, unbeknownst to him, disguises herself as a man and offers Orlando advice concerning their courtship. Although she could easily reveal her identity, Rosalind instead remains in character so that she may test the strength of Orlando’s love. All the while, several other characters fall in love by chance and pursue each other in varying, comedic degrees of desperation.

Nerinx Hall’s leads were all quite entertaining, but two of the brightest were McKenzie Moser and Maggie Hogan, who played Rosalind and Celia, respectively. Moser’s animated face and conviction when speaking made her energetic character all the more enjoyable. Her performance exceeded that of most high school students as she so eagerly, and naturally, adopted her role. Nearly matching her in energy and skill, Hogan’s portrayal of Celia was also engaging. When the pair spoke together on stage, their lively interaction appeared effortless, a sure mark of excellent casting.

The supporting cast’s talent, although not as remarkable, was accented with standout performances by Jimmy Reddy, who portrayed Touchstone, and Claire Wenzel, who played Phoebe. Reddy demonstrated an ease for comedy in both his skill and timing, never-failing to draw a laugh from the audience when on stage. Wenzel did an excellent job with her role as the eccentric, stubborn pursuer of “Ganymede,” Rosalind’s alias. Both made the second act even more enjoyable.

The show’s technical aspects were executed almost flawlessly. Usually an issue in high school productions, the transitions were smooth and indicated an excellent stage crew. The music and sound effects selected were perfect for the environment in which the play took place, unifying the play as a whole. The only minor flaw lay in the set, which did not seem to reflect the talent that Nerinx obviously possesses. It was easily overlooked, though, as performers such as Moser and Hogan commanded attention.

Full of humor and performed by a lively collection of actors, Nerinx Hall’s solid production of As You Like It is sure to entertain.

by Meghan Edwards of Holt High School

The musical revolves around Ms. “Legally Blonde” herself, Elle Woods. Ms. Woods (portrayed by Berklea Going) lit up the stage with her fantastic voice, fiery attitude and stylish clothes. Going portrayed the perky blonde perfectly. Going never broke character and related to other characters with extreme believability. Playing opposite of Going’s role were actually two characters. Warner Huntington III (Zach Erhardt) and Emmett Forrest (Ben Diamond) playing Elle Woods’ love interests, with the latter winning Elle’s heart. Erhardt had a superb voice and moved fluidly onstage, but he sometimes fell out of character. It also seemed that he overacted his role at times. Ben Diamond portrayed the awkward Law student with confidence and energy. There were times where some sung notes were not correct, but Diamond made up for this throughout the entire show.

The “Greek” chorus enhanced the scenes in which they took part. Their voices blended well together and their dancing was never out of sync. The entire cast also performed well together when onstage. Freshman Claire Blasé expressed exponential energy when onstage with the ensemble. Her dancing made her a highlight of the large company numbers, and her energy was consistent throughout the entire show. Other standouts in the ensemble included senior Megg Lorbert, Mary McLafferty, and Eva Beaudoin.

The technical aspects of the show ran seamlessly. Light changes occurred fluidly and the colors seemed appropriate for the mood of each scene. The stage crew that moved set pieces on and offstage moved silently and fluidly and it seemed that they were like “ninjas.” The sound was crystal clear, with no feedback from the speakers and not one sound cue was missed.

Overall, the performance witnessed at the Nerinx Hall theatre was truly a spectacle to behold. Hopefully, each member of the audience left the theatre with just one phrase on their lips: “Ohmigod you guys!”

by Mario Meyer of Bishop DuBourg

Pride and Prejudice was originally a romantic novel written by Jane Austen in 1813 that addresses the many issues that 19th century England faced. There are over ten adaptations including movies, plays, and comic books. One of the recent and most popular adaptations is the movie “Bridget Jones’ Diary.”

The story starts with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, a prosperous couple living in England in the 1800’s. The Bennet’s have five daughters, which is a problem because none of them may be the heir to Mr. Bennet’s household. With Jane (Megg Lobert) being the eldest, Mary (Stephanie Ruck) being the wisest, Catherine (Maggie Hogan) being the silliest, Lydia (Nhi Tang) being the youngest, and Elizabeth (Claire Wentzel) being the boldest, you can immediately tell that the sisters have distinct personalities. The story goes on to tell about the girl’s quests to become betrothed.

As a whole, the production ran smoothly. Although the pace of the show dragged in the first act, in the second act the cast sped up, and boosted their energy. Every cast member’s accent was maintained throughout the entire performance, but occasionally it was difficult to understand certain character’s lines.

Elizabeth (Claire Wentzel) was the protagonist of the story. Elizabeth’s “as a matter of fact” attitude made her seem intimidating for most men, but not for William Darcy (Sam Herbig), the wealthy bachelor who found Elizabeth charming and brilliant. Elizabeth was not impressed by Darcy’s attempts to woo her at first, but she is eventually won over by him. Wentzel was exceptionally sassy and her accent was crisp and precise. Although she resented Herbig at first, in the end the couple had great chemistry.

Mrs. Bennet (Lizzie Maassen) was a character that stood out to the audience. Her ridiculous antics and side comments left the audience in riotous laughter. Maassen maintained a high level of energy throughout the entire show. Another comedic character was Mr.Collins (Will Stupp) the eccentric heir to Mr. Bennet’s (Paul Fister) estate. Stupp’s mannerisms also enlightened the audience as he also attempted to impress Elizabeth.

The technical aspects of the show were simple. Scene changes were often distracting because things were being moved on and off the stage while characters were still delivering their lines. However, the lighting gave the set a nice splash of color, and the costumes were appropriate for the time period.

Overall, Nernix Hall’s production of Pride and Prejudice was an interesting adaptation of a classic story, and a night for the audience to remember.

by Kristen McPike of McCluer High School

A freak of nature, more monster than man, his deformed face half-covered by a tiny white mask, an opera house ghost so desperate for love he would nearly crush his angel of music with an illuminating chandelier. Slowly gently, night unfurled its splendor in Nerinx Hall’s performance of the iconic musical The Phantom of the Opera.

Based on Gaston Leroux’s book, and later adapted into a Broadway musical with music by the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Phantom of the Opera holds the title of the longest running show in Broadway’s history. The production has been adapted into film various times, including the most recent 2004 film adaptation starring Gerard Butler. An estimated 130 million people or more have seen the world-renowned show. The plot centers on an aspiring opera singer, Christine, in love with the handsome Raoul. However, she finds herself bound to her angel of music, the tragically outcast Phantom. The Phantom, who lives in a mystical liar, haunts the opera house in which Christine sings, in order to hear the voice that can heal the pain he feels beneath his mask. The genuine love-triangle combined with enchanting music, leaves no doubt of the influence the Tony-Award winning show holds.

Evan Fornachon brilliantly took on the demanding title role. Fornachon’s emotions were consistently strong, even as he surrounded the opera house solely with his voice. His rendition of the classic song “The Music of the Night” was goosebump-worthy as were all of his powerhouse vocal performances. Alongside Fornachon, Carolyn Cowling impressed as the soprano wonder, Christine. Her angelic voice worked elegantly with both Fornachon as well as Joe Essig who portrayed Raoul. Essig and Cowling showed their incredible chemistry in the stunning performance of “All I Ask of You.” Scenes featuring the terrific trio of leads brought chills to the audience as each impeccable voice complimented the next.

Notable supporting performances include the arrogant but overly talented Carlotta, played by Natalie Hunt. Hunt gave a nearly pitch perfect operatic score. Michael Schimmele, as lead opera singer Piangi, brought the needed comedic relief to such a serious show. Allie Luecke and Tim Eidman each showed off amazing voices in their roles as the opera house managers Madame Andre and Monsieur Firmin.

The technical aspects of the production were for the most part spot on. The entire stage crew should be applauded for their flawlessly silent transitions, which were undeniably challenging due to the elaborate and multi-layered set.

Despite challenges with sound, including microphone feedback, as well as difficulty staying together in various dance numbers, the music, from vocals to orchestrations, overpowered these struggles, clearly stealing the night.

Nerinx Hall successfully proved the power of the music of the night, boasting near professional vocal numbers in a heartfelt rendition of The Phantom of the Opera that will forever live on inside your minds.

by Mia Kweskin of Parkway Central High School