Plaza Suite
at Falls Church HS

Reviewed on May 3, 2014

Lily Habenstreit
Albert Einstein High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

The life of a hotel room is a fascinating one: in the years of its existence, one room can house thousands of different people, witness countless fights and feuds, and create memories that will last a lifetime. In Falls Church High School's production of Plaza Suite, the audience is transported to room 719 of the Plaza Hotel, where the history of chaos and excitement is deeper than imaginable.

Plaza Suite, written by Neil Simon, opened on Broadway in 1968, and proceeded to run for two years and garner three Tony nominations. The show is presented in three acts, each focusing on a different stay in room 719 of the Plaza Hotel in New York City: first, the anniversary of a troubled married couple, then the reunion of two high school flames, and lastly, the wedding night of a girl who refuses to leave the bathroom, despite her parents' desperate pleas. The play charms with its subtle humor and exploration of complex relationships and trying experiences.

Leading the first act were Keely Greene and Mark Zubaly, portraying Karen and Sam Nash, respectively. The pair tackled monumental line work and deep relationship development with ease in their depiction of the struggling middle-aged couple. Gulet Isse and Beth Fleming took over in the second act as a famous Hollywood producer and his high school girlfriend, meeting for the first time in seventeen years. The duo left the audience in hysterics with their clever comedy and consistent quirks, while also managing to add a poignant side to the scene. The last act of the show included an older couple, played by Kayla Gatling and Kam Spain, whose daughter had locked herself in the bathroom to avoid getting married. The actors portrayed their ages exceptionally well, and created the dynamic of the classic old, married couple. Their contrasting humor and personalities allowed the ongoing stream of jokes to play well and stay amusing.

The technical elements of the show further strengthened the performance. The sound was flawless, and the lighting design helped to reflect the changes in time and atmosphere between acts. While some costume pieces seemed fairly modern, the set design truly sent the audience back to the 1960's. With a quaint and elaborate design, the hotel room connected the acts and provided each couple with unique uses.

A lot can happen in a single hotel room, and the ensemble at Falls Church High School captured this theme terrifically with their energetic and entertaining production of Plaza Suite.

Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

New York City: home of Broadway, high-end fashion, and sizzling Suite 719 at the Plaza Hotel. A peek into the lives of its guests reveals a midlife crisis-ridden couple with marital meanderings, an eccentrically seductive director, and a flustered father ready for some door-breaking. Falls Church High School's playful production of Plaza Suite certainly revealed a room teeming with the unexpected twists and turns of everyday life and just how much hilarity such inevitability can evoke.

Written by Neil Simon, the frothy comedy premiered on Broadway in 1968, running for over 1,000 performances and enjoying a film adaptation starring Walter Matthau and Maureen Stapleton, as well as a televised movie featuring Carol Burnett. The story takes place in New York City's Plaza Hotel in Suite 719 during the 1960's. Each act of the three-act play encompasses a different set of people: Sam and Karen Nash, a middle-aged couple looking to rekindle their disintegrating marriage, Jesse Kiplinger, a famed Hollywood producer attempting to seduce his old flame from high school, Muriel Tate, and Roy and Norma Hubley, parents trying to get their nervous, bride-to-be daughter out of a locked bathroom.

Gulet Isse stood out as the eccentric Jesse Kiplinger with his comically repetitive seduction attempts towards Muriel Tate (played by Beth Fleming). Both connected believably together and Fleming's jittery, nervous persona contrasted well with Isse's suave, laid-back demeanor. What once was a fiercely combative romantic advance became a tipsy, alcohol-laden scandal. Another notable couple, Roy (Kam Spain) and Norma Hubley (Kayla Gatling), created many humorous moments in trying to entice their daughter out of a locked bathroom. Gatling's mature aura and high-pitched vocal accent remained consistent. Coupled with wide-eyed facial expressions and witty comedic timing, her performance proved quite enjoyable. Spain's consistent frustration and impatience came across clearly as he would abruptly alter his character's composure with farcical results.

Portraying Sam and Karen Nash, the couple of twenty-three years (or twenty-four, since Karen can never remember) was Mark Zubaly and Keely Greene. Both conveyed the turbulent aspect of their relationship exceptionally, Zubaly frequently perturbed and perplexed at Karen's behavior and Greene cheerfully reserved in her anger. Greene's fast-paced speech appropriately illustrated the restless, anxious characteristics of her role. Additionally, Mikalanne Paladino stood out as the Waitress, delivering food to the quarreling couple and immediately recognizing the awkward tension pervading Suite 719. Though a few lines felt rushed and relationships seemed somewhat forced, the entire cast handled the daunting amount of dialogue text admirably.

Splitting the stage into two separate areas, the realistic, well-made set effectively depicted a hotel suite environment with professional-looking wall structures and functional windows and doors. Props included the use of real liquid and a variety of alcohol mixing equipment, while spot-on sound cues included several different telephone ringing tones and music appropriately matched to the time period. Lightning design by Vincent Nuzzo enhanced multiple rooms and successfully covered all necessary parts of the stage.

From whimsically hilarious characters to professional, clean technical elements, Falls Church High School's show presented an enjoyable afternoon of lighthearted comedy with their invariably "suite" portrayal of love in all its various forms.

Stuart Pratuch
West Springfield HS
Submitted for publication to Falls Church News Press

Welcome to the Plaza Hotel, here in New York, New York! We encourage you to enjoy your stay! Where would you like to check in? Room 719? I would argue against it. We've had a lot of trouble with that room in years past. Don't believe us? Just go see Falls Church High School's production of Plaza Suite and they'll fill you in on all the details!

Neil Simon wrote Plaza Suite in 1968 for the Plymouth Theater on Broadway. After Plaza Suite won the 1968 Tony award for best direction under Mike Nichols, the show ran for 1,097 performances. Some controversy exists as Noel Coward claims that Simon stole the idea for the plot from Coward's play, "Suite in Three Keys," that developed along very similar lines. Regardless, some productions feature the main male or female roles with one actor or actress. This was done with Walter Matthau for the male roles and Carol Burnett in the female roles in 1971 and 1987 movies respectively. The plot follows the scenarios of three couples that have occupied Room 719 in the Plaza Hotel and examines the somewhat dismal, somewhat hopeful views of marriage and love that come with each couple.

In the first act, as Mark Zubaly embraced the character of Sam Nash, he pulled out an equally phenomenal attitude out of Karen Nash (Keely Greene). The couple's subtle attention to detail and intensity brought about the full shock of their crumbling relationship. Later, in the second act, the Hollywood lothario, Jesse Kiplinger, performed by freshman Gulet Isse, carried complex emotions. Isse's role was only further complemented by his partner in crime, the quaint, lovely housewife, Muriel Tate (Beth Fleming). Fleming's portrayal noticeably shifted between admiration for Jesse and honor for her husband as her mind contemplated her actions in the suite. Finally, the consistent character stylings of Norma Hubley (Kayla Gatling) and the perturbed wrath of Roy Hubley (Kam Spain) struggled to cajole their daughter into marriage through humorous antics and slapstick comedy, a stellar finale to the show.

Despite only four or so weeks of rehearsal, not a single line was noticeably dropped and the wide variety of expressions from the ensemble truly brought the play to life. Some awkward blocking did not inhibit the plethora of fantastic moments that existed elsewhere such as the pantomimed crow attack on Roy Hubley as he crawled around a window to talk sense into his bride-to-be daughter, Mimsey (Lizzy Oriade). Noticeably, Mikalanne Paladino's role of the waitress stole the limelight with her timid nature. Then, in the third act, Mark Zubaly's reprise as the groom burst with personality and energy.

The capability of the tech only enhanced the performance. Flawless sound manipulated a variety of noises from cawing crows to ringing telephones. Lights detailed not only the room, but initiated a sky blue outside the carefully constructed windows. Age make-up was carefully applied and props impressively utilized liquids without them being a detriment to the performers. Some minor lack of attention to costumes did not distract from the meticulously recreated suite with three working doors, a "wall" in between rooms, working light switches, and time period curtains and decor to last the entire performance.

Thank you for choosing the Plaza Hotel! We hoped you enjoyed your stay! Please come again to Fall Church High School's Plaza Suite!

Eva Monroe
Woodrow Wilson High School
Submitted for publication to ShowBizRadio.net

One hotel room, three stories. "Plaza Suite," written by Neil Simon in 1968, is a three-act comedy that depicts three visits to the Plaza Hotel's Suite 719. The show ran for 1097 performances on Broadway between 1968 and 1970, and Mike Nichols won the Tony for the Best Direction of a Play for his work on the show. Fall Church High School's recent production of "Plaza Suite" was a lighthearted examination of the absurdity of human relationships.

The first act, "A Visit from Mamaroneck" involves Mr. and Ms. Nash (Mark Zubaly and Keely Greene) as they attempt to rekindle their relationship in what they believe to be their honeymoon suite. However, the tension escalates as Ms. Nash begins to pry into Mr. Nash's work life, and his involvement with his secretary. Greene, as Ms. Nash, effectively portrayed a slighted wife, and did an excellent job of making herself heard despite not being miced. Zubaly made strong character choices that brought energy to the act, and his commitment to the character was clear.

The second act, "A Visit from Hollywood," depicts Hollywood bigshot producer Jesse Kiplinger (Gulet Isse) as he attempts to seduce his straight laced high school sweetheart, Muriel Tate (Beth Fleming). Isse and Fleming's chemistry and comedic timing won the audience over immediately. Their game of cat-and-mouse was perfectly accentuated in both actors' physicality. Isse superbly commandeered the room with his slick Hollywood accent, and Fleming artfully embodied an anxious housewife looking to break loose.

The final act, "A Visit from Forest Hills," is a glimpse into the uproarious events leading up to the wedding of Mimsey Hubley. In a fit of pre-wedding nerves, Mimsey locks herself in the bathroom of 719, and her mother Norma (Kayla Gatling), and father Roy (Kam Spain) must attempt to calm her down through the door, while also appeasing the guests and solving their own marital problems. Gatling and Spain played off of each other incredibly well, leaving the audience in stitches with each new farce. Gatling in particular stood out for her ability to keep the energy high with her busybody accent and dramatic physicality.

Falls Church's production of "Plaza Suite" was a success in both acting and tech. The set, designed by Stephan Miller, beautifully recreated the aesthetic of a 1968 luxury hotel. The attention to detail on the parts of both the set and props was clear, and helped to further create the world of the show. Ultimately, Falls Church's production was at times both hilarious and somber -- a balance reflective of the tumultuous relationships it depicts.

Irene Martinko
West Springfield HS
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Fairfax

Often, as human beings, we find ourselves wrapped up in our own lives and forget that there's a whole world of people out there that we've never even met, talked to or seen. Take for instance, a hotel room. Have you ever stayed in a hotel room and thought about how many other people have stayed there before you? Each person has a different story and each person's life is completely and totally unique, yet they've all stayed in the same place. Falls Church High School's hilarious production of Plaza Suite provided for an enjoyable glimpse at three completely different stories following totally different sets of people, unfolding in the exact same hotel room, and it proved to be both incredibly insightful but also exceedingly entertaining.

Plaza Suite is a comedy written by the famous playwright, Neil Simon, set in room 719 of the luxurious, Plaza Hotel, in which three completely different stories take place. The first story is that of a married couple, Sam and Karen Nash, attempting to fix their marriage in the hotel room that they stayed in on their honeymoon. Following this, is that of a famous Hollywood producer meeting with his former girlfriend from high school and trying to seduce her, and finally, the play ends with a girl trapping herself in the bathroom on her wedding day while her parents try desperately to get her to come out. The show is filled with both hysterical physical comedy and subtle, yet equally entertaining humor that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

Falls Church did an excellent job bringing the famous Plaza Hotel to a high school stage in Virginia. Each character was distinctly unique and interesting and every story created laughter in a completely different way.

Despite the small size of the cast, there was a tremendous amount of energy and commitment to character throughout the production. The chemistry between each couple was especially enjoyable to watch and served to make each separate story more believable to the audience. Several actors in particular stood out with their believability and character choices, two of which were the Hollywood producer, played by Gulet Isse, and his former high school girlfriend, played by Beth Fleming. Both seemed extremely comfortable onstage and had excellent comedic timing, milking jokes that could have easily been overlooked or ignored. The parents in the last story, played by Kayla Gatling and Kam Spain, were also ridiculously entertaining to watch. Both made very amusing character choices, such as Kayla's subtle, yet funny accent, and each made excellent use of physical comedy. At one point in the show, Kam attempted to use a chair to smash through the bathroom door, and not only was the action in itself funny, but also his facial expressions and reactions as well.

Finally, the technical elements of the show were the cherry on top of an enjoyable production. The sound and lighting were both wonderful simply because there was never a moment when the actors could not be seen or heard, and the set was absolutely fantastic. It was pleasantly painted and decorated and seemed so realistic that it could've been an actual hotel room transported just to be used as a set and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

On your next trip I recommend that you stay for a night at the Plaza Hotel at Falls Church High School in room 719. The guests may be a bit silly, but I promise that you'll be glad you did. Enjoy your stay!

Sam Miller
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Suite 719 at the Plaza Hotel has seen its' fill of crazy occupants, and of what they do to occupy their time. Falls Church High School's performance of Plaza Suite picked three sets of guests to focus on in their cautiously comedic and treacherously tragic show.

Plaza Suite was written in by Neil Simon. It opened in 1968, and was adapted into a film in 1971. It tells the story of three different couples who struggle with their relationships in Suite 719. In the first act, Karen (Keely Greene) and Sam (Mark Zubaly) try to celebrate their wedding anniversary, but the evening is ruined when Sam is called into the office and Karen confronts him about the affair he's been having with his secretary. In the second act, Jesse (Gulet Isse), a famous movie producer, meets up with his old high school girlfriend, Muriel (Beth Fleming), and attempts to rekindle their relationship despite her being married with three children. The third act does not focus on a relationship between a couple, but rather the parental bonds between Norma (Kayla Gatling), Roy (Kam Spain), and their daughter, Mimsey (Lizzy Oriade), who's locked herself in the bathroom on her wedding day.

The cast as a whole handled the material well, and had impeccable timing in both their humorous and heartbreaking moments, allowing the audience to empathize as marriages fell apart and relationships were restored. Throughout a largely serious show that dealt with affairs and adultery, Kayla Gatling as Norma stood out as a humorous beacon as she attempted to cajole her daughter out of her room for her wedding. With a consistent accent and a penchant for panicked hypochondria, she had the audience rolling with laughter as she desperately gasped over every minor provocation.

The set for the show was elaborate and detailed. The two rooms of the suite were each filled with period props that helped set the mood and remind the audience that this took place in the 60's, a time when women didn't have all that much freedom, and if their husbands were having affairs, well, they'd better just deal with it, or go out and have their own. The lighting cues were impeccably timed, stage lights corresponding with fake switches on the walls, and a certain ambiance was provided as famous music from the time period softly played through the speakers between acts.

Plaza Suite is a difficult show for any theatre company, and Falls Church High School handled the challenge wonderfully. Their performance was emotionally evocative and when, after two acts of failing marriages and adultery, a young bride chose to marry the man that she loved, the audience felt a sense of justice, as if the act of fidelity righted the wrongs of the two previous couples.

Noah Habenstreit
Albert Einstein High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Suite 719 has seen its share of odd occurrences. So too has the audience of Falls Church High School's production of Plaza Suite, who were lucky enough to enjoy an afternoon of zany comedic vignettes, each one funnier than the last.

Neil Simon wrote Plaza Suite as a series of three vignettes connected by their setting, suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The play premiered in 1968, and features three pairs of characters: a long-suffering married couple, a Hollywood producer and his high school sweetheart, and the parents of the bride in a wedding taking place in the hotel. Each short play is a glimpse into the lives of two people; from their unique situations, Simon expertly generates comedy and often poignancy.

Falls Church's production of Plaza Suite was an accelerated effort, as the school was forced to switch its show just weeks before the date of performance. Considering this, the production was impressively polished; the lead actors for the most part showed strong character and a deep understanding of their relationships with others. Decent acting combined with quietly excellent technical elements created a clean and enjoyable show.

The actors in the second and third stories were especially committed. As Jesse Kiplinger, Gulet Isse brought wonderful charisma and displayed notable chemistry with the girl of his character's dreams, Muriel Tate (played by Beth Fleming). Fleming was also a quality performer; especially impressive was her attention to detail in creating subtle moments to let the audience in on her character's motivations. In the third vignette, Kayla Gatling shined as the mother of a bride who would not leave the hotel restroom. The strongest comedic actress in the play, she used a silly accent and entertaining variations in tone of voice to leave the audience in stitches.

Many of the technical elements went off without a hitch. The sound crew, led by Caitlin Chenvert, made sure the actors could be heard at all times. The lighting was minimalist but entirely appropriate for the show. Most remarkably, the set was well-designed and executed. When the lights went up on the set, the audience immediately knew exactly where the play was meant to be set. The designer played a large role in transporting the audience into the world of the show.

Overall, there are few complaints to be made about this production. Crisp, clean, and enjoyable all the way through, Plaza Suite was a great success due to the efforts of both the performers and the crew.