Eurydice
at Anaheim High

Reviewed on February 8, 2014

Jennifer Kaplan
Tesoro
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Anaheim's ‘Eurydice' is Worth Dying For

In the penumbra of Anaheim High's "Eurydice", the jarring antithesis of warm comfort with frigid despair may stir the soul to rise- or descend. In this modern retelling of the Greek myth, Eurydice and Orpheus epitomize youthful hope whilst imagining their future together. Those plans sink into the Earth when the Lord of the Underworld swoops Eurydice into his realm, where she finds unexpected comfort with her dead father while awaiting Orpheus's rescue.

With a love-infected delicacy in her step, Eurydice (Berlin Ballard) scampers across the stage, exuding sweet innocence as her hands gently brush the air and her gaze sensitively follows Orpheus. Once embalmed by the Underworld's darkness, her persona is also clouded; abruptly degenerating to a childlike state, she skips about on tiptoe, eyes wide but glazed, with wobbling arms outstretched like a baby bird taking flight for the first time.

Tenderly, Eurydice's father (Amilcar Jauregui) reaches out to Eurydice through the gloom, every clear, measured word a branch for her to grasp onto and take comfort in. Feet planted, eyes dead-set, Jauregui methodically mimes creating Eurydice's room out of rope, with subtle glances at Eurydice and steady footing revealing his fatherly love- the gentle flame that warms Eurydice in her despair. In pained contrast, his trembling knees and shaking hands while descending into the river after her departure accentuate this final, irreparable shred in his tattered soul.

Shrieking and clawing through Eurydice and her father's glass wall of comfort, the Stones terrify as warped manifestations of Eurydice's worst fears. As wickedly twisted in physicality as personality, Loud Stone (Stephanie Rodriguez) thrusts her stomach forward and arches her shoulders back whilst sadistically distorting her neck, contorting around Eurydice to create a demonic vision reminiscent of a demented hawk circling its prey.

Eerie harmonies haunt this dreamscape. Alternately pulsing, shifting, racing, and rising, original score by Julio Ugalde elevates the ambiance to soaring heights of love and comfort with warm melodies- only to bring it startlingly crashing down to Hades with pulsing, jerking notes that stab at the air and amplify tension with their stomach-churning discordancy.

If the air chills-if the wind whirs with strange music-if a light appears within the darkness, follow it…for it leads to Anaheim's ‘Eurydice' and, like the faintest stirring of a heartbeat in one returned from the dead, here burns a light amongst shadows.

Darrius Estigoy
University High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Anaheim High's ‘Eurydice' is an Unforgettable Experience

Love, marriage, and a funeral, the unfortunate chain of events in Anaheim High's production of ‘Eurydice'. ‘Eurydice', based on an ancient Greek myth, follows the titular Eurydice as she struggles to reconnect with Orpheus, despite her untimely death. Using creative lighting and a strong cast, Anaheim High presents an admirable take on an age-old tale.

Berlin Ballard as Eurydice excels with her gradual character choices throughout the performance. Starting out with a graceful, sophisticated movement, she effectively characterizes her character as a mature, philosophical woman. When Eurydice enters the underworld, Ballard alters her performance to become more childish, with her skipping and playing hopscotch. The costumes aid in this transition, with a sensible summer dress degrading into a flowing pink dress.

Amilcar Jauregui as Eurydice's father creates a believable father figure for Eurydice to follow. With a strong commitment to his character, Jauregui uses his facial expressions and gradual hand movements to create a dynamic character. Jauregui takes his time as he performs mime, making his actions look realistic. He maintains a good vocal level that makes him audible to the audience at all times without sounding unnatural. His connection to the character lends realism to his performance.

Oliver Rodriguez portrays three characters, an Interesting man, an Evil child, and the Lord of the Underworld. To Rodriguez' credit, he creates three characters that had distinct personalities yet maintained the demonic undertones present in all three. As the Lord of the Underworld, Rodriguez maintains a strong stage presence that integrates perfectly with the flamboyance of the character.

The Stones, Jack Padilla, Angel Perez, Stephanie Rodriguez, and Anahi Chavez, worked well together, creating a memorable ensemble that add an atmosphere of eeriness to the Underworld scenes. They moved together in sync, creating an ominous moment as they chide and mock Eurydice in a circle. Stephanie Rodriguez as the Loud Stone creates a character with a strong commitment and energy. She uses her entire body to express her physicality, with exaggeration in her facial expressions to create a memorable character.

With a minimal set and props, the production uses lighting, designed by Ruby McGinn and Alexia Rosa, to create setting. The use of a hot, red light to emphasize the underworld scenes creates an eerie mood and atmosphere for those scenes.

Anaheim High's strong choice for a cast creates a performance that is truly unforgettable.

Caitlyn Sampley
Mater Dei High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Impossible to Forget Anaheim High School

In Anaheim High School's recent production of Eurydice, a seamless combination of lighting, makeup, and acting weave a funny and tragic modern take on the mythological Greek tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.

The play begins with a symphony of student designed lighting cues to set the whimsical mood of two lovers who are intent on remembering a certain melody. Orpheus (Omar Sandoval) establishes his love of music through lovely and well-played guitar serenades multiple times in the show, including during the opening scene where he proposes to his lover. Eurydice (Berlin Ballard), said lover, is a charming and pixie-like stage presence who brings light to the show with her childlike whimsy and girly pink ensembles; as the production's protagonist, she does a fantastic job of keeping the audience's focus on herself.

Though a few of the actors could have done a better job expressing their lines, all was made up for through frequent bouts of comic relief. Enter the Lord of the Underworld (Oliver Rodriguez), who makes his introduction on a tricycle with rock music blaring in the background and dominates the audience with his suggestive, flamboyant, flirtatious character. Tripling up as the Interesting Man and the Evil Child as well as the ever notable King of Hell, Rodriguez turns his character into an overwhelmingly well-rounded stage presence with sudden sharp mood changes and a dance which he choreographed himself. Of course, no one could forget the Stones (Jacky Padilla, Angel Perez, Stephanie Rodriguez, Anahi Chavez) and their hilarious screams, moves, and speech patterns—not to mention their uncanny talent of speaking in perfect unison.

The production would not have been complete without Eurydice's father (Amilcar Jauregui), who ties the play together with flawless miming, heartfelt monologues, and his blatant and steadfast love for his daughter. Jauregui's powerful stage presence and connection to his character were fantastic, straight down to the end where he lay motionless until the final line has been spoken.

The music and lighting, both student created and executed, are lovely, especially the harsh red lights activated during Underworld sequences—both very effectively establish the tone for scenes following. Metaphors of water are very powerful and effective throughout the entire production, including the flawless sound cues that signal raindrops or stormy weather. Overall, the play is seamless and impressive; not even the River Lethe can make me forget it.