The Little Prince
at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Reviewed on October 29, 2014

Zara Ahmed
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Santa Margarita Sees With the Heart

In the barren Sahara, alone and confused, a single pilot sets his priorities in the most logical order: fix his plane and save his own life before supplies run out. But things don't go as expected; it isn't long before a mysterious 'Little Prince' arrives, asking too many questions, taking too much time, and telling too many stories. And it's only so long before the Aviator begins to listen.

Santa Margarita Catholic High School's brilliant cast and crew of "The Little Prince" captivate from the moment the setting is revealed until the breathtaking end. Played by Trevor Lown, the Aviator, alone on the stage, never ceases to interest with the challenges he faces as a character - challenges that also serve to alter his voice, bearings, and perception of the world. Alongside him, the absolutely fantastic Little Prince is portrayed by Dylan Field, who delivers each seemingly simple, unimportant line with grace. Great alone, but stunning when paired together, there is never a moment of boredom between Lown and Field when they skillfully present each scene and highlight the differences between becoming an adult and keeping a child's imagination.

Andrea Martinez, cast as the Fox, gives comic relief that is not for a moment unnecessary or over the top, and is ‘tamed' by the Prince, giving him a word for what it means to love someone. The phenomenal ensemble effectively carries the main cast, providing transitions, doubling as backgrounds, and eliciting urges to stare as well as to laugh.

Designed by Judith Clayton, who also stars as the intelligent Desert Rose, the set's simplicity only further serves its purpose by providing a space that sets the mood, even before actors arrive to bring it all to life.

Andrea Martinez (The Fox) creates bright costumes that highlight the mood of each character before they say a word to provide a stark contrast with the background. The performance itself comes together at the hands of a talented stage crew.

Andrea van den Boogaard
Capistrano Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

The stage adaption of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's children's book, "The Little Prince," comes to life in Santa Margarita High School's Black Box Theater as a fallen pilot desperately tries to fix his jet in the middle of an African desert. What would have been a lonely and scary experience turns into a life-changing journey when he meets the Little Prince, a boy who travels across the galaxy before settling on Earth. The pilot becomes engaged in the Little Prince's stories about his previous travels while they are reenacted onstage, and as a result, he learns to rediscover his long-lost sense of creativity and innocence.

The students on and offstage successfully captured the surreal and mystic vibe of the story while all-together displaying a great deal of professionalism. The cast and crew are able to translate a unified artistic style to their audience, a task that is difficult to do in both high school and professional theatre.
The challenging technical aspects of the show seem effortless as they project moving animations onto the star-lit walls and play music effects in the background of the scenes with great fluidity, all on the minimalistic set platform that they designed and built themselves. In addition to this, the dresses, jackets, and glow-in-the-dark ensembles were all made with an eye for intricate detail as well as high quality standard, despite being made by students.

The actors contributed to the portrayal of the children's story by maintaining playfulness and energy in their performances. The memorable scenes between the Little Prince (Dylan Field) and the Fox (Andrea Martinez) build an exceptional amount of excitement as the two performers wildly, yet gracefully, chase each other around the stage while engaging in fast-paced banter.

The students were also able to bounce back from difficulties. Though there were times when the sound effects would overpower dialogue between the characters, the actors maintained their energy level and stayed engaged in the scene without trying to shout over the music. Meanwhile, the sound was adjusted and returned to a less distracting volume in time for later scenes.

All in all, the students of Santa Margarita High School effectively translated to their audience the story's emphasis on the importance of creativity, exploration, and playfulness. As the final scene comes to a close, viewers are left with the message of appreciating and creatively feeding off of the beauty in every aspect of life.

Siena Brown
SOCSA Dana Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Santa Margarita Catholic High School Shoots for the Stars
written by Siena Brown, a junior from SOCSA Dana Hills

Imagine waking up stranded in the center of a sweltering desert, armed with little food and only a broken airplane for companionship. Suddenly, a peculiar little boy appears, with stories as spellbinding as the stars. This absurd scene opens Santa Margarita Catholic High School's enchanting production of "The Little Prince," adapted from the beloved novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

The show follows a no-nonsense aviator (Trevor Lown) as he attempts to restart his malfunctioning aircraft. Lown manifests his character's increasing exasperation by pacing briskly and tensely running a hand through his disheveled hair. However, as he gradually opens up to the Prince's abstract world, his motions slow down and become more purposeful and gentle.

Starry-eyed and precocious, Dylan Field shines as the Little Prince. Field maintains a straight back and tranquil composure throughout the show, creating a subtle air of royalty. However, he contrasts this maturity with a curious grin and a bouncy gait, adding charming youthfulness to his character.

Andrea Martinez provides heart and honesty to the absurdist show in the form of a friendly Fox. Martinez's character is introduced as a timid creature, scampering nervously behind trees and squirreling away from the Little Prince's touch. However, as the two characters develop their friendship and the Fox allows herself to be tamed, Martinez begins to speak in a soft, tender tone, and offers a warm, comforting hand to her new friend.

The show also boasts a well-structured ensemble. By moving effortlessly in unison and keeping their faces solid and expressionless throughout the show, members of the ensemble delicately blend into their surroundings and urge the performance on smoothly.

The show's costumes, designed and hand-created by Andrea Martinez (the Fox), help to characterize the various personalities of the cast. The Prince is clad in primary blues and reds: the childish colors reinforcing his youthful disposition. In contrast, the grounded Aviator dons practical khaki from head to toe, hinting at his mature, straightforward outlook on life. The Prince's Rose wears a deep scarlet gown embellished with a multi-tiered skirt to produce the impression of dainty petals.

Although nonsensical and perplexing at times, Santa Margarita's "The Little Prince" is a captivating fable that assures audiences that through love and companionship, one will always triumph.