The Three Musketeers
at Loudoun Valley High School

Reviewed on April 9, 2016

Gillian Wright
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

From the Three Stooges to the three little pigs, friendship trios fill an exclusive role in narrative entertainment. Among these beloved coteries of three are the Three Musketeers, a trine of dashing duelers able to woo any woman and win any war. Loudoun Valley High School's exciting production of "The Three Musketeers" centered around three men admired for their wit, bravery, and swashbuckling savoir-faire, but most touching in their unerring dedication to each other.

Based on Alexandre Dumas's historical novel of the same title, "The Three Musketeers" follows D'artagnan, a country boy and aspiring musketeer, as he explores Paris in seek of a career defending the King. The play, which was adapted from the novel by Ken Ludwig in 2006, highlights the discord between the two most powerful men in France, the King and the Cardinal, both of whom connive with henchmen to achieve sinister goals. The plot's trifecta of love, fighting, and humor garner the story its popularity, and it has been made into many movie adaptations, most recently in 2011.

Playing the honorary fourth musketeer, D'artagnan (Steven Greene) demonstrated incomparable energy onstage. His impressive emotional range left audience members fluctuating from peals of laughter to sighs of sadness as his gallant character is misled by insidious individuals. Dueling his way to success, Greene's vivacity and charisma were utterly remarkable.

The titular triumvirate, Athos (Jackson Herwig), Porthos (Darius Fraser), and Aramis (Jake Stapleton), deserved every ounce of reverence D'artagnan bestowed upon them. Glorious in combat and winsome in interaction, the three men shared genuine chemistry with each other, yet each also had a distinguished personality. Fraser utilized hyperbolic tones and expressive physicality to put forth a highly humorous performance, whereas Stapleton's constant romantic endeavors defined his character.

Ironically at fault for much of the country's unrest was Cardinal Richelieu (Charlie Trochlil), whose weasel-like voice and sadistic manner proved highly entertaining. Trochlil's generally calm demeanor underscored moments of intense emotion, most of which were directed toward either his talented cohort Rochefort (Noah Wade) or King Louis XIII (Luke Wagner). Wagner's unassuming nature and feminine movements contrasted his political power to great effect, and his petulant anger in regards to his Queen (Pateley Nichols) was thoroughly entertaining.

Essential in achieving the Cardinal's nefarious goals was Milady (Abby McDonough), an enchanting seductress with a hidden backstory. Capable of charming any man, McDonough's comportment could switch instantaneously to reveal murderous intentions.

A large ensemble of supporting characters portrayed guards, bar patrons, and ball attendees, and in each setting the atmosphere was fitting and the vigor infallible. Sword fighting scenes were performed with consistent agility and precision, and background behavior maintained the show's energy without detracting from the main actions taking place.

Enabling the characters to traverse through Paris to the French countryside to England and back again was an extensive yet versatile revolving set. Staircases, platforms, and balconies allowed discourse to occur in various locations, while numerous doorways and entrances facilitated quick transitions between battles and intimate scenes. Detailed props, included several exquisite masks worn during a masquerade, enhanced the story's authenticity, while a prodigious student-written and student-performed score set the pace and dictated the mood for much of the show. Though occasionally imperfect in execution, a clever lighting design further developed the French theme of the play.

From battles to heartbreaks, Loudoun Valley High School's excellent production of "The Three Musketeers" fully supported the sentiment that "life is fate, life is hope, but most of all, life is an adventure."

Morgan Perigard
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

Alexandre Dumas said in the original story of The Three Musketeers, "Never fear quarrels, but seek adventures." Adventure, in the form of a journey full of love, camaraderie, and some perilous escapades, was precisely what was found in Loudoun Valley's thrilling production of The Three Musketeers.

The Three Musketeers was adapted by Ken Ludwig from the classic story written by Alexandre Dumas. The play opened at the Bristol Old Vic, on December 6, 2006, to rave reviews. Set in France in 1625, the story follows young and ambitious D'Artagnan as he travels to Paris, along with his sister Sabine, in the hopes of becoming a musketeer. After meeting the renowned "Three Musketeers" and becoming entangled in their adventures, D'Artagnan teams up with them to protect the reputation of the French queen. With the threat of both the evil Cardinal Richelieu and the seductive murderess Milady on their backs, the four heroes are sent on a riveting journey to defend the honor of the royal family of France.

At the helm of the show was Steven Greene, who played the noble and adventurous D'Artagnan. Greene had an unwavering energy and vigor, which allowed him to draw the audience in on his thrilling journey. Right by his side was Megan Greene as Sabine, D'Artagnan's quirky sister. Always a bright presence on stage, Greene beautifully personified the distinctions in her character, arching between her bubbly teenage girl side and her bold, courageous side which comes to save the day. The real life siblings brought an adorable familial connection to the stage which had the audience rooting for them the whole time.

A heroic and commanding force was never embodied more than in the Three Musketeers, played by Jackson Herwig, Darius Fraser, and Jake Stapleton. The three all portrayed powerful and lively characters, which helped them to execute the complicated fight choreography pristinely. Their movements were crisp and invigorating, never faltering or losing their characters during the intense fight sequences. Another marvelous performance came from Abby McDonough, who played the mysterious and alluring Milady. McDonough developed many complex sides to her character, transitioning wonderfully between the evil assassin and more vulnerable ex-wife of Athos.

The myriad of striking performances in this production were complimented beautifully by some astounding technical features. The lighting design effectively produced an array of color schemes that established a distinction between the many settings of the play. It created effectual natural lighting for outside scenes and even created the illusion of the French flag on the set at points in the play. A standout portion of the night came from the completely student written score. Ben Testa and Lily Peterson wrote 23 original musical compositions for the production that superbly created the atmosphere of 17th century Paris.

D'Artagnan arrives in Paris as a young boy with a big dream and an even bigger ambition, but by the end, has found his place with the noble and gallant group of musketeers. Leaving the audience with a sense of fellowship and heroism, Loudoun Valley High School surely did justice to the legend of The Three Musketeers.

Michelle Cole
Flint Hill School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Loudoun

Swords clashed across the stage, lights flashed in patriotic French red and blue spotlights, and laughter filled the audience. This marked Loudoun Valley High School's production of The Three Musketeers as it beautifully unfolded on the stage.

The classic story, originally written by Alexandre Dumas, follows the adventures of D'Artagnan as he seeks to become a Musketeer, fighting against any and all enemies of the French king, Louis XIII. Along the way, he develops a friendship with the infamous three musketeers (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) as they join together to fight for the protection of the king reflecting on the nobility and importance fighting for one's country and protecting the things and people one loves.

The play featured exquisite sets with two levels, two pairs of stairs, intricate designs of marble, and a turntable for versatility of backgrounds (Skyler Powell). The props, including realistic swords and accessories to bring the king's palace and the adventurous scenes to life, further complimented the backdrop of the well-designed sets (Quinn Weir). Another unique aspect of the production was the original pieces of music, which were conducted and performed by the students as well, and helped to capture the drama and spirit of adventure that filled the story (Ben Testa, Lily Petersen, Jonathan Bell, Allison Savage, Sam Dehart, Kyle Windbeck, Alex Galvan, and Caroline Pomeroy).

Steven Greene played the role of D'Artagnan with great strength and enthusiasm as he jumped across the stage to charge against the villains and rescue those in danger. Abby McDonough also captured the role of Milady wonderfully as she truly embodied the deceptive, complexity of her character who worked with the greedy Cardinal Richelieu (Charlie Trochlil) to expose the secrets of the queen and gain power for themselves.

The ensemble of the Three Musketeers (Jackson Herwig, Darius Fraser, and Jake Stapleton) had a wonderful presence on the stage as they confronted their enemies with courage and strength of heart, facing any challenge they encountered. Megan Greene, who ironically played the role of Sabine, was on stage, as well as in real life, the sister of Steven Greene, or D'Artagnan. She executed the role with spunkiness and excitement, and the evident relationship between her and her brother was sweet and a unique and exciting aspect of the show.

The stage crew notably made very speedy scene transitions, which helped to create a smooth flow between scenes and as the play unfolded (Hannah Allison, Laura Brick, Lauren Sullian, Meagan Kennedy, Bianca Laudenzi, Anthony Lacaria, Wyatt Claudy, Nick Tortora, and Kaleigh Bryan). Though some of words were lost to the audience, the projection of the actors without the use of microphones was admirable and their diction and pronunciation was greatly commendable. The original score and orchestra's sound effects also helped to illustrate the action and adventure ensuing on the stage (Ben Testa, Lily Petersen, Jonathan Bell, Allison Savage, Sam Dehart, Kyle Windbeck, Alex Galvan, and Caroline Pomeroy).

Dramatic, yet filled with many moments of laughter, and well-executed, Loudoun Valley High School's production of the Three Musketeers truly captured the adventurous journey of the infamous muskateers, and brought the audience to its feet. It reminded the audience that, in the words, of the great D'Artagnan, "most of all, life is an adventure," and a journey to endure with courage and bravery of heart, just like a musketeer.

Celia Konowe
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to The Viking

Mesdames and Messieurs, welcome to Loudoun Valley High School's adventure back to 17th century France where intrigue, sword fights, murder plots and romance define their exhilarating production of The Three Musketeers.

Ken Ludwig's adaption of the classic tale by Alexander Dumas takes place in 1625, following the journey of D'Artagnan, an adventurous boy from Gascony, to Paris with his tomboyish sister Sabine. There, he joins forces with the famous Three Musketeers to defend the King and Queen of France and falls in love with the Queen's lady-in-waiting, Constance, only to find himself in opposition to the corrupt Cardinal Richelieu and the infamous Milady, both who will stop at nothing to gain the power they desire.

Opening the lively production was daring stage combat performed by the majority of the cast throughout the show, enhancing the sense the adventure that the tale embodies. Complicated fight choreography was admirably presented, with little to no hesitations among the actors. The ensemble portrayed numerous roles, ranging from the Cardinal's soldiers to uproarious drunk to elegant citizens at the ball, all while maintaining their engagement with the action on stage.

The dynamic duo of D'Artagnan and Sabine, played by real-life siblings Steven and Megan Greene, respectively, masterfully shared both their energy and close relationship with the audience, pulling them into the tale. Steven Greene threw himself into his character, expertly executing every rough fight and every tender moment with his sister and love interest, Constance. Megan Greene brought her exciting spunk to the show, proving that women, too, can fight. The Three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, portrayed by Jackson Herwig, Darius Fraser and Jake Stapelton, respectively, worked smoothly as a group, while each made defined character choices and created strong individual personalties.

Also highly notable performances included those of Cardinal Richelieu (Charlie Trochlil) had impeccable comedic timing as he portrayed the tale's "villain" to D'Artagnan, and Milady (Abby McDonough) who presented an arc of emotions and character versatility, transitioning smoothly throughout.

Complementing the production was an original score written for the show, flowing fluidly from light to ominous and augmenting the mood of the scenes. Additionally, in aiding the flow of the production was an adaptable student-designed and built set featuring a turntable. Clever makeup, such as fake facial hair and old age makeup and masterful props, specifically the masks worn at the ball, reinforced the portrayal of the characters. While colored lights were well-used to depict the tone of a scene, a lack of downstage lighting resulted in the inability to see actors at times. All in all, the cast had impressive projection and diction, despite a some inconsistent dialects that resulted in lost words and lines.

Loudoun Valley's cast, crew and orchestra worked together splendidly to produce a show that truly fit the Musketeer's motto of "all for one and one for all."