Stand and Deliver
at Anaheim

Reviewed on April 30, 2016

Siena Brown
SOCSA Dana Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Anaheim's "Stand and Deliver" is A+ work

The pressure of getting a good score on the AP exam is unbearable for the brightest of students. For an underprivileged kid fighting desperately for their education, success seems impossible.

Anaheim High School's new production of "Stand and Deliver" follows Jaime Escalante, a math teacher who resolves to start teaching AP Calculus at an inner city school in a Latino community. His students are underprivileged, undereducated, and unwilling to cooperate. But Escalante fights to defy expectations and proves that anyone can be a whiz kid if they have "ganas"- the desire to be the best they can be.

Daniel Chavez leads the show as unwavering teacher Jaime Escalante. He initially comes across as stern and harsh, shouting at his students and shaking his head furiously at every mistake they make. However, Chavez slowly reveals his comical side, cracking a wry smile with every deadpan joke.

With a lazy grin and a devil-may-care attitude, Brandon Alvarez charms as Angel, an ex-gang member who becomes Mr. Escalante's top student. Alvarez acts cool and confident, slouching back in his chair with his hands tucked in his pockets. However, when he confides his experiences with the horrors of gang life to the audience, he loses his calm, releasing a throaty scream and balling his fists to convey his anguish.

David Calixto shines as class clown Pancho. Calixto makes every movement a wacky performance, grinning broadly and snapping his fingers with humorous arrogance. His pride becomes his greatest weakness, and in a scene where he admits he does not think he will pass the AP test, his eyes widen with exasperation as his confidence drains away.

Using their differences to complement one another, Berlin Ballard and Alexia Rosa enchant as best friends Claudia and Lupe. Ballard is dripping with mature charm and struts sassily across the stage, while innocent Rosa's soft smile brings a lighter touch to their friendship.

The hair and makeup designs (Jaqueline Rivas, Alejandra Tafoya, Marlene Sanchez, Anna Pedroza), are starkly unique to each character, from a slicked back look for the suave Angel to a voluminous teased hairdo for the bold Claudia. Angel's hands and arms are decorated with intricate tattoos, scars from his delinquent past.

Anaheim High School's "Stand and Deliver" is a brave and inspiring production, promising that with a little faith and a whole lot of determination, anything is possible.

Taylor Plett
SOCSA Dana Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Dedication, discipline, and hard work defeat odds at Anaheim

Those who were born on the wrong side of the racial or economic gap often face a life of stifled ambitions, struggling to find success amid a society that believes only in their failure. It is against these odds that those with courage to believe in their abilities are capable of doing the unbelievable; so goes the story of the Garfield High School class of 1982.

Both poignant and imaginative, Anaheim's "Stand and Deliver" presents the astonishingly true story of success that surpassed expectations.

When acclaimed Bolivian professor Jaime Escalante (Daniel Chavez) accepts a job at Garfield High School in impoverished East Los Angeles, he embarks on an ambitious mission to lead his under-educated class to success on the AP Calculus exam. As his students hurtle the obstacles of discrimination and inner-city depravity in racing toward this goal, they illustrate the truth in Escalante's battle cry; all you need is the desire, the "Ganas," to succeed.

Chavez as Mr. Escalante epitomizes the delicate balance between strong-armed authority and paternal care that makes a good man and a great teacher. Whether domineering with a confident posture and booming voice or comical with a slew of quirky jokes, Chavez's authenticity endears him to his students and audience members alike.

Class ruffian Angel Guerra (Brandon Alvarez) offers an emotional insight into the realities of inner-city life through a retelling of his gang-defined childhood, voice strained as he clutches his shoulder in agony to represent a bullet's mark years ago. Chavez retains this raw emotivity as he transitions into one of Escalante's top students, his swaggering strut increasingly strident as his determination grows.

Berlin Ballard embodies the sassy Claudia Camejo as she raises skeptical eyebrows at Escalante's teaching tactics or holds her head in cool loftiness. Ballard reveals Camejo's softer core while bemoaning the brutality of men, shoulders crumpled in sorrow as she recounts a past of abuse and deceit in a broken voice.

Praise is due to Joel Brown for his deliverance of an original rap at the opening of each act, offering an artistic lens through which to view the play's heavy themes as relevant to today's issues of race and privilege.

Anaheim inspires audiences of every background with "Stand and Deliver," proving that though skin tone and income may define one's potential in the eyes of society, math is the great equalizer.

Julia Gordon
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Anaheim's ‘Stand and Deliver' is heartfelt and inspiring

Pursuing higher education without financial resources or familial support may seem like an insurmountable feat, but all one truly needs to succeed is "ganas."

Anaheim High School's intimate production of "Stand and Deliver" retells the true story of Jaime Escalante, a teacher at Garfield High in East L.A., and his determination to teach his students calculus and have them pass the AP exam. Despite their success, the students are accused of cheating and forced to retake the exam.

Daniel Chavez's uplifting performance as Jaime Escalante is moving and resolute, and his commitment is evident throughout. Chavez passionately teaches with animated gesticulations and a clear, booming voice, urging uncooperative students to participate. He demonstrates nuance as he jokingly crawls on the floor and teases his students, evoking a quirky fatherly figure.

The students are critical and snarky at first, but as they begin to accept Jaime, they blossom into mature, confident young adults.

As Claudia, Berlin Ballard is initially resentful and unyielding, and she rolls her eyes and makes snide comments when in class. But through her motherly care for shy Lupe (Alexia Rosa) and tearful monologue, Ballard develops a genuine, multifaceted character.

Rafaela (Alejandra Tafoya) adds humorous, lighthearted moments to the serious production; Tafoya's innocence and naiveté juxtaposes comically with the other students' overt references to drugs and sex.

Brandon Alvarez delivers an exceptionally touching portrayal of Angel Guerra. Alvarez begins as a cold, withdrawn gangster with hunched shoulders and a frigid glare; he delivers a chilling soliloquy, commanding attention with his sharp yells and penetrating stare. Over time, Alvarez's voice softens, and he jokes and grins with Jaime and the students—indicating growth past his initial façade.

Sound designers Julia Mora and Rafael Barradas establish the time period and contribute to the suspense. Upbeat 80s songs like "Rock the Casbah" entertain during scene transitions while distorted piano music creates a tense, anxious atmosphere following Jaime's heart attack.

The makeup and hair design also effectively serves to elicit the 1980s and contrast personalities. Goody two-shoes Juana (Gabriela Beccera) wears a ponytail tied with a cute, colorful scrunchie, emphasizing her studious, rule-following temperament. On the other hand, the chola girls have voluminous, teased hair and high, pencil-thin eyebrows—setting them apart from the calculus students.

Anaheim's inspiring rendition of "Stand and Deliver" teaches to always believe in oneself, even if nobody else does.