Smile
at Coral Glades High School

Reviewed on February 27, 2016

Veronica Lempicki
Western High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

A glittering gown cannot always disguise a forced smile. With scandalous betrayals, wrenching losses, and genuine amity. Smile,written by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman, recounts the ugly and the heartwarming behind the scenes goings-on of a 1980's beauty pageant. Coral Glades High School's production of Smile is stock full of energy and emotion.

Sophia Young, portraying Brenda Dicarlo Freelander,the passionate pageant coordinator,proved a talent beyond her years. Young did not hit one imperfect note, her masterful vocals demanding attention and dominating the stage. Brenda's husband, Big Bob Freelander (Don Jeanis), remained the constant voice of reason as Brenda goes into overdrive upon learning that the national chairman will be an attendee at the pageant. The chemistry between Young and Jeanis felt natural and believable. His booming voice commanding the stage, Jeanis proved an incredible vocalist. Superbly convincing, Sophia Young's adroit portrayal of a thirty-five year old woman seemed no simple task, particularly as she was surrounded by actors and actresses whose roles depended greatly on their connection with and amplification of their own age.

Doria Hudson (Haley Amann), an experienced contestant with a troubled home life, proved a sympathetic and endearing character. Amann's portrayal drastically exceeded typical high school standards. Her massively impressive consistency, believability, and powerful voice set her apart. Amann closed the show with a reprise of her solo, "Disneyland," a heartfelt and poignant moment intertwining optimism and daydream.

The unlikely but tender friendship that arises between Doria and Robin Gibson (Megan Begley), felt organic and true. Gibson, having no previous experience with pageants, practically trips into the Young American Miss pageant by accident. While at first Gibson feels incongruous and insecure, Megan Begley artistically portrayed her character's confidence development. Begley's vocal performance mirrored her character's growth, while in the beginning singing with a sweet and vulnerable tone, and later, powerfully and grandly belting long notes.

Dynamic and lively, the many pageant contestants breathe life and energy into the show. Each contestant had her own distinct and spirited characteristics. Gabi Simon, who played the ever-pleasant and guacamole-loving Mexican-American contestant,Maria Gonzalez, won the audience over with her comedic delivery and admirable dedication to her role. Even through a slight costume malfunction, Simon remained perfectly in character, maintaining her humorous rendition. Two other notably memorable contestants were Sandra-Kay Macafee (Samantha Gaynor) and Shawn Christianson (Cassidy Zafonte) and though their characters differed drastically; one quirky and peppy, the other cold and conniving, both acted with commendable conviction.

The student orchestra's exemplary sound complemented the singers with precision. Attention to time-era detail in the costume and makeup design added an impressive believability to the performance.

Immensely entertaining and just downright fun, Coral Glades's production of "Smile" leaves audiences beaming with a lasting smile all their own.

Maya Quinones
Deerfield Beach High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

In the competitive world of beauty pageantry, sixteen gorgeous California teenagers fight to be crowned the next Young American Miss. Proof that beauty really does come from within is revealed in Coral Glades High School's dazzling production of Smile.

From the men who brought you the Tony Award winning A Chorus Line and the beloved musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman's music and lyrics combine to make the hilarious comedy about the behind the scenes antics of beauty pageants. Based on the 1975 film by the same name, Smile made its Broadway debut in 1986. Although the show achieved minimal success in its premiere, it has become a favorite among High School Theatre productions.

Megan Begley plays the bookish and introverted Robin Gibson. Unsure about her place in the pageant world, Robin frequently doubts her ability to win. Through Robin's fear of public speaking and awkward dance technique, Begley's emotional performance transformed her into a true underdog. Doria, the ambitious Southern Belle, is played by Haley Amann. Determined to win the acclaimed Young American Miss title, Doria uses her charm and extensive knowledge of pageant history to climb the rhinestone studded ladder of success. Amann's adorable southern twang and impressive vocal talent resonated in her solo "Disneyland," in which Amann proves through an intimate and authentic performance that Doria is much more than a beauty queen. Sophia Young plays Brenda Dicarlo Freelander, the perfectionist pageant coordinator and former third runner-up at the national Young American Miss pageant. Young's mature voice and devotion to her character guided the performance as Brenda frantically organizes the pageant, later realizing that her past will not hold her back.

Gabi Simon hilariously portrays the bubbly Mexican-American contestant Maria Gonzalez, her Latin accent and swift dance moves made the audience erupt into laughter whenever she waltzed onto the stage. Simon completely embodied the guacamole obsessed Maria, never losing her independent and jovial spirit. While sometimes difficult to understand, the ensemble of beautiful contestants all the way from El-Centro to Sacramento California maintained an exorbitant amount of energy in numbers such as "Shine" and "Smile."

The set represented the American spirit, as dangling stars of red, white, and blue decorated the stage. Scene changes were quick and seamless, as bunkbeds and office desks were moved on and off stage by the efficient actors and stage hands. The lighting ranged from nervous reds to hopeful blues, spotlights hitting the actors perfectly. While some projections were faulty in alignment, the messages were clearly conveyed.

Coral Glades High School's Smile reveals that there is more to pageant life than sparkly tiaras and aesthetic beauty. It enforces the message that true beauty comes from being yourself and never losing your spirit.

Daniel Agmon
JP Taravella HS
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Giggling Girls in high heels, generously applied lipstick and polished nails, came together under dazzling lights, hoping to have one of the very best weeks of their lives in Coral Glades High School's production of SMILE.

Loosely based on the 1975 film with the same title, SMILE debuted on Broadway in 1986 with music composed by Marvin Hamlisch, book and lyrics written by Howard Ashman. SMILE, which received a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical, tells the story of several beautiful pageant contestants all dreaming to be crowned Young American Miss, and the high-spirited couple, Big Bob and Brenda Dicarlo Freelander, who manage the pageant.

Don Jeanis who portrayed the winsome Big Bob Freelander had a convincing stage presence and deeply resonating vocals. The apprehensive Robin Gibson, depicted by Megan Begley, delivered many genuine moments and realistic emotions. Her authenticity was truly prominent and her down to earth manner contrasted well with the charismatic Doria Hudson, played by Haley Amann. Amann illuminated the stage, captivating with her praiseworthy vocals in difficult songs such as "Disneyland."

Sophia Young conveyed the devoted Brenda Dicarlo Freelander with the utmost vivacity and exhibited a superb growth in character development while Eli Flynn was very amusing as the sassy choreographer, Tommy French. Gabi Simon stood out from the other contestants with her impeccable comedic timing and dazzling dance skills as the spicy Maria Gonzales. Samantha Gaynor, as Sandra-Kay Macafee, was also noteworthy.

Overall the ensemble led the production with their consistent, specific characterizations and superior energy. Harmonies and diction sometimes were lacking, but were more than compensated for by the passionate enthusiasm throughout the production, particularly in the song "Until Tomorrow Night."

Stage manager, Kristen West, succeeded in smooth transitions between scenes and no mishaps were evident. Lights designed by Jamie Brothman set crisp moods and specifically exemplified the dramatic moments. The vibrantly colored costumes, designed by Haley Amann and company added depth to the time period, and were a master undertaking for such a large cast. The live orchestra was a welcome addition and never overpowered the actors.

Coral Glades High School ‘shined' in their glowing production and showed the importance of always having a "SMILE".

Morgan Wolfe
JP Taravella HS
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Wardrobe, hair, then makeup. Most important of all, don't forget to smile! Coral Glades High School presents an exciting production of Smile. With a zany group of teenage pageant girls, vibrant costumes and angelic voices, audiences instantly believed they were really watching the Young American Miss Pageant.

Smile, originally a 1975 film, reached Broadway in 1986. The music for Smile was written by the famous Marvin Hamlisch, who was also the composer of A Chorus Line, in addition to many other classics. Though Smile only stayed alive on Broadway for 48 performances, it received Tony and Drama Desk Awards nominations.

Megan Begley and Haley Amann, who portrayed the characters of Robin Gibson and Doria Hudson, created the heart and warmth of the story. In the midst of the craziest of pageants, Robin and Doria find a way to build a real friendship despite starting as competitors. Begley, the story's protagonist and pageant innocent, gave an honest performance and instantly captivated the audience with her sweet voice. She stayed true to her character throughout the entire show. Amann did a terrific job of keeping her southern belle aura, never once dropping her accent. And you could hear a pin drop as she sang the solo "Disneyland" in Act One.

While the contestants are the heart of the story, Sophia Young practically stole the show as Brenda Dicarlo Freelander, the former beauty queen who now runs the pageant. Young's commanding presence made you believe she was twenty years older than the other actors and completely in charge. In fact, when mic issues occurred, it was Young's strong, crisp voice that could always be heard. Don Jeanis also stood out as Brenda's husband, Big Bob Freelander. The two created a very believable relationship.

Two standout comedic actors were Gabi Simon (Maria Gonzalez) and Eli Flynn (Tommy French). Simon played a pageant girl with a thick Hispanic accent who had a strange obsession with avocados. Simon possessed amazing stage presence as well as being one of the strongest dancers in the show. Flynn stole every scene he was in as the flamboyant pageant choreographer. Sassy and memorable, he left the audience laughing in every scene.

Technically, the show was close to flawless with the exception of some sound problems. The costumes added amazing elements to the show, as well as giving the audience an insight into some characters who didn't drive the major plot. The student-created light plot complemented the show well, along with smooth set changes that seemed to happen when the audience wasn't looking.

Smile does just what it sets out to do - it puts a smile on the audience's faces throughout the entire show, even if the contestants aren't always as happy on stage. Kudos to Coral Glades High School, and their first-time director, Sarah Amengual, for bringing the show to life and sharing it with local audiences.

Taylor Barth
JP Taravella HS
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Charisma, talent, and infectious smiles, were only a mere few of the qualities Coral Glades' cast of SMILE displayed in this year's Young American Miss pageant.

With music by Marvin Hamlisch and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, SMILE is a musical based on the 1975 film of the same name. SMILE is a backstage look at the cut-throat competition at the Young American Miss pageant in the 1980's. When the day of the pageant has finally arrived, chaos erupts when someone hacks into the computer and projects scandalous pictures of one the contestants. Though SMILE was a "flop" on Broadway, Coral Glades spread a compelling message and taught that true beauty is not only on the outside.

As an ensemble, the cast performed very well together. Though a few moments of the show were sung off pitch and not in harmony, they were always together in every dance number and had beautiful vocal moments such as in, "Smile."

Robin Gibson, the girl who is still unsure why she signed up for the pageant, was played by Megan Begley. Begley was endearing and had great comedic timing while writing to her mom about how unprepared she was for the pageant. Haley Amann as the southern belle, Doria Hudson, had dynamic character development, vibrant facial expressions, and vivacious energy. During her noteworthy solo, "Disneyland," Amann showcased her broad vocal talent and commitment to her character as she sang her heart out about her pageant fantasy world. Respectfully, Amann and Begley had incredible chemistry together and were very believable instant best friends.

Sophia Young as the previous Young American Miss, Brenda Dicarlo Freelander, took control of every moment on stage with ease and a level of mastery. Young captivated her spectators with her beautiful and crisp vibrato and her elegant mannerisms. Her husband, Big Bob Freelander, depicted by Don Jeanis, spoke feverishly to Brenda about the chaos of the pageant and sang powerful solos. Maria Gonzalez played by Gabi Simon used every comedic quip to her advantage and was a highlight of the show. Not only did she dance gracefully while cooking guacamole for the judges, but she also was consistently engaged and energetic throughout the entirety of the performance; making her a stand out performer.

Tech Wise, the show ran smoothly. Costumes by Haley Amann and company were vibrant with color and the appropriate time period, which added a lot of personality to every character. Publicity by Samantha Gaynor was well executed and very detailed from the cast posting smiling "selfies" certain days of the week, to getting pictures of administration in tiaras and sashes. Having just put the show in the J.P. Taravella High School theatre that week, they overcame every challenge spectacularly.

With fantastic energy among all, Coral Glades truly did "Shine" and overcame all "Nerves" in their heartwarming production of SMILE.

Cameron Maglio
Deerfield Beach High School
Submitted for publication to The Forum

There are two rules in the pageant business: have fun and, most importantly, don't forget to smile. Coral Glades High's "Smile" (music by Marvin Hamlisch and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman) follows a group of typical high school seniors all competing for the California title of Young American Miss, all the while diving into the back stage life of the pageant coordinators.

As the bundle of nerves thrust into the pageant life, Robin Gibson (Megan Begley) successfully portrays the fish out of water, morphing from a stage flop to a pageant finalist. However, it was not her performance in front of the judges that set her apart, but rather the authenticity of love for her mother and newfound friendship with Doria Hudson (Haley Amann). Taking her character a step up from the common southern pageant nut, Amann tugged at the heartstrings with her innocence and compassion. In her solo, "Disneyland," she sings of her childlike dream to go to Disneyland in a vocal journey the equivalent of Splash Mountain; this created a sympathy for the character that showed the deeper side of the pageant life. Competing along with them was the guacamole making Maria Gonzalez (Gabi Simon), bringing a strong element of humor showcased in her talent act of cooking, infused with song and dance. As for the adults, Brenda Dicarlo Freelander (Sophia Young) gave such a realistic performance that it was forgotten the girl playing her was a junior; showing dedication in her poise and voice, Young added the needed mature element to the show.

Smile is a true ensemble show, making it a must for Coral Glade's ensemble of contestants to deliver, and they did not disappoint. They acted as a unit in both dance and voice while also individualizing each of their unique characters. Another minor character with a large impact was the choreographer Tommy French (Eli Flynn), stealing his scenes with his sassy comedic presence. Unfortunately, in the brightest smile there is a crooked tooth, and in Smile it was a lack of energy in some actors. With so many characters stealing their scenes either with comedy or emotion, others faded into the background.

The high tech point of the show was the stage crew, with so many props and costume changes for a cast of twenty, the running crew rarely missed a cue. At times there were noticeable costume malfunctions after quick changes, but this was expected in the dozens of quick changes that took place, and only stood out slightly since all the other changes went on without a hitch.

At the end of the competition, Coral Glade's Smile takes the crown, gown and roses included, even if a heel broke every now and again.