A Heart Divided
at Western High School

Reviewed on February 19, 2016

Isabel Hidalgo
Cooper City High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Soft, sweet, singing voices full of hope and patriotism in the darkness of a silent theater are the first things that are heard in Western High School's production of the play, "A Heart Divided." A moment later, a gunshot rings out, and every actor's face contorts into a look of horror at the tragedy only those on stage seem to be able to see. Thus begins a show outlining the lives and opinions of those people who live in the small Tennessee town of Redford.

"A Heart Divided" takes place in the present day, when Kate Pride, the lead character, and her family have moved from the NYC suburbs to Redford. At once, Kate is shocked by the way the Confederate flags flies everywhere around the town, including at her own new high school, where the rebel flag is both the school symbol and the football team's name. Her attention is caught by a petition to change the school's mascot, but not before she meets an attractive boy that is almost a physical representation of Redford; Jackson Redford III.

Throughout Western High School's production, many actors and the roles they played shone under the spotlight. Kate Pride, played by Veronica Lempicki, was consistent in her role, reacting genuinely to every action in the play. Several supporting characters, for example, Anne Augustus, played by Milagros Cots, and Nikki Roberts, played by Elan Lewis--were strong in both action and vocal projection throughout the play. Portia Pride, played by Micaela Mercado, played her part with the humor and awkwardness that her role called for, and did so in a way that was authentic and a pleasure to watch.

The Singers, played by Kyra Mejia and Brian Inerfeld, added an intense emotional connection to the play. Their clear, controlled vocals gave the production a patriotic sentiment that could be easily related to and reminded those watching that the conflict of the Confederate flag within the play was real and still ongoing.

Near the end of the play, Kate Pride stands alone in the center of the stage, looking out onto the audience that has heard her heart-wrenching story. With gentle sadness in her voice, she delivers the lines that best summarize this production: "I've been thinking about a heart divided — how the heart of Redford was so divided by a flag from a war that ended seven generations ago. The funny thing is, I think it's okay. It's the people who only want one opinion — their opinion — who we have to worry about."

Carmen Horn
North Broward Preparatory School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Western High School's production of a Heart Divided explores whether Lincoln's famous words hold true for a town.

"A Heart Divided" by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld tells the story of the controversy surrounding the confederate flag in a small southern town. In Redford, Tennessee, the confederate flag is a symbol of honor, of tradition, and the school's emblem. Told almost exclusively through soliloquies directed toward the audience, this show follows a young playwright, Kate, who moves to Redford from New Jersey and quickly takes the side of the students fighting for a mascot change. When she falls in love with Jackson Redford III, descendent of the town's founder, she learns some important lessons about how the past can shape the present.

Veronica Lempicki played Kate Pride, the primary narrator of the show who emphasized the more liberal view toward the flag. She remained consistent and high energy throughout the production, delivering her lines with emotion and variation. Alongside her was Bruno Enciso, who played the conservative Jackson Redford III, and whose intention and commitment was present.

Kate's younger sister, Portia, played by Micaela Mercado, added a comedic, more lighthearted touch to the production. Her stories were filled with humor and were immensely relatable. She was one of the most believable and genuine characters on the stage. The most intense member of the ensemble was Reverend Roberts, played by Austin Le-Forrester. His speeches added history and background to the story, and kept it grounded in its intent. Another notable performance came from Daniela Cardenez, who played Sara, Jackson's Ex Girlfriend. Her accent was one of the most consistent in the show, and she was able to transition from cheerleading mean girl to sweet southern belle without any trouble.

The costumes of the show set the tone of the show instantly, with the entire cast clad in red, white and blue, the colors of the American (as well as Confederate) flag. The cast worked well together, even without much direct interpersonal interaction, and was able to overcome any technical difficulties they encountered, presenting a well put together show.

In "A Heart Divided", Western High School's cast and crew were able to tell a story of separation with remarkable unity.

Michael Valladares
Cypress Bay High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Western High School's production of "A Heart Divided" brings an incredibly relevant story of clashing cultures to life on the stage. Through a play that emphasizes family values and regional differences, Western exposes new perspectives on an incredibly controversial subject.

"A Heart Divided" tells the story of Kate Pride, a liberal-minded girl from New Jersey, who moves to the southern town of Redford Tennessee. While initially reluctant to accept her country-lovin' culture, she begins to appreciate her new home when she meets Jackson Redford III, a descendant of the town's namesake. As their relationship blossoms, a petition to replace the local high school's Confederate flag insignia gains Kate's support--and soon Kate and Jack's families are pitted against each other over the meaning of this poignant symbol.

"A Heart Divided" is not a traditional play as it is presented in a presentational style. Rather than engaging in dialogue to advance the narrative, the actors directly address the audience. This reduces the onstage action, but allows the play to become a debate, which allows the audience to be a judge.

Leading the show is Veronica Lempicki as Kate Pride. Lempicki characterized the shy "new girl," which lead to believable and consistent storytelling. Opposite her is Bruno Enciso, playing Jackson Redford. Enciso maintained phenomenal consistency with his southern accent and embodied the Southern boy through his relationship with Lempicki. From Kate's family are Micaela Mercado as Portia Pride, Kate's sister, and Isabella Cring as Jensen Pride, Kate's mother. Mercado played the self-proclaimed "weird girl." She embodied the quirky personality of Portia, and her comedic timing was excellent. Mercado manages to get laughs with simple, understated jokes. Cring was an excellent mother as well, being equal parts: protective and friendly. Cring proved a stark contrast to Jackson's mother, Sally Redford, played by Brooke Stanish. Stanish was extremely believable and an almost toxic person, which was perfect for the role. Lucy and Nikki Roberts, sisters who were leading the petition against the flag, often had moments that were extremely powerful. Played by Kayla McCall and Elan Lewis, respectively, McCall was able to deliver monologues with a poetic feel that fit with the heavy racial themes of the show. Lewis was understated and realistic, and a boon to the cast. While some actors were disconnected from each other, and interpreted the play differently, Western nonetheless has a powerful cast.

Western's lighting design, lead by Melody Zapata, was excellent, though it appeared as though actors had to wait for lights occasionally. There were sound issues at times, and, though the projecting of sets onto the stage produced a cool effect, the execution of the projector was not consistent in working.

Western took a risk with such a heavy play, but it was worth it. To shed light on both sides of an issue that envelops the nation still today is not easy. And to play it with an even-handed viewpoint is even harder. Western left audiences with a real question about what does it mean to be American?

Paige Slowinski
South Plantation High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

If you're looking for a play with teen angst, forbidden love, conflict and death, then "A Heart Divided" is the show for you. It was recently performed by Western High School, which did an amazing job capturing the characters' true feelings and emotions.

"A Heart Divided", written as a novel by Jeff Gottesfeld and Cherie Bennett, is the story of a liberal-minded girl named Kate, played by Veronica Lempicki, who lives happily with her family in New Jersey and aspires to be a professional playwright someday. All is well until Kate's father gets offered a job in Redford, Tennessee, a small town with deep southern roots. When Kate starts going to her new school, she is appalled to discover that the school symbol is the confederate flag. However, she soon meets Jackson Redford, played by Bruno Enciso, a third generation good ole boy who is as southern as they get. As they sort through their differences, they fall in love and work together to change the controversial insignia.

Overall, the production had a few flaws, but the entire cast came together to put on a quality show. The actors made a point to highlight both comical and serious areas when necessary, and stayed in full character the entire time. Everyone exhibited high energy and kept the audience on the edge of their seat to find out what would happen next.

The leads in this show were very strong in their physicality while establishing the mood and vibe for the entire show. Lempicki, who was a narrator of sorts throughout the play, did a superb job of keeping scenes from dragging by conveying her every emotion in a believable way. The same can also be said of Enciso, who played the role as a dominant character with a spot-on southern accent.

The supporting cast showed strong commitment and enthusiasm in the portrayal their characters. Special praise goes to Brooke Stanish, who played Sally Redford, the strict southern mother of Jackson, and Santiago Zornosa, who played the antagonistic redneck Jared Boose. Both of these characters shone in their roles and brought a sense of professional realism with them on stage.

The director's choice of minimal tech categories made for a more natural presentation, which made the audience to feel that they were one with the actors. However, the frequent blackouts and the accidental talking from backstage heard through the microphones were slightly distracting. Even so, the use of the screen center stage was very creative and brought a good visual element when a character was describing a setting.

All in all, "A Heart Divided" is a difficult and emotional show, but Western proved that this feat was not out of their reach. The entire cast and crew is commended for their triumph on this engaging production.

Nick Lopez
Cypress Bay High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Western High dipped its toes in some rather controversial waters with their production of A HEART DIVIDED, a piece which debates the role of the Confederate flag in the American culture. The choice was bold, but the show did more than just rely on the sensitive subject of the source material; it tugged at the heartstrings by examining a how a community struggles to reconcile common passions tainted in red, white, and blue with a past stained in haunting black-and-white.

A HEART DIVIDED is structured in a presentational style, with characters delivering most of their lines directly towards to the audience and operating within an absence of substantial dialogue. It follows the story of a teenage girl named Kate who moves from New Jersey to a small town Tennessee. She soon takes issue with the school's use of the Confederate flag as an insignia, but simultaneously develops an affection for a boy with deeply-rooted ancestral ties to the town's culture and heritage.

Veronica Lempicki led a large cast as Kate with a natural performance that often complemented Bruno Enciso's passionate portrayal of Jackson Redford III, Kate's love interest. Micaela Mercado, playing Kate's younger sister, Portia, gave the most committed performance of the production. She brightened the stage with radiance and energy through every line, gesture, and movement. Unlike some actors, who experienced difficulty in finding different levels of expression, Portia created a well-rounded character capable of quirkiness, humor, and poignant emotion in a memorable, yet nuanced performance.

A supporting cast overcame recurring issues with pacing and chemistry by creating a variety of personalities and archetypes that powerfully developed the idea of a communal identity. Austin Le-Forrester gave the most impressive transformation as Reverend Roberts, an African-American leader in the town of Redford; although some performers struggled with portal their adult characters and delivering consistent accents. Reverend Roberts exuded a credible air of authority and mastered the execution of an authentic Southern accent. Actors who similarly delivered solid emotional performances include Elan Lewis as Nikki Roberts, a girl who initiates the movement against the Confederate flag at the school, as well as Kayla McCall as Lucy, another student involved in this campaign.

The set design and the majority of visual elements of the show were approached with minimalism to put emphasis on the performances, but a series of projected videos which gave glimpses of events and settings discussed by the characters added a visual balance to the production. The lightning was consistent with the play's aesthetics thanks to a simplistic yet functional design, although some actors struggled to keep up with black-out-heavy lighting cues.

A difficult subject matter didn't prevent Western High School from delivering a commendable performance of A HEART DIVIDED. The cast portrayed the material with maturity thus doing justice to a highly relevant story that holds great social and emotional significance.

Emily Wen
Cypress Bay High School
Submitted for publication to The Forum

Welcome to a world filled with grits, country music, and controversy. "A Heart Divided" is unquestionably relevant as it delves into the debate over the Confederate flag's role as a historic symbol of patriotism, or the insignia of racism. The deep south comes to life in Western High School's production of "A Heart Divided" by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. The play focuses on Kate Pride, a liberal-minded teenager, who moves from the suburbs of New York City to the small town of Redford, Tennessee. Here she learns to follow her heart despite her "divided" town.

Very committed actors animated the stage. Brooke Stanish embodied the role of Sally Redford, the quintessential, aristocratic, southern mother. Her commitment to an antagonistic character made the conflict between her and her maturing son that much more realistic. Caitlyn Castiglione's audacious and comical choices brought depth to the role of Principal McSorley. Bruno Enciso's attempt to create a bond with his co-star was noteworthy as he put life into the dynamic character of Jackson Redford III.

The director's stylistic choice of weaving patriotic songs into the play beautifully emphasized the question, what it patriotism?

The choice of this play was daring. The play is filled with profound arguments that are frequently glanced over. However, Lucy Roberts and Nikki Roberts, played by Kayla McCall and Elan Lewis, respectively, enunciated and utilized their speech pattern to imbue importance to what they proclaimed. Their passion for the topic was not just heard, but felt.

The cast's use of satire and hilarity lightened up the mood, although some humorous moments were lost. However, Micaela Mercado, playing the role of Portia Pride, used her comedic timing to enliven the story and fundamentally made the climax that much more impactful. Her characterization possessed a depth that was tangible. The innocence and genuine emotions were adored and relished. Her character's quirky attributes made the audience laugh and her near death virtually pulled our heartstrings!

Some costumes didn't quite represent the time period or their characters. However, actors such as Milagros Cots used their physicalities as the old librarian Anne Augustus to add to the reality of this southern town.

Although transitions between light cues were slow, the sparing uses of light were enhanced by splashes of subdued red during the climactic scenes, thus dramatically building suspense and foreshadowing disaster.

"A Heart Divided" is a testament to the diverse fabric that makes up America's people, history, and flag. Western High School should not just be applauded for their commitment to the play, but also to mending the heart of America!