Flowers for Algernon
at Thomas A. Edison High School

Reviewed on November 11, 2016

Shanthi Gnanasekaran
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

In recent times, the term "retarded" has become a strict taboo, and rightfully so, due to its detrimental manner of describing individuals with mental disabilities. But how can a word that was intended to be perceived primarily as a medical term have evolved into the offensive expression it is today? The answer, not easily discovered, is as black and white as an ink blot on a white card. However, one of the main reasons for this derogatory evolution is man's indiscretion toward the mentally disabled throughout history. This indiscretion is tackled by Thomas A. Edison High School's production of Flowers for Algernon.

The full-length play, Flowers for Algernon, by David Rogers, is based on a novel of the same name, written by Daniel Keyes. The story takes place in the 1960s, and describes Charlie Gordon's experience as the first human subject in an experimental operation to improve mental capacity. Though scientists had exceptional success in completing the experiment on a rat named Algernon, the human test called for considerable risk. The procedure goes well beyond expectations, and Charlie's intellect begins to rapidly exceed the levels of intelligence in a normal human. However, consequence overrules benefit, and both Algernon and Charlie must learn to accept that having a high IQ does not garner the most happiness and success in life.

In a stark transition from a mentally disabled man with an IQ of 68 to an incredibly astute figure in society, Nicholas Riehle portrayed Charlie Gordon with the utmost of precision and finesse. Riehle artfully performed Charlie's transition, gradually changing his vocal style and mannerisms to fit the intelligence Charlie experienced during the show. Riehle flawlessly executed the portrayal of Charlie's mentally disabled phase, respectfully constructing a lovable, naïve, playful character that captured the hearts of the audience for the entire show. Also notable were the performances of Maggie Landis as Mrs. Mooney and Kyle Pinkney as Teen-Age Charlie. With a sweet Southern twang and an amusing busybody attitude, Landis truly brought forth the warm hospitality characterized by the South, and brought a sense of comic relief to the plot as Charlie's motherly landlord. Pinkney brought a powerful presence to the stage, as although he did not utter a single line, his physicality and aura truly embodied the grief of Charlie's past.

With an incredibly detailed array of props, including a real rat to portray Algernon, the technical aspect of the show was brilliant, with appropriate aging makeup, flawless scene transitions, and original music compositions. Although there were some sound issues, the overall effects of the show were truly brilliant.

Thomas A. Edison High School's production of Flowers for Algernon was a breathtaking portrayal of a man's journey to discovering the true meaning of life.

Kevin McNerney
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

With haunting melodies, disturbing flashbacks, and ghostly silhouettes, Thomas A. Edison High School presents the harsh realities of life with a mental disability in a unusually moving production of Flowers for Algernon.

Based on the Daniel Keyes novel, Flowers for Algernon is a play by David Rogers that chronicles the life of the mentally disabled Charlie Gordon. Charlie volunteers to be part of an experiment to increase his intelligence, and he soon experiences dramatic intellectual growth. With this increase in intelligence, however, Charlie soon realizes that many people around him treat him badly, and that he is virtually alone in the world. When Algernon, a rat who underwent the same intelligence procedure as Charlie, regresses back to his original intelligence level and subsequently dies, Charlie realizes that effects of the surgery are only temporary. Thomas A. Edison High School admirably tackled this difficult show.

Edison High School's Flowers for Algernon created a distinct mood from the beginning. With student-composed music, indistinct silhouettes, and living mice, this production was unique and effective. The emotional instability of the characters was evident throughout, and a constant theme of loneliness permeated the entire performance.

Nicholas Riehle (Charlie Gordon) took a particularly challenging role and executed it brilliantly. Displaying a full range of emotions, Riehle evoked sympathy for the misunderstood Charlie. In a role that lends itself to inconsistency, Riehle maintained accurate physicality and voice throughout his performance.

Madison Sterner's (Alice Kinnian) nurturing presence was a nice compliment to Riehle's emotional instability. Her honest, loving nature offered a much-needed reprieve from the darker aspects of the show. Kyle Pinkney (Teen-Age Charlie) gave a strong performance for what little stage time he had. His physicality and portrayal of pain caused the audience to visibly shudder out of sympathy. Maggie Landis (Mrs. Mooney) established herself as perhaps the only comic relief when she first came bustling into Charlie's apartment. From that moment on, her accent and mannerisms kept the audience entertained and engaged. The scientists (Timothy Etter, Max Bertman, and David Leavitt) worked well as a cohesive unit, building off each other's energy and creating an engaging atmosphere. While the range of emotions for some actors was limited and accents were inconsistent at times, overall, actors maintained high energy throughout.

Use of flashbacks and a student-composed version of Three Blind Mice, created a powerful effect, and allowed the audience to see how much Charlie was being affected by his past. Precise lighting and a unique stage set-up helped speed up many transitions. While there were occasional problems with lighting, the number of light cues and amount of precision that must have been needed more than made up for this issue.

Flowers for Algernon is an intensely difficult show, but Thomas A. Edison was up to the task, and delivered a strong performance.

Jess Scarano
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

A fundamental question in every society is how to help those who struggle with mental disabilities. Charlie Gordon lives happily in a world of blissful ignorance until his life is altered by a team of fame-seeking scientists. Charlie and a small lab mouse named Algernon become unwitting subjects in the struggle between advancement and acceptance. The consequences of experimental brain surgery are explored in Thomas Edison High School's powerful production of Flowers for Algernon.

The tale of the man and the mouse began in 1958 as a short story by Daniel Keyes. The piece was first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction where it won the Hugo Award for best short story. In 1969, David Rogers adapted Flowers for Algernon into a stage play, which soon became popular in both high school and professional theatres alike. The play begins with a single decision: a decision to operate on Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68. Once Charlie undergoes the operation, his intelligence, relationships, and emotions change dramatically in response to his growing mental capacities.

Transforming from simple worker to pure genius, Nicholas Riehle stepped into the role of Charlie Gordon with respect and attentiveness. At the beginning of the play, Riehle embraced his character with a large smile, capturing the innocence of Charlie with clear facial expressions and awkward gestures. Post surgery, Riehle radically changed his behavior by altering his voice, mannerisms, and emotions. As Charlie pursues his new path after the psychosurgery, he finds himself falling for his teacher, Alice Kinnian (Madison Sterner). Sterner and Riehle's relationship evolved as the story unfolded, with both actors doing an excellent job of displaying a range of human emotion that included both joy and pain.

As the endearing Burt Seldon, one of the scientists experimenting on Charlie, David Leavitt demonstrated a fantastic character arc during the play and revealed the negative effects of pride on human nature. Another clear standout was Kyle Pinkney in the role of Teen-Age Charlie. Although Pinkney only had a few lines, he portrayed the emotion and importance of his character through his haunting stage presence. Other standouts included Maggie Landis in the amiable role of Mrs. Mooney the landlady and Alayna Theunissen as Charlie's harsh mother.

One unique technical element utilized throughout the show was the use of silhouettes to convey Charlie's memory sequences. Beautifully captured by these shadow screens were dancers (Jenny Roegner and Emily Yankovich), fluidly moving to fill the space and illustrate the mood and context of Charlie's thoughts. Another superb technical area was props. Each piece of furniture was carefully selected to comply with the time period, and the attention to detail was magnificent from the delectable bread lining the bakery shelves to the dust flying up from a sheet being pulled off an old couch. Although there were some minor problems with the microphones, overall the actors did a wonderful job of keeping up the pacing of the show.

Flowers for Algernon includes sensitive material, but the cast met that challenge with poise and maturity. Thomas Edison High School's production thoughtfully examined the alluring attraction, and dreadful consequences, of extreme treatments for the mentally disabled.

Ruby Tippl
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

"I don't know what's worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you've always wanted to be, and feel alone." Thomas A. Edison delved into this and many other themes in their heart-wrenching production of Flowers for Algernon as they asked their audience a fundamental question- What happens to the self when the mind changes?


Flowers for Algernon was originally written as a science fiction short story and subsequent novel by Daniel Keyes in 1959. After great critical acclaim, Flowers for Algernon was adapted into a screenplay in 1968, for which Cliff Robertson won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Charlie Gordon. The show was adapted for stage in 1969 by David Rogers. Flowers for Algernon has cemented itself as a twentieth century classic, exploring themes of how intellect effects happiness, and how society treats the mentally ill. The story follows a 32 year old mentally disabled man, Charlie Gordon, as he undergoes an experimental surgery that is intended to drastically increase his intelligence. As his IQ increases, Charlie examines how one's intelligence affects one's happiness and the strength of friendship and unconditional love.


At the helm of the show was Nicholas Riehle as Charlie Gordon, who moved the audience as he masterfully captured the drastic changes his character undergoes. Riehle explored the themes of the show as he portrayed his Charlie's rise to genius and his descent back to an IQ of 68 with passion and empathy. Onstage almost the entire show, Riehle guided the audience through the complex emotional and mental changes his character undergoes with striking physicality and great tact.


Timothy Etter, Max Bertman, and David Leavitt gelled incredibly as Dr Strauss, Professor Nemur, and Burt Seldon; the team of researchers who run the experiment that results in Charlie's exponential intelligence. Throughout the show, these characters served as reflections to society in how the treat Charlie, and the actors playing them tackled these mature themes with grace. One of the hardest tasks for a young actor is to portray an older person, but the trio utilized vocalization and physicalization to age themselves effectively. Madison Sterner's chemistry with Riehle as Alice Kinnian was touching, and evoked heart wrenching emotion as she delivered authenticity and empathy as she struggled to love a man who was slowly deteriorating.


Despite some technical hiccups, the lighting and sound design greatly added to the mood of the show. A large screen stood in the middle of the minimalistic set that projected lights and shadows of Charlie's memories during pivotal scenes. All of the sound cues were perfectly timed, never taking the audience out of the world of the show. Student done musical composition by Tan Bui and Bryan Ruthrauff was expertly executed, and heightened the intensity of significant moments, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats.


Throughout the duration of the two hour show, Thomas A. Edison made the audience examine their lives from the perspective of Charlie Gordon, and they discovered that no matter his intellect, he has something to teach us all.

Syona Ayyankeril
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

What if you were offered the chance to realize an impossible dream – but only at the price of changing who you are? Is the opportunity to overcome personal limitations worth the risk of losing yourself in the process? Thomas A. Edison High School explores this dilemma in its thoughtful production of "Flowers for Algernon".

Written by Daniel Keyes in 1958, "Flowers for Algernon" was first published as a short story, then as a novel, and later adapted into a full-length play by David Rogers. The story centers around Charlie Gordon, a 32-year-old mentally handicapped man who has wanted nothing more in his life than to become smart. When invited to partake in a medical experiment and undergo brain surgery to eliminate his intellectual disability, Charlie eagerly jumps at the opportunity. But, the outcome is that he must learn to cope with a new understanding of the world and a changing awareness of those around him.

Nicholas Riehle led the show in the role of Charlie and displayed great versatility, admirably developing his character's progression from disabled to genius. While capturing everything from endearing innocence to fearful confusion and arrogant superiority, Riehle maintained consistent mannerisms that provided cohesion to the character's ever-changing intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities. In addition, he worked well with cast mates to develop complex relationships with other characters, such as Alice Kinnian (Madison Sterner), with whom he shared a sweet and genuine chemistry that only grew as the story progressed.

Timothy Etter, Max Bertman, and David Leavitt shone as the trio of scientists at the heart of the medical experiment that leads to Charlie's transformation. Their combined presence, timing, and range contributed to a wonderful dynamic between the three actors that was well paced and compelling. Another standout in the cast was Kyle Pinkney, whose performance as Teen-Age Charlie was wonderfully captivating despite being entirely silent.

A particularly creative aspect of the show was the inclusion of choreography silhouetted behind a large screen, which touchingly portrayed emotional experiences and memories that Charlie's mind could not quite articulate clearly. Additionally, the minimalist set was simple but very effective, and was enhanced by impressive props, such as a live lab rat and highly detailed set dressings that even included dust on the furniture.

In addition to executing an engaging show, the cast and crew of Thomas Edison's "Flowers for Algernon" also managed to poignantly address relevant moral and ethical themes surrounding the treatment of the disabled, offering insight into the minds of those whom society may not always accept or understand.

Diana Witt
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

"Who's to say that my light is better than your darkness?" questions Charlie Gordon, after a life-altering operation leaves him with an IQ of 185 and a myriad of emotional scars. Through his journey, Charlie discovers the truth about the value of intelligence. The cast and crew at Thomas Edison High School eloquently delved into the deep themes of Flowers for Algernon in their poignantly thoughtful production.

Flowers for Algernon is a play based off of a science fiction novel of the same title, written by Daniel Keyes. The novel was first released as a short story in 1958 and due to its popularity, was released as a full book in 1966. David Rogers then adapted the novel into a play in 1969.

When scientific findings discover a new, revolutionary operation that could increase intelligence, a mentally disabled man named Charlie Gordon seizes the opportunity to be the first man to receive the surgery. The only catch - the operation has only ever been performed on a mouse. But, with the help of the scientists and his teacher, Alice Kinnian, Charlie's intelligence skyrockets. While Charlie discovers the intellectual concepts the world has to offer, he also discovers the emotional depths of his mind.

Nicholas Riehle respectfully yet accurately conquered the difficult role of Charlie Gordon. Nicholas Riehle demonstrated the transitions in Charlie's intelligence, with distinct physicality and vocal qualities. At the beginning of the play, he exuded the childlike innocence of Charlie and later transformed into a bitter genius. His compelling portrayal represented the arc in Charlie's character. Riehle exhibited the complex relationship between Charlie and his teacher Alice, played by Madison Sterner. Sterner exposed the raw emotions of the caring Alice, as she worries over his well-being.

Charlie's doctors, the scientists, were portrayed by Timothy Etter, Max Bertman, and David Leavitt. The trio of men showed a range of attitudes towards the experiment. Timothy Etter played the concerned and sensitive Dr. Strauss, while Bertman embodied Professor Nemur, the established scholar with a hunger for success. Leavitt portrayed Burt Seldon, the naïve grad student who uncovers the sensitivity of Charlie's situation through the mundane tasks of the experiment. The cast was rounded out by a few light-hearted characters, most notably Charlie's landlady, Mrs. Mooney, played by Maggie Landis. Landis equipped herself with a convincing vocal tone and infectious charm.

A minimalist set decorated the scene with a just a few delicate pieces. A bakery case with real bread and realistically adorable pink cakes contrasted with the table and equipment in the lab. The set featured a large central translucent screen utilized to show silhouettes as the light was cast upon them. The silhouettes created vignettes throughout the story that depicted memories from Charlie's dark childhood. Effective choreography and staging revealed only what Charlie could remember- shadows of his past. The evolution in the costumes highlighted the shift in Charlie's life, adorning him with a vibrant baseball cap in the beginning of the play and later transitioning him to a tan suit.

In Flowers for Algernon, one simple mouse changes a man's life forever. The committed cast and crew at Thomas Edison High School imprinted the audience with important messages about human decency and emotion. Touching themes and heartfelt moments colored the stage in their beautiful production.

Anna Krelovich
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

"I want to be smart!" Charlie exclaims at the beginning of Thomas Edison's production of Flowers for Algernon. Following his journey to intelligence, the show explores moments of harrowing trauma and heartfelt emotion. Exhibiting the benefits and detriments of modern medicine, Thomas Edison High School gives a thoughtful and considerate take on the classic play.

Adapted for the stage by David Rogers, Flowers for Algernon is based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Keyes. Along with the stage play, which premiered in 1969, the tale has also been adapted into a musical, a movie, and countless television versions across the world.

Flowers for Algernon follows Charlie Gordon, a 32-year-old man with a mental disability, as he undergoes an experimental operation allowing his IQ to skyrocket from 68 to 185 in the span of 4 months. After three scientists discover this surgery, Charlie slowly evolves not only intellectually but emotionally, as a romance blossoms between him and his teacher Alice Kinnian. Alas, surpassing the scientists mentally, he hypothesizes he will soon revert back to his initial state, and slowly devolves back into the person he once was.

Portraying Charlie Gordon, Nicholas Riehle was tasked with an astonishingly difficult role. Revealing Charlie's evolution dutifully, Riehle impressively transitioned from a level of child-like innocence to the sophistication of a genius and back again. Along with the strength of his time on stage alone, Riehle also had undoubtedly true chemistry with Alice, played by Madison Sterner. Sterner and Riehle gave a heart touching performance of their unlikely and ill-fated romance. Providing much needed comedic relief to the extraordinarily heavy plot was Charlie's landlord Mrs. Mooney, played by Maggie Landis. Landis broke up the more emotional points of the show with an oblivious, lighthearted presence.

The minimalistic set allowed for all the focus to be put on the actors. With a screen at the back of the stage showcasing shadows of Charlie's past, the set allowed for the story to shine. The costumes aided in exhibiting the transformation of Charlie, slowly donning more sophisticated attire as his intellect increases. Starting the show in a pale yellow sweater and colorful baseball cap, he gradually changes into a tan suit with a vibrant red tie before the audience's eyes.

With raw emotion, drama, and mice, the venerable determination put forth by the cast led to a respectable execution of an unbelievably difficult task. Thomas Edison High School's production of Flowers for Algernon left the audience contemplative of life, joy, and love in a commendable manner.