Our Town
at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Reviewed on October 26, 2016

Jackson Maxwell
Mission Viejo High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Santa Margarita's ‘Our Town' is sensational
written by Jackson Maxwell, a senior at Mission Viejo High School

Santa Margarita Catholic High School captivates in its production of Thornton Wilder's ‘Our Town," following a group of typical townspeople through youth, marriage, and, ultimately, death.

Central to the show both physically and figuratively is Sabrina Boyd as Stage Manager, whose leisurely yet effective pacing sets the tempo for the performers at a comfortable andante. When other actors take the stage, Boyd fades into the background, enhancing the scene with wry smiles and scattered chuckles.

Scurrying onstage with juvenile jubilance, Griffin Webb and Lauren McNair are lovely as George Gibbs and Emily Webb. During the first "Act," they embody the lovestruck naiveté of adolescence, combining smitten smirks with a distinctively immature inflection. Despite Griffin Webb's burly build, his amusingly small demeanor allows McNair to contrast with her commanding, clever personality. Webb's awkward charm is especially evident during his encounter with Mr. Webb (Dylan Field) before his and Emily's wedding, in which Field's protective irritability complements Webb's futile attempts at leaving a positive impression.

Throughout the course of the play, however, the couple matures, with a more confident posture, a greater stage presence, and a cautious optimism for the future. Yet, they nonetheless manage to maintain their childish love for one another, an affection that turns to grief after Emily Webb's sudden death.

Even so, the most memorable performance would have to be Drew Schlingman as Professor Willard, whose crouched waddle and enthralling enthusiasm for history provide welcome comic relief. When scampering onstage, Schlingman greets, shakes hands, and interacts with individual audience members, breaking the fourth wall in a most endearing manner.

This theatrical talent, however, is complemented by delightful technical design. Matching the tone of the LED fresnels with the time of day, Cameron Farmer and Emma Polonsky's lighting transitions from dawn to dusk, adding authenticity to the setting and illuminating the minimal, "black box" set. Meanwhile, Leighton Holritz's constructivist set design transforms ladders into second-story windows and tables and chairs into homes. This minimalist style brings the focus onto the performers, highlighting their characters while allowing the actors to move about the stage freely.

Combining poignant performances with innovative design, Santa Margarita's "Our Town" proves to be as heartwarming as it is impressive, journeying through life and death, love and loss, all in under three hours.

Cassidy McCleary
San Clemente High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Santa Margarita brings ‘Our Town' to life
written by Cassidy McCleary, a senior at San Clemente High School

Santa Margarita's stunning rendition of the classic, "Our Town", explores themes of life, death, and love in a small New Hampshire town, as the residents of Grover's Corners live out their simple lives.

Taking the story in hand is the Stage Manager, played by Sabrina Boyd. Her measured recitation of the narration with masterful pacing steered the story along, as she engaged with the audience or quietly presided over the small town of Grover's Corners. Her consistent New England dialect created a realism that keeps the show grounded in early 1900's New Hampshire.

Lauren McNair is an earnest and effervescent Emily. She effortlessly portrays Emily's growth from girl to woman with a youthful soprano and child-like elbows and knees that shift later to a more stately posture as she nears the end of her time on earth. Her petite stature belies her dominant force in her relationship with George, Griffin Webb. Webb contrasts his large physical presence with a gentle humility that foils Emily's determination to bring him to task when they discover their mutual affection for each other.

Bringing a comedic flair to the play, Drew Schlingman shines as Professor Willard. He creates hilarity as he waddles on stage directly greeting audience members with a jocular air and settles into a crouch to field questions about the setting of the story. His air of manic enthusiasm for mundane facts never ceases, garnering rapt focus in his short cameo.

Supporting the superb acting is the array of well-executed technical elements. The simplistic set design, by Leighton Holritz, allows the actors to shine. The color palette of black and white, and outlined buildings on the walls bring focus to the stark acting choices and purposeful movements on the stage.

Faith Quigley's hair and makeup designs seamlessly age the characters in the show. The realistic wrinkles on the older characters deepen with time, and the paled out faces of the dead souls emphasize the divide between the living and deceased. Hairstyles mature as well, as Emily starts with a loose half-up style and ends with a tight updo to mirror her age progression.

Santa Margarita's heart-wrenching production proves that life is to be treasured, a message fitting for all listeners.

Bianca Beach
Mission Viejo High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Santa Margarita's "Our Town" captivates audiences
written by Bianca Beach, a senior at Mission Viejo High School

What happens to those who let life go by without noticing it? The answer lies in Santa Margarita's inspiring production of "Our Town," by Thornton Wilder, teaching audiences to cherish every moment on Earth, because it is fleeting.

Sabrina Boyd plays the character of Stage Manager, the lesson-filled narrator of the story. Consistent with her accurate New Hampshire accent, she stays in character throughout the show and emits a strong presence, walking around the stage comfortably, showing she is in control of the task of telling the story of Grover's Corners.

Lauren McNair plays Emily Webb, initially a naïve, love-struck teenager, then her twelve years later. McNair shows the time change quite well physically and vocally, transitioning from a just barely whiney voice to a more mature one as the years go by. She also changes her demeanor well, standing up straighter and overall carrying herself better as her character matures.

Hannah Baker takes on the role of Mrs. Gibbs, an average hard-working, concerned mother that was commonly found in the early 19oo's. Baker alters her voice masterfully, sounding much older than she is by lowering her pitch, which matches well with her scornful look she often gives her husband and children. Additionally, she pantomimes making breakfast extremely well, showing true signs of careful rehearsal.

The makeup design in this show is done by Faith Quigley. She does a wonderful job, taking great care to design the older men's facial hair with gray streaks, or sometimes gray altogether. Also, during the graveyard scene, additional makeup is applied to the characters that had died, revealing them as ghostly and no longer part of living society.

Publicity is done by Kianna Rezaei and Claire Griffin, and together the two made an impressive poster, featuring a blue hombre to represent not only the three acts but the transformation from life to death. This theme is also embodied in the handless clock, which creatively doubles as the "o" in "Our Town."

Santa Margarita delivers the important message to not underappreciate life in their inspiring production of "Our Town."