Out of the Frying Pan
at Interboro High School

Reviewed on December 1, 2017

Trinity Pike
Upper Merion Area High School
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 1

Three women. Three men. One apartment. Murder. These ingredients are a recipe for disaster. In Out of the Frying Pan, Interboro High School skillfully combined them all with hilarious consequences.

The 1941 comedy by Francis Swann showcases the struggles of young actors striving to succeed in the entertainment industry. Since fierce competition prevents them from landing jobs, six prospective performers share one brownstone. As they attend countless auditions, toil through low-paying jobs, and spy on the producer downstairs through a hole in the floor, the roommates develop a compelling friendship. When they stage a murder for the Broadway executive, everything goes haywire.

Together, Interboro's ensemble crafted a convincing camaraderie. Buzzing with energy, the actors humorously portrayed the lively atmosphere of a shared apartment. Frantically scurrying to hide evidence and motioning secretly to each other in the background, the versatile group added details to each scene, even if they were not the main focus. Simple but well-executed, technical aspects effectively framed the story.

Daniel Previti (Norman Reese) excellently characterized the hard-working, hopeful head of the household. Expressing his perspective from head to toe, he balanced casual charm with solemn sincerity. Eliciting this emotional depth was love interest Aryonna Orth (Dottie Coburn), the group's oblivious airhead. Orth conveyed naiveté with humor and nuance. The smart, strong duo of Malin DiGuglielmo and Bailey Collington (Marge Benson and Kate Ault) boldly conveyed their opinions with great body language. The gruff demeanor of Wyatt McDevitt (George Bodell) and youthful optimism of Ryan McGinley (Tony Dennison) made the bunch even more eclectic and entertaining.

The elderly landlady, Rachel Suga (Mrs. Garnet), stood out with her over-the-top acting and unique character voice, eliciting laughs as she extraordinarily misunderstood almost every situation. Unfortunately victim to her shameless flirtation, producer Amir Herradi (Arthur Kenny), was also a standout. The aloof executive naturally transitioned from sardonic to sympathetic. Dottie's friend, Franchesca Parker (Muriel Foster) surprised many with her physical acting. Intoxicated, she realistically stumbled across the stage. Overall, comedic timing was excellent, though some jokes were lost due to poor delivery. But as the play carried on, the actors relaxed and improved their performance, letting their chemistry shine.

Adding even more details to the cast's characterization, Interboro Hair and Makeup Crew gave each of the actors their own distinctive look. From Kate's bold lip to Dottie's natural makeup to Garnett's bright blue eyeshadow, appearances matched each individual's charm. Courtney Floyd, Gharrett Marr, and Company swiftly set the stage for each scene. The Interboro Sound Crew timed mics just as gracefully. While lighting changes were minimal, Interboro, EnLIGHTened executed them with poise.

The play may have been "Mostly Murder," but the cast and crew brought much more to the table. Interboro High School's production of Out of the Frying Pan was a captivating comedy.

Juliana Denick
Upper Merion Area High School
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 2

The cast and crew of Interboro High School's recent performance of Out of The Frying Pan was on fire!

The show revolves around six aspiring actors, who live together in New York City in the 1940s. They live above a big-name Broadway producer, and try everything to get him into their apartment to watch them perform, and to hopefully get their big breaks. Hilarity ensues when friends come to visit, rent is due, and romances form, making all three acts impossible to forget!

Overall, the production was very well done. The cast had great energy throughout the entire play, and it never wavered once. The main cast had amazing chemistry, especially Ryan McGinley, who played Tony, and Malin DiGuglielmo, who played Marge. Their secret marriage felt real, and when the two were together on-stage, the audience was transfixed. On a similar note, Daniel Previti, who portrayed Norman, and Aryonna Orth, who played Dottie, showed the sweet side of hiding their true feelings for each other. All six of the apartment group felt incredibly believable, and the audience truly was transported to New York City.

The supporting cast was not to be missed, either. Franchesca Parker (Muriel) played the adorable best friend of Dottie who drops in for a visit. Her use of physical comedy throughout the second act made the audience shriek with laughter, and she had great chemistry with Rachel Suga (Mrs. Garnet), who had the audience in stitches. Suga's incredible comedic timing in every scene created an atmosphere of comedy that every actor on stage benefitted from. Finally, Amir Herradi's portrayal of the big-shot producer Mr. Kenny was terrific. His ramblings about how to make various dishes, especially his gumbo, were convincing and thoroughly entertaining.

From a technical point of view, Out of The Frying Pan was fantastic. The Interboro EnLIGHTened crew never missed a cue, keeping the lighting consistent. Coupled with the sound crew's mastery of the microphones, the audience never missed a beat of the fast-paced show.

Make sure that you make your way into the audience, because Out of The Frying Pan at Interboro High School is not one to miss!

Megan McClosky
Unionville High School
Submitted for publication to The Treasure Chest

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Although the title of Interboro High School's show reflects these infamous words, the saying couldn't be farther from how audience members felt during the production.
Written by Francis Swann, Out of the Frying Pan depicts the story of six struggling actors living in one small apartment above the room of Mr. Arthur Kenny, an established producer. Through brilliant portrayals of comedy and romance, Interboro's production was, for the most part, incredibly entertaining.
The adorably ditzy Dottie Coburn was portrayed by Aryonna Orth. She fabulously played a hopeless romantic, keeping her character's positive nature even when faced with the pain of unrequited love. With hilarious facial expressions and body language, Orth's performance was a major highlight of the show. Ryan McGinley and Malin DiGuglielmo did a commendable job playing the married couple, Tony and Marge. The duo's stage chemistry made their forbidden love very convincing. Although there were some times where their fast paced acting prevented comprehension among audience members, all six roommates did a fantastic job on staying engaging throughout the entire production.
Despite that her stage time was relatively brief in comparison to the leads, Rachel Suga stole the show. Her phenomenal comedic timing, voice acting, and commitment to her character made her stand out as the oblivious and goofy Mrs. Garnet. No matter what was happening on stage, she never let her presence dim, and consistently attracted the audience's attention. Playing an elderly woman is no easy task, and Suga's character voice and posture allowed her to rise to the challenge.
While some performances came off as forced and disingenuous, Franchesca Parker's portrayal of the logical Muriel Foster came off as very natural. Although playing a professional and well-mannered character, her comedic moments were absolutely jaw dropping. Additionally, Amir Herradi's rendition of the highly esteemed yet "kooky" Mr. Kenny was completely flawless. He portrayed confidence, frustration, and wackiness breathtakingly.
The show was greatly improved by the wonderful crew. Abu Ghaznavi and Neil Hews ran sound perfectly; all cast members were clearly heard, and noticeable errors were nonexistent. Although makeup caused some slight confusion around the time frame, hair was marvelous. All female characters had their own unique styles, and the three girl roommates' hair was quickly and exceptionally changed during a five-minute intermission. Due to the entire show taking place in one room, lighting was consistent, and did not decrease the quality of the show. Stage crew, impeccably managed by Courtney Floyd and Gharett Marr, made scene transitions and acts move smoothly.
Overall, Into the Frying Pan was a successful show, making a period piece fresh, engaging, and incredibly funny.

Emma Danz
Harriton High School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 4

The lights came up on a charming but chaotic New York Apartment. Doors clattered on their hinges, voices yelled from all corners of the stage, and six aspiring actors breathed truth into the age old saying, "out of the frying pan and into the fire." As secrets unraveled and love blossomed, hilarious hijinks ensued in Interboro High School's production of Out of the Frying Pan.
Out of the Frying Pan is a play written by Francis Swann that ran on Broadway for several months in 1941. It tells the hopeful story of six struggling friends, three men and three women, who decided to share an apartment, despite the scandalous perception, as they try to make it on the Great White Way, or anywhere that would have them.
An ensemble based show, chemistry and timing are vital to the piece. Despite occasional problems with latter, a clear connection between the actors was evident, which enhanced their overall performance. Together, they created engaging moments of over-the-top ridiculous physical comedy which were pivotal to the success of the show.
A notable performance, especially within the realm of physical comedy, was Wyatt McDevitt as George. McDevitt's expressive face and movements enlarged his stage presence making him a commanding force in the scenes he was in. Similarly, Daniel Previti as Norman, the ringleader and mastermind of the group, had impressive onstage presence. With many influential monologues or dialogues, Previti set a commendable tone for the entire production.
A show is only as strong as its supporting actors and Out of the Frying Pan certainly had a few. Shining as the eccentric and flirtatious landlady Ms. Garnet, Rachel Suga won hearts with her high energy portrayal of this woeful woman. Another stand out was Franchesca Parker as Muriel, an old friend that gets roped into the madness. Parker's impressive diction and command of a character that was not a starving artist was a pleasant, refreshing addition to the show. She served to even further highlight the condition of the other six, deepening the opportunity for comedy.
Furthering enhancing the production, student make-up designers created looks that grounded the show within its 1940s timeline and the quirky, haphazard set was an extension of the characters themselves that was perfect for the piece.
It seems that Interboro was only in the frying pan long enough to produce a fun, engaging show and skipped the fire altogether.