A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre
at Northwood High School Academy

Reviewed on April 28, 2018

Mary Kate Ganley
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

With all the glamor of Cabaret, the energy of Oklahoma! and the sheer fun of Pirates of Penzance, A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre is a fun yet informative spoof on all the things that made musical theatre the spectacle it is today. This witty show may not be well known, but Northwood High School's stellar performance is sure to put it on the map.

Originally a thesis project by Patrick John Moran, A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre centers around the story of musical theatre--highlighting the Romans ominous chants, classical pop-musicals like Mamma Mia, and everything in between. The production draws from several classic shows that have worked their way into the American culture, such as Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan, Cabaret by Joe Masteroff, and The Music Man by Meredith Willson. Throwing witty reference to pioneers of the American musical, including Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bob Fosse, A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre is good fun for anyone who's seen a show or two before.

Supporting the story with magnificent vocals and superb acting skills, each member of the stellar cast, Lauren Black, Asha Burtin, Elaina Giaudrone, Raymond Ingram, Charlie Kretkowski, Mirsa Oporta Hernandez, Sophia Palacios, Joseph Scott and Sophia Willis held their own magnificently, meshing their acting together cleanly and interacting in a very natural way. For a show as technically difficult as this, these nine each blended seamlessly into their separate scenes as duos. Starting off the show with sonorous vocals, Burtin and Giaudrone's chemistry and humor successfully set the precedent for the rest of the production. Their free-flowing banter and ability to play off each other helped to lift the mood of the production from educational to downright entertaining. This same ability is demonstrated by Ingram and Scott as they bounce back and forth on the rise of tenors in the 90's, and by Hernandez and Kretkowski in their hilarious rendition of a heavily abridged version of the classical show, Oklahoma!

With each character committed to their roles, it becomes increasingly difficult to focus on just one. Coming on stage in pairs, one duo that shone bright was that of the combined killer vocals of Giaudrone and Willis and their outstanding ability to commit to any role. Their skills were highlighted best in The Operetta Opus. Belting the edited lyrics of the Major-General's Song from Pirates of Penzance, the duo executed outstanding breath control throughout their song, and their ability to blend seamlessly into any scene defined the duo's energetic and dynamic performance.

Backing the story with a minimal set, the stage crews laid the foundation for the well-executed show. With consistent and clear sound, the sheer star power brought by those onstage was able to shine through. With a minimal set, the utilization of lighting was important and beautiful. Whether displaying the colors of the French flag on the cyclorama when discussing Les Misérables, using direct spotlighting to draw one's attention to certain aspects of the stage in the classic Broadway fashion, or simply just dimming the lights as the decades overlapped, the lighting surely brought a fun and interesting aspect to the slightly non-sequential show.

From the development of past American classics to modern day hits, and an introspective look towards the future, Northwood High School's performance of A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre showed that even the simplest past developments can have the most profound impacts on the present.

Rachel Pepper
Poolesville High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre is an extremely creative way to do a thesis. Northwood High School's production of the show is classified as a play, but the performance involved plenty of singing and dancing. Written by Patrick John Moran and Rockford Samson, the show takes viewers through the development of theatre from the time of ancient Greek tragedies to the myriad of revivals of the twenty-first century. Mixed in are several original songs and many renditions of classics from well-known shows.

This show is difficult to produce, given the minimal amount of storyline and characters and the great variety in musical styles. Nevertheless, the cast (Lauren Black, Asha Burtin, Elaina Giaudrone, Raymond Ingram, Charlie Kretkowski, Mirsa Oporta Hernandez, Sophia Palacios, Joseph Scott, and Sophia Willis) gave a solid effort that got the audience laughing. Each of the nine cast members played narrators with their own first names, and they often split into pairings for specific sections. Willis was a standout performer, who hit every note perfectly and showed great dynamism while onstage. Her scenes were very engaging and enjoyable. Additionally, Black, who opened the show, was very amusing and fun to watch. The entire cast's voices blended nicely together, and each actor enunciated clearly, every word crisp and audible. The performers delivered a great deal of information-heavy material without stumbling, mastering their lines well.

The show came alive during the Oklahoma! segment, as the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was swiftly run through. Hernandez and Kretkowski had good comedic timing and comically played multiple roles with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. The whirlwind sequence was engaging, keeping the audience engrossed.

While movements around the stage were often done without motivation or intention behind them, the set was interesting and well-used by the actors, who moved adroitly around the Playbill-themed stepping blocks. The technical aspects of the show were all superb, particularly the sound and the lighting, with a projector put to good use in the song "Aquarius." The script contained some awkward jokes and segments, but overall the cast handled them well and dedicated themselves to their various personas.

The show was a tough one, but the Northwood High School cast did justice to the script and at times conveyed real passion for musical theatre. In simple black costumes (for the most part) and with a minimalistic but thematically apt set, the nine actors put on a fine show that kept the audience entertained throughout.

Charis Conwell
West Potomac High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Gilbert and Sullivan. Vaudeville. Operetta. Cohan. George Gershwin. Show Boat. The George White Scandals. Broadway. Athens. The Golden Age. These people, places, and things are all essential aspects to the rich history of one of the world's oldest and ever-evolving art forms- Musical Theatre. Who exactly were these people? Why were they in those places, and what things did they do? Maybe you know part of the story, and maybe you know the whole story. Maybe you've never seen a musical in your life! Whatever your relationship with musical theater is, it's always a good time to start. Why not start at the very beginning?

A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theater is exactly what it sounds like- an original play that irreverently explores the history of American musical theater, from wailing greeks to theater geeks. Though such a niche and experimental show may seem out of place on a high school stage, Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland has taken on the challenge and produced a show that is as entertaining as it is educational. The senior thesis of once-student Patrick John Moran, A 16 Bar Cut chronologically lays out musical theater's past, present, and future in America through narration, skits, and song and dance sequences, performed by a small cast of nine actors. Each of these rising stars are equipped with their own specialties and talents and, as theater's timeline (or "chorus line", as the show would have it) unfolds, each cast member is given the opportunity to show what they can do.

Though the show's tone is consistently one of humor, one "Dynamic Duo" stands out amongst others as examples of high energy, physicality, and good comedic timing. Charlie Kretkowski and Mirsa Oporta Hernandez, whether they are rushing through an abridged version of the golden-age classic, Oklahoma, or inviting audience members to participate in a spur-of-the-moment game show, keep the laughs coming. They do so by not only reciting jokes that are embedded in the script but by making conscious choices that enhance the viewing experience for the audience.

Of course, an essential feature of the modern musical is just that- the music! And Northwood High delivers. Of the many acts, skits, and spectacles present in the show, music and song are the most present, and the best executed. Raymond Ingram and Sophia Willis, especially, demonstrate consistent vocal clarity, range, and overall ability during the production. Sophia, a soprano, avoids many of the weaknesses that can be found in a soprano voice, especially at the high school level. She is on pitch without exception, clear and smooth tonally, and always understandable (impressive, when you are performing an operetta history based parody of "Modern Major General"). Raymond Ingram also shines, with a modern-sounding and very fluid tenor. Reimagining theater staples like RENT's "I'll Cover You" is never easy, but Raymond enjoys himself on the stage, drawing audiences in and making high notes and complicated riffs look easy.

A 16 Bar Cut is a show unlike any that you have seen before. Packed with allusions to theater, and performed by spunky, promising students, the show appeals to both thespians and the casual audience member, and, rather than leaving aforementioned audience reflecting on theater's past, causes them to wonder about theater's future.

Natalia Corvoisier
Clarksburg High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre is by Patrick John Moran, a student of University of Central Florida, as original work and his college thesis. His goal was to present the history of American musical theatre in an educational manner but also with "zany silliness and hilarity." A 16 Bar Cut, performed at Northwood High School Academy, takes audiences through the history of musical theatre, starting with the Greeks and their choruses, and ending with the present, making stops through Vaudeville, the Golden Age, the 70s, 80s, and the 90s. Each time period was performed through a combination of original songs and snippets of popular music at the time, and highlighted the different leading players in each period.

While originally meant for two male characters, this production divided the fun show among nine cast members. Each actor brought their own energy to the stage. Each time period had a different pairing which was nice and allowed the audience to see different dynamics for each individual time period. Standout pairs were the Dynamic Duo performed by Mirsa Oporta Hernandez and Charlie Kretkowski, whose speed run through the plot of Oklahoma brought up the energy of the show and had the audience rolling in the aisles. The Operetta Opus, performed by Elaina Giaudrone and Sophia Willis, was a delightful mashup of songs from the operetta era. Both Giaudrone and Willis powered through the patter mashup and gave nice performances. Kretkowski and his fellow castmate, Raymond Ingram, were both consistent and each actor completely committed to every role they were given. The ensemble as a whole was vocally strong, with standouts being Asha Burtin and Elaina Giadurone, who closed the show with a delightful revival of the whole show.

Tech did a very good job; there were never missed cues. Actors often had quick changes, all of which succeeded without a hitch, no doubt with help from the crew. The set gave the actors many levels to play around. The lighting often used the cyclorama to reflect the distinct time periods. There was blue, white, and red lighting during the 80s section to represent the show Les Miserables, and the cyclorama was lit up red during the Miss Saigon moment. There was an interesting use of projections, specifically during the 70s section, where the cast sang ‘Aquarius' from Hair. Tech was clean and succinct.

If you'd like an hilarious, but informative take on the history of American Musical Theatre, take a trip down to Northwood High School's A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre!

Claire Throckmorton
Thomas S. Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Red and Black

O(klaho)Ma! Goodness, what a show! The production of 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre at Northwood High School was great. As stated by the title, this show tells the story of the metamorphosis of American musical theatre through time. The show opened with the Greeks and Romans and ended with 21st century revivals. Throughout the show we laughed and we learned,too.

I have to commend the cast and crew for putting this show on at all. Their original plan to do Carrie was changed after the Parkland shooting, and they went from 50 cast members to 9 cast members. For a show put together under such time constraints it certainly was an interesting experience. The strongest aspect of the show was overwhelmingly the vocals. Raymond Ingram displayed his wonderful range many times throughout the show and was truly pleasant to listen to. Sophia Willis also was a beautiful soprano whose voice stayed clear and strong no matter what she was singing. The cast also had remarkable diction. Throughout the show the audience could understand every single word without fail, especially so in ‘The Operetta Opus' which was performed by Elaina Giaudrone and Sophia Willis. But, of course, another stand out was ‘The Dynamic Duo', Charlie Kretkowski and Mirsa Oporta Hernandez, and their wonderful two minute rendition of Oklahoma! The scene was well rehearsed and kept the audience laughing.

Comedy was another key point to the execution of this unique show. Although it occasionally seemed as though the cast didn't understand some of the jokes they were saying, many of the actors, in particular Charlie Kretkowski, had good comedic timing and executed his jokes well. This was also impacted by the energy of the cast. The cast was also feeding off of the audience energy, which is likely why it picked up during the comedic points and during the game show section with audience participation. Throughout the show it was very interesting how they mixed up the scene partners. Certain groups really connected well, which transmitted their information to the audience. Additionally, the most consistent part of the show was the sound. There were no detectable errors and paired with the cast's good diction ensured that the audience heard and understood everything.

Overall this was a hard show to execute and it was clear that the actors were putting in a good effort. It was quite a nice and lighthearted show with lots of jokes for theatre enthusiasts to enjoy and laugh about.