J.B.
at Washington-Lee High School

Reviewed on April 13, 2018

Leah Glicker
James Madison High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Our modern culture is infused with biblical and mythological references--the stories rooted in the foundation of civilization. These stories hold deeper themes and truths that are often applicable in modern life; however, the challenge lies in presenting them in new and dynamic forms that engage new generations. Such is the complexity of the task Washington-Lee High School undertook with its production of J.B., a modern re-telling of the book of Job. The performance encompassed universal and heart-felt themes while also making use of incredible artistic content.

J.B., written in 1958 by American poet Archibald MacLeish, won multiple Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize for drama. The play also accrued praise for its free-verse style and direct confrontation of one of the more controversial biblical episodes.

The play-within-a-play begins when two circus vendors decide to act out Job's story, choosing a victim at random to play Job himself. The vendors bet on whether any amount of loss can make such a pious, upstanding man as Job lose his faith in God. The two then proceed to tear apart Job's life piece by piece. The entire "production" is facilitated by circus clowns who present props and act out scenes as various characters.

The cast was small but comprised of many dynamic performers. Cailyn Murray as Squeaks the clown stood out among the circus cast with her constant energy and commitment. Murray may not have had many lines, but she still managed to develop a complex and comedic character through her expressions. Playing Nickles the devil, Nicolas Boone managed to keep his cynical character interesting throughout his extended time on stage. The audience grew deeply invested in his character's slow arc, as the devil himself begins to realize that God isn't necessarily the hero of every story. And handling one of the most emotional and moving roles with heart-breaking realism was Maggy Jenkins, who played Sarah, Job's wife. The cast was filled out with Jojo, the lively clown played by Sylvain Chassagneux, and many other strong performers.

The technical elements in J.B. supplemented the simple and emotional storyline without ever overpowering. The set, designed by Aidan Endo, made use of large circus-themed flags with large, ominous faces that were raised and lowered throughout the show. The props were designed by Cailyn Murray and Emily Kile and were wonderfully tailored to fit the circus theme, complete with an entire dinner made of balloons served at the beginning of the play. The soundscape was naturally minimal, but Maya Elby and Penn Bauman carefully wove different circus music into the show, contributing to humorous scenes, as well as darker, chilling ones. These technical elements seemed perfectly tied together by stage managers Abby Fry and Sidney Fisher, who called cues and kept every sequence in the show perfectly synced.

Washington-Lee High School's production of J.B. explored deeper themes of religion and the existence of good and evil, creating a unique mix of emotional and heart-wrenching plot and comedic circus acting. It seems that even in 2018, there are still things we can learn from the past.

Molly Klemm
Tuscarora High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Unyielding faith in the face of unrelenting hardship is an admirable quality. This trait is displayed most famously in the biblical character Job of Uz. With undeniable success, Washington-Lee High School's J.B. retells this faithful devotee's tale.

J.B., a retelling of the Book of Job by U.S. Poet Laureate Archibald MacLeish, follows the story of two circus employees, Mr. Zuss and Mr. Nickles, who take up the roles of God and Satan, respectively, in the play-within-a-play performance of Job's story. Zuss believes that Job, or J.B., will remain faithful to God despite undeserved adversity. Nickles remains confident that J.B. will renounce his lord. To test their hypotheses, the two progressively take away Job's family, livelihood, and health.
Unlike the Bible, in which Job accepts his fate and remains faithful to God, J.B. rejects both God and Satan, instead putting his faith in love.

Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez (J.B.) rattled the audience with his descent into madness. His dedication to the part heightened the emotional impact of every scene, and he convincingly captured the anguish of the broken Job. Maggy Jenkins (Sarah, Job's wife) performed wonderfully in a complex and nuanced role. The final scene between the couple carried incredible power, touching the audience. Ward LeHardy (Mr. Zuss) and Nicolas Boone (Mr. Nickles) both gave fantastic performances, speaking complex prose as if it were modern English. The honesty and thought behind each line allowed the audience to relate to the characters, despite the complicated language. This skill is difficult to perfect, and both actors achieved it with seemingly remarkable ease.

Many actors played more than one character. Remarkably, all performers created different personas for each situation. Most impressive were Lily Pond and Sydney Miller (the Roustabouts) who played more than ten characters between them and still managed to build interesting, unique individuals in every scene. They impressively portrayed characters pretending to be other characters, layering performances to enhance the play-within-a-play that is J.B. Other ensemble standouts were Will LeHardy (Chuckles the clown) and Sylvain Chassagneux (Jojo the clown). The juxtaposition between goofy Chuckles and melancholy Jojo created an entertaining foil-dynamic, allowing them to each have humorous and emotional moments.

The technical elements were remarkable. A simple circus tent-inspired set allowed for many moments of dramatic symbolism. Costumes and makeup juxtaposed the horrifying reality of J.B.'s life with the colorful fantasy of the circus. Makeup also successfully transformed teenage actors into older men and healthy actresses into gory apocalypse victims. Lighting was particularly effective, increasing the shock of the many creative death scenes. Most impressive was the death of the youngest daughter, which featured a terrifying shadow projected onto a curtain, surrounded by red light. The skill of the lighting designers clearly showed in this scene. Every cue in the show was spot on, reflecting well on the stage management and crew. The technical aspects of the show achieved every technician's goal: to allow the actors to deliver the story effectively and to enhance the reality on the stage.

Washington-Lee High School's J.B. is a story of faith and love that is full of anguish but, ultimately, reward. Just like Job, the cast and crew of J.B. were rewarded for their tenacious efforts; their prize was a fantastic performance.

Sydney Smith
Bullis School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

This past weekend, Washington-Lee High School put on an amusing, thought-provoking production of J.B. This 1958 play written by Archibald MacLeish first appeared at Yale School of Drama in April of 1958 and later on Broadway in December of that same year.

J.B. tells the story of Job with a modern twist. J.B., a lucky millionaire, lives comfortably with his wife, Sarah, and his five children, until two circus vendors, Mr. Zuss and Mr. Nickles, decide to "play the play" and assume the roles of God and Satan, respectively. As they involve themselves in J.B.'s life, tragedy ensues. The once faithful J.B. struggles to maintain his belief and adoration in God until he is forced to decide whether he will remain loyal or break away from his suffering.

Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez, who played J.B., was a powerful force who kept the audience engaged and aware throughout the show. One minute he relished in the smarmy role of successful millionaire; the next minute he silenced the audience with cries and moans in the role of a struggling, suffering martyr. J.B was a difficult role, and Marmolejo-Suarez did an outstanding job!

Both Ward LeHardy (Mr. Zuss) and Nicolas Boone (Mr. Nickles) captured the essence of their roles! Despite their lengthy stage time, both LeHardy and Boone remained fully committed and maintained amazing energy. Maggy Jenkins, who played Sarah, J.B.'s wife, exhibited another strong performance. She handled the very emotional role with poise and grace and elevated the performances of her cast mates.

Other standouts included the clown ensemble featuring Sylvain Chassagneux as Jojo the Clown, Will LeHardy as Chuckles the Clown, Reilly Evans as Zhenya the Clown, and Cailyn Murray as Squeaks the Clown. All captured the audience's attention, portraying the distant voice of God and providing much-needed comedic relief. Both Lily Pond and Sydney Miller as First and Second Roustabout, respectively, also kept the audience entertained as they seamlessly changed from role to role.

The technical elements of Washington-Lee High School's production of J.B. were almost flawless. The minimal set and props kept the audience engaged and allowed the talent of the actors to shine through. While there were no microphones, the actors' projection was phenomenal.

Overall, Washington-Lee High School's production of J.B. was not only entertaining, but extremely thought-provoking and captivated the mind and souls of everyone who was lucky enough to be in the audience.

Elizabeth Germain
West Springfield High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

When one thinks of the tragic biblical story of Job, a circus is not what comes to mind. Just the same, this unexpected combination works beautifully in Archibald MacLeish's J.B., performed impressively by Washington-Lee High School this past weekend. Written in 1959, J.B. premiered at Yale University and won two Tony Awards on Broadway. In this play-within-a-play, two circus vendors, Mr. Zuss and Mr. Nickles, take on the roles of God and Satan in the story of Job (J.B). Initially, J.B. has everything: a successful business, a loving wife, a gaggle of happy children, and boundless faith in God. Mr. Nickles wagers that J.B will abandon his faith if his life is ruined, and Mr. Zuss puts this wager to the test.

Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez fully embodied the role of J.B. He was transformed from a cheerful man, joking with his family at the dinner table, to a broken man, desperately calling out to God for a reason for his suffering. At moments of high emotion, his voice broke and his posture collapsed. When his wife told him to "curse God and die," he struggled to choke out the words "Blessed be the name of the Lord." His wife Sarah (Maggy Jenkins) began with unwavering faith, but that faith was torn to pieces by her children's deaths. When her first son died, she broke down sobbing, hands shaking like a leaf, and upon receiving news of her youngest daughter's death, she unleashed a shriek of unspeakable pain.

Ward LeHardy as Mr. Zuss spoke with a commanding authority, while Nicholas Boone imbued Mr. Nickles with a fierce spirit and cynical energy that gave power to his poetic diatribes. Both performers met the challenge of playing a role-within-a-role, selecting moments where they were vendors following a script and moments where they were so involved they almost became their roles of God and Satan. The two Roustabouts, Lily Pond and Sydney Miller, exhibited versatility as they shifted between roles, from drunken soldiers, to reporters, to investigators. Squeak's (Cailyn Murray) bubbly attitude, Jojo's (Sylvain Chassagneux) saturnine disposition, Chuckles' (Will LeHardy) high-pitched voice and goofy nature, and Zhenya's (Reilly Evans) surly temperament made for an intriguing coterie of clowns who gave the show an eerie vibe.

The show's technical aspects were impeccably executed. Of particular note were the clown's makeup and costumes. Zhenya's white-face paint paired perfectly with her white ruffled collar and black-and-white striped tights, Jojo's painted-on frown and beard added to his hobo costume, Squeak's doll-like makeup with rosy cheeks complemented her pastel tutu, and Chuckles' classic clown makeup complete with a bright-red nose paired nicely with his colorful costume. Also superb were the age makeup on Mr. Zuss and Eliphaz and the gore makeup on the women after the bombing. The flash of red light flooding the stage after each child's death was effective, especially when accompanied by circus music, or for David's death in the war, the booming of canons. In the chilling abduction scene, a shadow man bathed in red light beckoned little Rebecca from behind a curtain while circus music played.

Washington-Lee admirably pulled off a difficult show with J.B. From the circus pre-show to the closing curtain, the commitment of the performers and technical crew created an emotionally effective and intellectually provocative show that offered comfort in the hope of renewal, that "love will live its suffering again."

Olivia Parker
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Connection

Why do bad things happen to good people? The question as old as humanity and enduring as time was examined in Washington-Lee High School's poignant performance of J.B.

Based on the biblical tale of Job, Archibald MacLeish's Pulitzer Prize winning drama transposes the original setting to a timeless but modern day incarnation that emphasizes the universal theme. Beneath a circus tent, carnies become deities and an unknowing person steps into the lead role of a play within a play.

J.B. is a devout man and a successful banker with a loving family. When his faith is tested through the loss of his children, his home, his wife, and his health, the story diverges from its ancient source material, and J.B. finds his own answer to the mystery of unattributable suffering.

Setting a precedent of surprise, energy, and at times discomfort are four clowns, who entertain the audience from the moment they enter the theater during an interactive pre-show performance. Jojo the jokester (Sylvain Chassagneux), Squeaks the ballerina (Cailyn Murray), Chuckles the saddest comedian (Will LeHardy), and Zhenya the cynical (Reilly Evans) skip, sashay, and contort the play along, moving props, assisting with multiple onstage costume changes, and acting as the unseen forces tearing J.B's life to shreds (at times literally).

Two unassuming vendors, who emerge from the aisles, launch this metatheatrical story by stepping into the roles of Satan and God. Nicolas Boone's performance as Mr. Nickles (Satan) oscillated between manic and menacing as he delivered weighty monologues and passionate outbursts. Ward LeHardy played the perfect foil as the inscrutable Mr. Zuss (God).

Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez's performance as the titular character J.B. was honest and relatable, embodying the everyman without becoming bland. His wife Sarah was played by Maggy Jenkins, who intensely expressed a mother's grief, a woman's doubt, and a wife's love. Together, the two actors navigated the shattering of their picturesque world, the torment of the aftermath, and the bittersweet beginnings of recovery.

Playing several characters, Roustabouts Lily Pond and Sydney Miller brought crackling energy each of the many times they delivered tragic news. Comforters Bildad (Ainsley St. Clair), Zophar (Grace Fisher), and Eliphaz (Matthew Palacios) each represented a different explanation for hardship. The philosophies of religion, science, and apathy were all rejected by J.B. despite each subscriber's adamant arguments.

Multiple labo-intensive techniques were used to age the paint on Maddy Miller and Aidan Endo's highly atmospheric set, which included a high tower from which God looked down upon the circus ring. Three 20-foot, hand-painted, red and white circus curtain panels created one of the most impactful moments of the show, as they came crashing to the ground to represent a natural disaster razing the city within. Lighting by Christopher-Thomas Cordero, Abby Ryan, and Sarah Shaw also played a crucial role in striking a myriad of tones from dreadful anticipation to blissful contentment. The hard work of Stage Manager Abby Fry ensured that the show ran incredibly smoothly.

Given the cursed gift of foresight by the two narrators, the audience watched helplessly while J.B. was stripped of every worldly and heavenly comfort. Questions swirled in minds, and hearts felt the rousing sting of injustice as a startling truth left the lips of Nickles and settled in the souls of the audience: "There's always someone playing Job." War, loss, and malice touch everyone's lives, leaving them to ask, "Why me?" Like J.B., they may never receive a satisfactory answer, but cling to a flicker of hope, sometimes finding that all one needs is love and that a single candle can banish the darkness.