Hello! My Baby
at El Dorado

Reviewed on March 9, 2019

Karina Repaire
San Clemente
Submitted for publication to OC Register

El Dorado's Hello! My Baby is Charming in Every Way
written by Karina Repaire, a senior at San Clemente High School

From the rank tenements of Delancey Street to the debutante balls of high society, El Dorado's Hello! My Baby reminds audiences that music can take you anywhere. Set in the United States in the early 1900s, this enchanting musical combines a medley of songs from the Great American Songbook to trace the compelling story of the unlikely couple Betty Gold and Mickey McKee.

Sophia Scarsi (Betty Gold) and Justin DeTevis (Mickey McKee) beautifully portrayed the witty dynamics of their characters through the combination of their sassy bickering and romantic stolen glances. Scarsi is radiant as she presents herself and her character through her stunning vocal technique and, while she is pretending to be Buddy O'Reilly, is able to maintain both the character of Betty and Buddy through adjustments in posture or attitude. DeTevis is charming as he shows McKee's journey from suave and overconfident to down to earth and caring. This unstoppable duo is captivating in their song "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" as they show their instantaneous compatibility and mutual admiration.

The ensemble is especially engaging throughout the show and comes to life in the song, "Ain't We Got Fun!" With each person committed to their character and contributing to the tone of the scene, this ensemble was dazzling.

Betty's sisters Frances (Hannah Oertwig) and Violet Gold (Jordyn Murray) are remarkable as they show their maturity and youth and loving relationship as a family.

Natalie D'Allura steals the show as Ethel Coots with her husband Bert Coots (Zack Palmer) in their hilarious song "You'd Be Surprised" as they demonstrate their excellent comedic timing and goofy yet charming family dynamic.

Hair and costumes are especially impressive for this show as they seamlessly transition from Scarsi as Betty and Betty acting as Buddy and give Betty more traditionally masculine hair and costumes. In her flat shoes and low ponytail, Betty stands out from the ensemble of women dressed in traditionally feminine clothes from the time period.

The set crew and stage manager worked creatively to navigate fast scene changes with little to no vamp in music and demonstrated a strong command of their space and creativity.

As a whole, the show ran very smoothly and gave each facet of the drama program a chance to highlight their unique talents and brilliance.

Andrew Green
Tesoro
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

El Dorado High School's "Hello! My Baby" is a Charming Blast From the Past
written by Andrew Green, a junior at Tesoro High School

Mickey McKee spends his days peddling sheet music to passerby on the street, until one day, he gets fed up with being a "song plugger" and puts his own lyrics on paper, with the help of the musically-gifted Betty Gold, that is. The musical duo evade the rent collector and some local gangsters with hilarious cunning and quick thinking in El Dorado's "Hello! My Baby."

Justin DeTevis (Mickey) displays his character's happy-go-lucky attitude in every scene. When interacting with customers, he wears a big smile on his face and keeps a glow in his eye. He matches his facial expression with a constant spring in his step, and a confident tone of voice. He also shows off his vocal abilities in numbers such as "Ja-Da" where he gracefully switches between multiple styles of music.

Unable to play the piano or write sheet music, Mickey would be hopeless without the help of the intelligent and hard-working Betty Gold (Sophia Scarsi). She dominates the stage with her confident, upright posture, as well as her strong belting in the number "I Don't Care," among others.

No story would be complete without a villian, and occupying that role is Joey Fenwick as the not-so-intimidating poet-gangster, Johnny Giovanni. With his consistent Italian accent and excellent comedic timing as he casually drops rhyming one-liners into otherwise serious dialogue, Fenwick turns his violent, greedy character into a loveable guy.

The costume design of Aimee Asch, Krista Eliot, and Emily Hunt not only set the time period with well-researched outfit selections, it also set apart the rich from the poor, with characters like Mickey and Betty in more toned down colors compared to the bright blues of the wealthy Tierney family.

Furthermore, the show's set, designed by Julia Chau, Cory Wright, and Natalie D'Allura, was both functional and beautiful, with patched-up curtains in every window, and antique-looking signs to establish location.

Exciting, light-hearted, and fun, El Dorado's "Hello! My Baby" shows the value of hard work and staying optimistic, even when times are tough.

Emma Van Heeringen
Laguna Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

"Hello! My Baby" Delights at El Dorado High School
written by Emma Van Heeringen, a freshman at Laguna Hills High School

El Dorado High School presents a comic rendition of "Hello! My Baby", where two song pluggers struggle to make it in the bustling streets of New York. Mickey McKee and Betty Gold must navigate through class differences and social reform while dancing to classic all-American music.

When street-kid Mickey McKee meets Betty Gold, he does not know whether to be her sweetheart or her biggest enemy. Taking on his character with a boyish charm, Justin DeTevis portrays Mickey through walking with a bounce in his step and talking in a smooth-spoken New York accent. DeTevis' impeccable comedic timing makes for a high-energy performance while staying grounded in tender moments of the show through softening his voice and looking lost in his dreamy eyes.

Clashing with Mickey, Sophia Scarsi soars as Betty Gold. Scarsi's powerhouse vocals emote pain and confusion while staying loud and clear at the same time. When disguising herself as a boy to plug music, Scarsi seamlessly transitions through playing a different gender by changing her mannerisms. By lowering her voice and standing with a straight stature, Scarsi adds a comedic flair to her character.

Another standout performance is given by the ragtag Coots Family. Ethel Coots (Natalie D'Allura) commands her husband, Bert (Zack Palmer) around the stage by swiveling her hips and speaking with a comically over-the-top accent. Her children, Albie and Artie Coots (Elijah Rennwald and Kyle Colby) also bring life to the stage when holding tight harmonies and spiritedly bouncing ideas off of each other.

The deck crew shows excellency by seamlessly keeping up with the many set changes throughout the production. Though they are visible to the audience, it does not distract from the action on stage. Their perfectly organized timing holds the production together by keeping it flow.

In addition, the set design team creatively brings the 1900s to life. Though the Gold family is low-class, the set never seems to reflect the gross stereotype that is often communicated of the streets of New York. Their home is very nice and put together, helping convey a theme that people of a low class can still make the most of what they have.

Through a strong cast and crew, El Dorado High School's "Hello! My Baby" is the epitome of high school theatre.