The Frogs
at Cooper City High School

Reviewed on November 2, 2018

Emma Summers
Coral Glades High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

What do you get when you combine Greek comedy, a plethora of political figures, Greek god rap battles, and singing frogs into one evening? Cooper City High School's intricate play-within-a-play take on the Greek comedy, "The Frogs."

"The Frogs" was written by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It has no Broadway history, as its origins solely come from Ancient Greece. This modern take on the classic begins as we are greeted by a stage manager and director striving to cast their version of "The Frogs" with prominent political figures. It then transitions into the rehearsal of the said play where the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, and his quick-witted slave Xanthius, go on a long journey to the underworld to bring the playwright Euripides back from the dead. Through the frivolous journey, they encounter many Greek gods and frogs, who help to determine which Greek playwright will be brought back.

Reese Abrahamoff (Dionysus) anchored the entire first act through his exaggerated stage presence and precise comedic timing. When Abrahamoff was on stage, every move he made helped the audience better understand the mature plot and the humor of Greek comedy. Gabriela Phillips (Xanthius) embodied the all-knowing sidekick archetype eloquently. Phillips and Abrahomoff's master-slave relationship brought an element of comedy as Abrahamoff routinely made mistakes and Phillips always fixed them, but every time Abrahamoff would escape with a clean slate.

Always engaged dead or alive, John Yearick (Euripides Hypeman) portrayed the wit of his character remarkably. Yearick consistently bounced off the walls with energy, invoking laughs from the entire audience. Annabelle Rosa (Aeschylus) and Selene Serra (Euripides) created an evident rivalry in the debate for who was the best playwright. Rapping, in general, can be quite difficult, but rapping in ancient Greek lingo is even more of a challenge. Serra and Rosa pulled off the difficult task with ease, heightening the stakes of the intense rivalry.

Although confusing at times, every character in the show invested in their individual roles with evident character development. In particular, the Initiate ensemble always committed to their choices. Their bizarre twitching body language and in sync lines were consistent throughout, establishing a mystical intensity to the show. The entire cast displayed they had a keen understanding of this complex play; however, it was not always executed clearly for the audience. Though sometimes lacking in energy and articulation, the cast was always in character and embodied the challenging characters this show offered.

The set of the show efficiently brought ancient Greek politics into modern day context. The American-themed lighting was a unique, tasteful touch to the show, although some characters were not always seen. Despite issues with microphones, the actors did an honorable job with projection. The songs added to the show were a creative and fun element that were enjoyable for all.

Ultimately, the cast and crew of The Frogs gave a commendable performance with an abundance of energy and devotion. Cooper City High School's production of The Frogs effectively transported us into Aristophanes' classic Greek play.

Ashley Valent
Cypress Bay High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Since the beginning of time, people have evolved both physically and mentally. Given that humans have been on Earth for nearly 200,000 years, the changes undergone have been colossal. However, we are still connected at our core. From ancient Greece to the modern era, society has proven time and time again that history repeats itself. This connection is prevalent in Cooper City High School's innovative adaptation of "The Frogs."

Originally written by Aristophanes in 405 BC, "The Frogs" tells the story of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, festivity, and theatre, and his quest to redirect the Athenian theatre by reviving the deceased playwright Euripides. In Cooper City High School's production, this plot was used as a framework and was further built upon as a "play inside a play" with modern day political figures portraying the characters. This unique aspect not only provided a refreshing take on the piece, but it gave audience members a parallel that made the storyline easier to comprehend. Taking into consideration the difficulty of the material itself and this specific production's originality, Cooper City's execution is worth applauding.

The show began by establishing the political figures and the roles they would portray in "The Frogs." This opening made the plot clear so that any confusion as to the identity of the characters was resolved with the distinct characterization used by the company. This individualism, brought to the stage by each actor, demonstrated the company's collective effort and extensive knowledge of each distinguished person down to his/her body language, speech, and facial expressions. A few memorable executions were that of John Yearick as Euripides Hypeman and Katarina Esquivel as Pluto; however, the most notable was Reese Abrahamoff as Dionysus who carried the show with such expressive physicality while only having a significant role in the first act. The dedication throughout the entirety of the show expressed by the actors made this quality very admirable as an audience member.

Despite this impactful first scene, there was a lack of articulation by many prominent leading characters throughout the show that made it difficult to follow the storyline. Adding to the fluctuating diction, technical difficulties made comprehension arduous. The technical crew did, however, aid in this confusion by using screens displaying the context of each act and following the show scene by scene.

While there were a few discrepancies, the thematic purposes of tradition and following the old ways to reach success were translated clearly with the adaptations made to fit modern day. Cooper City High School competently used this originality to represent that throughout history, certain issues will remain timeless.

Daniel Calderon
Somerset Academy
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

How does an open casting call, a voyage to the underworld, a debate between dead Greek playwrights, and frogs all come together? Cooper City High School's production of "The Frogs" by Aristophanes was a great rendition of this classic Greek comedy, that tied in all these elements with a political undertone.

Written by Aristophanes, "The Frogs" is an ancient Greek comedy that follows Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and drama, as he ventures to Hades to bring back an ancient Greek playwright to save Athens. Cooper City High School put a new twist on this classic by integrating famous political leaders into their characters to help convey their intentions and draw parallels to modern life. Starting with an open casting call, Cooper City High School continually broke the fourth wall engaging with the audience, to bring the humor alive, throughout the show.

Leading the journey to the underworld was Dionysus, played by Reese Abrahamoff, who fully committed to the "action without consequence" persona of his character. Abrahamoff embodied the charming personality of Dionysus, with his high energy and great comedic timing. Continuously saving his master Dionysus was Xanthius, played by Gabriela Phillips, who showed great physicality and was grounded in her performance as the "straight man" in the comedy. Together, Abrahamoff and Phillips had a dynamic relationship playing off each other's energies and character's frustrations to move the story along.

Cooper City High School added a new element to its show by adding songs into the Greek chorus of the play. Composed by Dustin Symonette, this music brought in a contemporary and captivating element into the show. A prime example of this was the Initiates. This ensemble of women had great movement, rhythm, and high energy together. A standout of the Initiates was Donna Nesselroth, who, with her excellent dancing and facial expressions, captivated the audience.

Another dynamic relationship in the show was between ancient Greek playwrights Aeschylus, portrayed by Annabelle Rosa, and Euripides, played by Selene Serra. Inspired by political leaders Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Rosa and Serra showed great skill by fully encompassing the mannerisms and physicality of their roles and by also staying grounded in their characters over the top energies, in their battle for the best dead poet to sit at Plutos table. Though at times the ensemble lacked diction and projection, as a whole, the ensemble had strong physicality and intensity.

Technical-wise the set of the show was excellently designed and made by Cooper City High School's tech class. Although the sound overall was inconsistent and at times the mics didn't work, the lighting design of the play by Victoria Torres and Kaitlyn Behr was exemplary at setting the tone and mood of scenes throughout the play. The costume and makeup team did a good job of tying in political references, making the characterization of the actors easier to understand.

The overall production of Cooper City High School's "The Frogs" was a great, modern twist to this classic Greek comedy.

Alex Wind
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

What lengths would you go to in order to bring back one of your favorite authors from the dead? Would you travel into the depths of the underworld? Would you sit at Pluto's dinner table? Would you fight off a group of pesky frogs? That last part might not sound like a very heroic act, but the god Dionysus is all too familiar with it in Cooper City High School's production of "The Frogs."

In this classic Grecian tale by Aristophanes, Dionysus, "the raucous god of theatre and inebriation", attempts to bring his favorite playwright, Euripides, back from the dead. Accompanied by Xanthius, Dionysus makes the treacherous journey to the underworld, disguising himself as Herakles. Eventually, it is up to Dionysus to judge a contest of the best playwright between Euripides and Aeschylus. In an innovative twist, the show was adapted to the modern day, having the dead poets of the past portrayed as politicians. Another element was the addition of the director and stage manager roles, which added a different layer of comedy, other than the farcical nature of the show on its own. Additionally, songs were composed by Dustin Symonette for longer monologues and choral exposition.

Reese Abrahamoff perfectly executed the over-the-top comedy of the play as the fearful Dionysus. Abrahamoff was also able to distinctly show a difference between when he was acting as Dionysus compared to when he was playing the dramatized version of himself. Gabriela Phillips, in the role of Xanthius, was high-spirited and charismatic, perfectly pairing with Abrahamoff and creating a distinct relationship between the two characters.

Annabelle Rosa did an incredible job remaining grounded as Aeschylus; her strong, serious performance complemented the madcap antics of the show. However, there were also several actors that fully understood and committed to the riotous comedy. Chantel Millo's Charon perfectly captured the outlandish essence of the piece by showing how even with limited movement, Millo was able to create a memorable character with her vocal tone and commanding presence. Another standout performer was Katarina Esquivel as the lord of the underworld, Pluto. Esquivel's maniacal presence from climbing behind the set throughout the entire second act showed outstanding commitment to character and it made Pluto's introduction to the storyline more important.

The Initiates, serving as a modern-day Greek chorus, added an intense, sinister element to the show, and was a reminder that Dionysus was in the underworld. Additionally, the Initiates showed great dedication when they were onstage. They continued to stay in character and also did not overshadow the scene going on. At times, it was hard to hear or understand some actors due to some issues with microphone amplifying or projection from the actor, but most of the time the actors were able to push through these issues, even sometimes turning them into hilarious bits.

In one of Aristophanes' plays, "Thesmophoriazusae" he wrote, "Under every stone is a politician." Who's to say Aristophanes didn't predict Cooper City High School's political twist with their production of "The Frogs"?

Kaitlyn Tully
Calvary Christian Academy
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Modern politics, ancient comedy, and disguised Greek gods aren't generally things one would assume go together. However, Cooper City High School proved these ideas complement each other in unique ways in its production of "The Frogs" by Aristophanes.

Winning first prize at the Lenaia drama festival in 405 BC, this play provided the precedent for the genre of ancient Greek comedy. It chronicles the tale of Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of both wine and theatre, who embarks on a journey to save the state of Greek tragedies by raising the playwright, Euripides, from the dead. Arriving in Hades, he is made the judge of a debate between Euripides and his predecessor, Aeschylus, leading Dionysus to instead bring Aeschylus back to life.

Cooper City High School places its own creative spin on the play, likening each character to an American political figure. In doing so, it also treats this as a play within a play, holding auditions for "The Frogs" as its first scene. While an interesting choice, this did cause a bit of confusion regarding who each character was supposed to represent.

Despite some technical difficulties regarding his microphone, Reese Abrahamoff (Dionysus) remained focused and stole the stage with his charisma and comedic timing. The incredible chemistry between him and Gabriela Phillips, who played his slave Xanthius, was evident, adding to the comedy of their scenes. The Initiates were a striking addition to the production as they eerily permeated the play. Additional praise goes to Donna Nesselroth (Initiate). Despite being a part of the ensemble, she stood out, adding a significant amount of believability to the death-like nature of the Initiates. Katarina Esquivel (Pluto) also caught the audience's attention with her dedication to the personality of the Greek god of the underworld. She portrayed him in a nearly psychotic way, never breaking character.

There were multiple incidents of actors breaking character and a few evident mistakes in reciting lines. Many of the actors lacked the articulation and diction necessary to fully comprehend their words. For much of the production, the Frogs were not in sync, starkly contrasting with the perfect synchronization of the Initiates.

While the costumes were interesting and clearly established the politics of the show, they were not cohesive and often clashed, distracting from the overall performance of the actors. Sound-wise, it was extremely difficult to hear most of the actors. Many actors did not have microphones, and the hanging microphones did not appear to be on. This made it difficult to follow the plot. The makeup design by Abbi Sachs, however, truly succeeded in its mission, proving very striking and unique onstage. The dangling eyeball on the corpse was absolutely incredible, as was the Frogs' makeup.

Cooper City High School provided great energy and creativity in its portrayal of "The Frogs" focusing on how this play applies to today's world. It proved a reminder that plays, even those from ancient times, still have lessons to be learned and applied.

Dailyn Robaina
Coral Glades High School
Submitted for publication to The Lariat

Prepare for a mind-bending journey filled with ancient political rivalry, a ferryman riding a bathtub, and zany Greek Gods in Cooper City High School's unique production of "The Frogs".

Written by the Ancient Greek dramatist Aristophanes, "The Frogs" is a comedy that was first performed at the Athenian festival Lenaia in 405 BC. "The Frogs" is one of the most influential Greek comedies ever written, being referenced by many modern creators, including Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove, who adapted the show into a musical in 1974. The story follows that of the god Dionysus, and his quest to renew Athens' dying theatre scene. He travels to the underworld to try to revive the recently deceased playwright Euripides, and along the way faces many challenges and comedic scenarios. "The Frogs" is a play that explores the themes of the value of comedy, morality, tradition, ambition, and the value of the art of poetry.

Reese Abrahamoff (Dionysus) and Gabriela Phillips (Xanthius) did a phenomenal job leading the story for the entirety of Act I. The pair had incredible chemistry - as Dionysus would make a mistake and Xanthius would have to pick up the pieces and solve the problem. Their energy never fell flat throughout the entirety of the show and their clear understanding of their roles was evident.

As Dionysus, Abrahamoff added many comedic moments throughout the production. While working through costume and microphone malfunctions, Abrahamoff effortlessly improvised lines and never faltered. Chantel Millo as Charon, the bathtub-riding ferryman of the underworld, was extremely funny. Using a bathtub as the boat to take both Dionysus and Charon across the river was genius, and provided for golden comedic material.

The Initiates did an incredible job as the Greek Chorus of this production. Their physicality was superb as they contorted themselves and stomped in time. Though tough to understand at times, the Initiates executed speaking in sync extremely well and captured the audiences' attention.

The technical aspects of the show were fantastic. Dustin Symonette did a flawless job as composer and performed beautifully. His compositions added a lot of emotion to the production and underscored the Initiates and Frogs very nicely. The set, created by the CCHS Technical Class, was very unique and eye-catching. Lighting by Victoria Torres and Kaitlyn Behr created the tone for many of the scenes and fit the show extremely well.

Overall, the cast and crew of Cooper City High School's production of "The Frogs" brought the ancient story to life with a unique spin on a classic comedy.