Dark of the Moon
at Albert Einstein High School

Reviewed on November 9, 2019

Dagny Scannell
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"A witch boy from the mountain came…" and soon began Albert Einstein High School's production of Dark of the Moon. This folksy, Appalachian tale based off the "Ballad of Barbara Allen" was a chilling portrayal of tragic love and how communities search for conformity may resort to drastic measures. It was a narrative of both real life and fantasy, and the dissonant intermingling of these two worlds. Albert Einstein HS moved the audience with their interpretation and the students in this program presented a strikingly poignant and authentic performance.

Originally published in 1942, Dark of the Moon is the story of the witch boy John (Ben Butler) who, after catching a glimpse of the beautiful Barbara Allen (Adrianna Quaide), wished to become human. With the help of the mystical Conjur Woman (Talia Silber), John was transformed, but only under specific terms. To remain a man, he would have to marry Barbara Allen and she would have to remain faithful for a year. As the show progressed, their romance grew stronger, but so did the suspicions of the Buck Creek townspeople. Quickly spiraling downhill, the fable became a heart-wrenching tale that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

The emotion and weight of this show was conveyed by the two leading characters, John and Barbara. Butler and Quaide (respectively) had convincing chemistry onstage, and both did their part to develop their relationship in response to the outside influences of their community. Quaide brought a new level of commitment and energy to this production, with her lively and realistic demeanor, effortless singing, and truly heartbreaking moments during the tragic scenes of the play. Butler complemented her nicely, with an intensity onstage that drew the audience's attention to him and their romance.

Other strong actors contributed to making this story as moving as it was. The Conjur Man and Woman (Gavin Schulman and Talia Silber) set up the cautionary tale in an eerily urgent manner and set the tone of the scenes to follow. The townspeople of the small, traditionally religious Buck Creek also added the contrasting viewpoints emphasized throughout this show. The members of the Allen family (Ma Allen played by Mia Lulli in particular) developed nicely as the show progressed and their concern for Barbara and desire to set her on the "right path" shone through. The almost salesman-like Preacher Haggler (Carl Parkin) contributed similarly, and impressively added laid-back comedy to an otherwise somber show.

The tech elements of this show were extremely well-executed and created a realistic atmosphere for the entire play. An especially interesting element the Albert Einstein tech crews utilized was color. In the first scene, a social event in the central square of Buck Creek, the townspeople were all dressed in more muted costumes, while Barbara sauntered out in a vivid red dress, immediately drawing the audience's focus. Einstein's lighting crew was able to shift the mood of the entire auditorium in a second's notice, changing the lighting of their cyclorama from a mysterious green to a light blue or to a sinister red. Sound worked well to both establish characters (a slight echo was added to the voices of the Conjur Man and Woman) and to incorporate the creatively arranged musical pieces throughout this show.

Dark of the Moon left audiences not only contemplating the tale itself, but the important ideas it addressed. The pressure to comply with societal norms and how that conflicts with love and free-spiritedness struck a chord with all who watched, and Albert Einstein High School should be proud of the story they shared.

Jack Child
Falls Church High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

A bright moon peeks through the crest of the mountain range. The stage is flooded with green and oddly dressed witch folk begin a ritualistic dance. Albert Einstein High School's production of "Dark of the Moon" has begun!

"Dark of the Moon," by William Richardson and Howard Berney, tells the tale of John, a witch boy from the Appalachian region who wishes to become human after falling in love with a human girl named Barbara Allen. The play opened on Broadway at the 46th St. Theatre in 1945. Since then, it has been performed by many local and high school theater groups.

In the lead role of John was Ben Butler, whose simplistic and straightforward acting choices clearly always communicated John's intentions. He captured the internal torment of a boy torn between two worlds well, and he kept the audience engaged. Across from Butler was Adrianna Quaide, who played Barbara Allen. Quaide was a true standout; her beautiful voice and consistent Appalachian accent made her a delight to listen to, and her powerful emotional acting and strong characterization made her a delight to watch.

The two leads were backed by a versatile and entertaining group of supporting characters. Carl Parkin, in the role of Preacher Haggler, and Mia Lulli, in the role of Ma Allen, exceeded expectations. Parkin, playing the amiable Preacher, had a true commitment to his character that was always evident, whether he was speaking or not. He brought an authoritative and collected energy to the show, which stood in contrast to the personalities of the townspeople, who spread rampant rumors. Lulli had a wonderful performance as Barbara Allen's mother. She was able to smoothly and realistically switch from being comical to concerned depending on what the current moment called for. She also had a remarkable voice fit for singing bluegrass music, which added a new layer of depth to the show. The Appalachian accents on all of Albert Einstein's actors were impressive; it was clear that they had worked hard on making them as realistic and consistent as possible.

Technical elements in "Dark of the Moon" contributed to the immersion of the story just as much, if not more, as the actors did. As the audience entered the auditorium, they were met with a breathtaking image of the moon behind a mountain range with the sounds of nature playing in the background. The mountain range, which stayed looming at the back of the stage for the whole show, had hidden stairs. When the witch folk went up the stairs, it looked as though they were gliding up the mountain. The lighting, managed by Lauren Mattison, was used as a powerful storytelling tool. The cyclorama changed color to represent the passage of time and to differentiate between the human world and the witch world. The sound, managed by Valya Marr, was another important factor that was handled well. Microphones were consistently crisp, and background noises, such as crickets chirping, made the story more realistic.

The students at Albert Einstein High School took an already powerful story and put their own spin on it, creating an immersive, entertaining, and emotional experience. As the moon broke through the clouds during the last scene, it seemed as though all of John's efforts were for nothing. However, the effect that "Dark of the Moon" had on the audience indicates otherwise.

Katie Child
Falls Church High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Truly grasping the sense of the two diametrically opposed worlds of humans and witches is a difficult task to undertake, yet the Albert Einstein S.T.A.G.E. actors and actresses did exactly that in their production of Dark of the Moon. Dark of the Moon transpires in the Appalachian Mountains, where a witch boy named John catches sight of, and immediately falls in love with, a human girl named Barbara Allen. John makes a deal with a fellow witch that allows him to transform into a human in an effort to marry Barbara. Written in 1939 by Howard Richardson and later edited by William Berney and making its Broadway debut in 1945, the show is based on a dramatized version of the folk song "The Ballad of Barbara Allen". The cast and crew of this production admirably used stage presence, character choices, and emotion to bring this script to life.

The set for this production took the show one step further into reality. The use of depth that the Set and Artistic Designer, Byanca Morales Cabrera, managed to flawlessly include in the design was phenomenal. The set and lighting worked extraordinarily well together by using different saturation of lighting as well as colors that corresponded with the individualized layers of the set. This effect made the stage look much more vast than it was in reality. Lauren Mattison attributed greatly to the mood felt throughout the audience. As Lighting Manager, Mattison blended warm and cool tones, and set a very fitting mood depending on the time of day and the emotions that the characters were feeling throughout each scene.

Highlighting the show was Adrianna Quaide playing the role of Barbara Allen. Quaide has ability that isn't seen very often in high school performances. Her stage presence and character choices were incredible. Quaide managed to bring the audience to both laughter and sorrow with ease. She played her role phenomenally and carried her emotions not only through words, but through song, body movement, posture, and nearly every action and choice she made on stage. Quaide was wholeheartedly devoted to her role and had extremely believably reactions to her fellow actors.

Another actor who never failed to illuminate the stage at Einstein High was Carl Parkin, portraying the role of Preacher Haggler. Parkin is an additional actor who undoubtedly unified the show. His ability to stay in character even when not directly involved in the scene is very imposing. The audience could always find him sitting off to the side of the stage, and unfailingly staying in character. He managed to fully embrace not only the lines and movement of his character but his personality as well. Every move that was made and every line that was milked had reasoning that rooted back to his character's very own personality and beliefs.

Ultimately, the cast and crew at Albert Einstein High School put on a show that was well worth seeing. The simplistic yet picturesque set, accompanied by the undying energy radiating off of the lead and supporting actors, created a dynamic that did nothing but indulge the audience in the show.

Evan Howard
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

The dim mountains were illuminated with green lights and strange designs. The bright and cheery Appalachian town filled with dancing and bluegrass music. In Albert Einstein High School's production of Dark of the Moon, the audience is treated to the story of star-crossed lovers from very different worlds trying to overcome the difficulties of their backgrounds and communities.

Written by Howard Richardson and William Berney in the early 1940s, Dark of the Moon is based on the haunting folk ballad of Barbara Allen. The story follows the witch-boy John who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful Barbara Allen from the little town of Buck Creek. John makes a deal with the mysterious Conjur Woman in order to transform into a human and be with the woman he loves—as long as she remains faithful to him.

Adrianna Quaide did an outstanding job of portraying Barbara's love for John (Ben Butler) and her resolve in continuing to love him despite intense pressure from her family and community. She provided a very realistic and consistent portrayal of a small town girl swept up in a relationship with a witch-boy from the mountains. With a strong singing voice and a stronger accent, Quaide made us feel for Barbara in her weakest moments and root for her to succeed against all odds.

Buoying the show was the lively ensemble of townspeople, showing a window into a small American town faced with the threat of something strange and unfamiliar. Leading this ensemble was Carl Parkin as Preacher Haggler, the self-righteous preacher who always "guards his flock" and tries his best to root out any sins he perceived in the town of Buck Creek. Parkin's constant high energy and earnest portrayal of a religious leader brought the rest of the town to life, whether by leading a religious revival or holding an impromptu wedding in a general store.

The mountains (expertly crafted by Leaf Crooks, Byanca Morales Cabrera, and the Einstein Production crew) spanned the entirety of the stage and anchored the production in the enchanted setting of the Appalachian Mountains. Serving as a base for an array of lighting effects for actors to clamber on and around, the mountains set the tone throughout the play. Rays of the morning sun breaking through the peaks of the mountains or the ominous shapes concealing witches lurking in the shadows, the expertly-crafted mountains contributed more than visual interest to the show.

Another technical highlight was the use of makeup (Ellie Barkyoumb and Einstein Makeup Crew) for distinguishing characters, with otherworldly makeup used for supernatural characters and aging makeup used for the older townspeople.

Dark of the Moon grapples with very mature and emotional issues and is by no means a happy story, but Albert Einstein High School did a commendable job telling a moving tale of lost love. A well-rounded cast and diverse set design ensured that Dark of the Moon had a little something for everybody.

Sophie Camus
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Nucleus

"A witch boy from the mountain came, A-pinin' to be human." With these words, a spell was cast over the audience of Albert Einstein High School's "Dark of the Moon," and the bittersweet ballad of love and loss took flight.

"Dark of the Moon" is the tragic retelling of the Scottish folk song, "The Ballad of Barbara Allen," in which a lovesick witch is granted the ability to descend the Smoky Mountains as a human to marry his beloved, so long as his lover stays faithful. Penned in 1939 by Howard Richardson, with revisions by William Berney, the play was first performed at the University of Iowa, before moving to Broadway in 1945. Known for its Appalachian flavor, "Dark of the Moon" features folk songs and a plethora of mature themes, creating a unique challenge for its actors, who, in the past, have included the likes of Paul Newman and Richard Hart.

Playing ill-fated lovers is a towering endeavor, yet actors Ben Butler and Adrianna Quaide met this challenge with remarkable skill. Ben Butler portrayed John with a quiet, but ardent aplomb. Butler's movements were subtle, yet his emotions were clear thanks to occasional nuances in his hauntingly calm Appalachian drawl. Adrianna Quaide displayed her theatrical prowess, as she fully transformed herself into the Smoky Mountain spitfire, Barbara Allen. Her strong accent, clear singing voice, and brazen independence made it clear why John was spellbound by her. The moment tragedy struck, Quaide embodied her character's agony with heartbreaking perfection. The magnetism between the two was hypnotic, particularly during "The Central Square of Buck Creek," in which Barbara freezes mid-song and John approaches her in his human form.

The supporting players of Albert Einstein High School framed the lovers' tragedy with back-country charm, as they made up the town of Buck Creek. Mia Lulli shone when playing Ma Allen, Barbara's overbearing mother. She sang with an abundance of Bluegrass twang and interjected moments of delightful brevity into the heavy story. Carl Parkin, playing Preacher Haggler, led his pious congregation with contagious zeal. Parkin accelerated the evangelical fervor of Buck Creek, which plays a crucial role in the play's tragic ending. Gavin Schulman, as the Conjur Man, grounded the show in chilling mysticism. Schulman employed a weathered tone, which was enhanced by an echoing effect, to deliver the bad omens which haunt the audience throughout the show.

The technical aspects of "Dark of the Moon" were rich with craftsmanship, adding realism to the actors' storytelling. Costumes, which were set in muted autumnal hues, stayed true to the play's rural 1930s setting. Einstein Makeup Crew used advanced techniques to convey age flawlessly in addition to using chromatic pigments to designate the supernatural. The Lighting Crew utilized the cyclorama to bathe the stage in the hues of dusk and dawn. Detailed set pieces, such as carved mountains and a rustic general store, immersed the audience in Appalachia. Stage Manager Sachi Sakaniwa orchestrated the smooth transition of these pieces between scenes. Live musicians Nora Farahat, Luca Medina-Downs and Sam Williams, contributed folk-infused accompaniment to each hymn, love song and somber ballad sung on stage.

Albert Einstein High School's "Dark of the Moon" bewitched the audience, taking them on a journey with peaks and valleys not unlike the Smoky Mountains themselves.