Through the Eyes: Mockingbird & 110 Stories
at Woodbridge Senior High School

Reviewed on February 8, 2020

Emily Townley
Rock Ridge High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Putting on one show for all to see is a sure feat of strength. Putting on two completely different shows, however, is a true sign of hard work, dedication, and commitment. Woodbridge Senior High School's productions of Mockingbird and 110 Stories (collectively called Through the Eyes) are stories of people coming together in the face of adversity.

Both plays take on heavy themes. 110 Stories, written by Sarah Tuft, focuses on the aftermath of 9/11. Taken from the testimonies of everyday people, including a homeless man, a mother, and even a chiropractor, 110 Stories shows more of an honest, "off-camera" reaction to the unimaginable tragedy that happened almost 20 years ago. The second play, Mockingbird, is set after a school shooting. Eleven-year-old Caitlin, whose brother was among the killed, is an autistic girl who is struggling to understand the world around her and is facing the fact that her brother is gone. The question is: how do these two seemingly unrelated plays connect?

One way the two shows were connected was through the incredible use of space. Every part of the stage (and even the audience) is used for storytelling. In Mockingbird, space is used to convey how isolated Caitlin (portrayed by an endearing Kaylie Farfan) is from her fellow classmates. Space is also utilized in a way where the audience knows whenever Caitlin is feeling overwhelmed, therefore letting the viewers feel the same way she does. 110 Stories makes those in the seats part of the action. Nick Perkins, playing one of the heroic firemen, walks through the aisles as if he were truly in the staircase of the World Trade Center, sharing the panic he felt on that fateful day.

Another way these two shows are connected is through the lighting. For these two shows, one color sticks out to the audience in times of crisis: red. Designed by Skyler Hill, the lighting shifted to red whenever a period of chaos occurred. As it was the only shift in color throughout the show, viewers feel a sense of panic, of fear, whenever the stage turns a grim shade of red. Just like when Caitlin is at her most anxious, or when the people stuck in the north tower of the World Trade Center felt the south tower, and their world crashing down. With the help of the lighting, the audience truly feels the emotions that the characters are experiencing.

In the end, the experience is what tied the shows together. This generation of teenagers grew up in the shadow of 9/11, only experiencing the horrors that happened through news clips or stories from their elders. However, the issue of gun violence in schools is something that many students of this generation fear and possibly have faced themselves. The directing team, comprised of Lillie Cooper, Miriam Elhadidi, Skyler Hill, and Kevin Turcios, put together an incredible showcase of what grief, and maybe even solace, looks like in the event of the unthinkable. The students of Woodbridge Senior High School truly worked together well to show the audience what can happen when people come together to overcome a tragedy.

Erica Bass
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Loss is ubiquitous, though the way we each experience it is distinctly individual. Woodbridge Senior High School's production "Through the Eyes," a Winter Theatre Festival consisting of the One Acts "Mockingbird" and "110 Stories," dove deep into an exploration of sorrow, to bring heart, compassion, and community to an experience so highly varied, yet so fundamentally similar.

Written by Julie Jensen and first produced in 2014, "Mockingbird" paints a picture from the perspective of Caitlin, an 11-year old girl on the autism spectrum. After she loses her brother, the audience follows Caitlin's journey to make sense of a world without him in it, feeling every tense moment and echoing the sound of her rising heartbeat as it reverberates through the theatre.

Juxtaposing the isolation felt by Caitlin following the tragedy, "110 Stories" by Sarah Tuft captures the unifying nature of disaster through harrowing recounts of the experiences of survivors in New York on 9/11. Though told through individual monologues in intense detail, the community of a changed New York was distinct as each testimony offered unique and heart-wrenching insight into both the 110 stories of the World Trade Center that fell and the thousands of stories of those who watched it all happen.

With clean command and precision, Kaylie Farfan took the stage as Caitlin in "Mockingbird". Using careful manipulation of her speech patterns and vocal timbre, Farfan created a character of subtle power whose discomfort manifested in her meticulous physical movements, down to her expressive hand twining and angled-in feet. It was Caitlin's varied relationships that harbored the show's poignancy, and no scenes exemplified that more than the interactions between Farfan's Caitlin and her father, played by Michael Plaugher. Plaugher brimmed with shrouded and stifled emotion, grounding the tragedy of his family's circumstance, all while maintaining a comforting and paternal presence for Caitlin. The duo's cathartic emotional breakthrough epitomized the necessity of companionship and understanding in times of devastation.

From the ruins of September 11th rose a city of people willing to sacrifice everything for each other, and the ensemble cast of "110 Stories" encapsulated this reality of comradery born in catastrophe. Despite the monologue format, characters developed connections through animated movements across the stage, pantomime, synchronized breathing, and active listening, to physically communicate the togetherness of survivors on Ground Zero. Particularly memorable was Nick Perkins as FDNY firefighter Don Casey, as he ran through the stairs and seats of the audience, exhaustion evident in the tremor of his New York accent, transporting those watching into the smoke-saturated tower.

Each show transformed the stage thanks to the direction of Miriam Elhadidi for "Mockingbird" and Lillie Cooper, Skyler Hill, and Kevin Turcios for "110 Stories". Utilizing all the space provided, the directors of both shows created visually fluid stage pictures with their ensembles to assert the tense, overwhelming environments, and highlight individual actors in specific moments. The use of actors to create sound effects -from the hands rhythmically thumping on chests in "Mockingbird" to the slamming of boxes in "110 Stories"- submerged the audience in multi-sensory storytelling that sent chills through the theater.

Striking and strategic minimalism defined the technical aspects of "Through the Eyes". From the simple, muted grey set, to the use of only red lighting effects, all emphasis was placed on the performance of the actors, and the vulnerable humanity felt in these tragic experiences became tangible.

With tension, love, and ardor, Woodbridge Senior High School's production of "Through the Eyes" speaks to the universality of tragedy and humanity that can develop through experiences of sorrow.

Max von Kolnitz
Hayfield Secondary
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Tragedy and grief have a strange way of evoking a sense of unity in a community, while also creating a feeling of isolation in oneself. This concept is explored bravely in Woodbridge Senior High School's groundbreaking production of the piece "Through the Eyes," a combination of two challenging one-act plays, "Mockingbird" and "110 Stories."

The first one-act "Mockingbird," adapted to the stage by Julie Jensen, is based on the National Book Award-winning novel of the same name by Kathryn Erskine in 2010. The play follows an 11-year-old autistic girl named Caitlin who recently lost her older brother in a school shooting. The audience watches as Caitlin is at first unable to grasp at emotions of grief and loss, but slowly over time, she begins to learn, with the help of those around her, how to emote and properly remember her lost brother.

In this challenging piece, the role of Caitlin was played brilliantly by Kaylie Farfan. Farfan portrayed the delicate role of Caitlin with ease. Notable parts of Farfan's performance include her many mannerisms to allow the audience to know how she was feeling in every moment even if her words were few. And when she did speak, Farfan utilized a consistent speech pattern to mimic the speech of a person who was on the spectrum. Another stand out of this cast included Caitlin's father played by Michael Plaugher. Plaugher displayed a great range of emotions throughout the production by acting as both a father wanting to help his daughter and a man in pain from the loss of his son.

After a brief intermission, the next one-act begins with the sound of Mockingbirds to help beautifully link the two traditionally unrelated shows together. "110 Stories" is a play by Sarah Tuft that uses first-hand accounts from survivors of 9/11 to tell the story of that day and how it brought together strangers for a greater cause. Everyone from the firefighters to the residents of Lower Manhattan gets a speech in this beautiful piece and together paint a clear picture of how it felt to be alive on this tragic day.

In this gorgeous play, stand out actors include Nick Perkins who played Don Casey, a firefighter who was assigned to rescue in the South Tower. Perkins portrayal of Don Casey was done with precision and care utilizing an authentic New York accent and raw emotions to convey the emotions of a man who gave everything to help others on that horrific day. Another star performer in this piece was Yasmin Kettani with her portrayal of Karen Slade, a mother looking for her son in the city near the towers. Kettani exhibited a masterful understanding of the text of the play with her passionate delivery of every line along with the beautiful use of vocal imagery to paint a picture of how New York City really looked that day.

Technical aspects of both shows were simplistic but elegant with simple lighting transitions and minimal set pieces to allow the audience to fully understand the theme and tone of both plays.

"Through the Eyes" at Woodbridge Senior High School was an edgy, thought-provoking piece of theatre that is a worthwhile watch to anyone who wishes to learn something new about unity in times of grief.

Joshua Mutterperl
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Lorton Valley Star

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. From chaotic moments of heart-pounding tension to authentic stories of quiet contemplation, Woodbridge Senior High School gave the audience the gift of perspective in its moving production of Through the Eyes (a double-feature of the plays Mockingbird and 110 Stories).

Mockingbird (written by Julie Jensen) opened at the Kennedy Center in 2015 and tells the story of Caitlin, a fifth-grader on the autism spectrum who struggles to cope with the untimely death of her older brother in a school shooting. As Caitlyn learns how to process her emotions, she befriends an equally lonely boy named Michael and also helps her overwhelmed father handle his own grief.

Kaylie Farfan as Caitlin demonstrated a remarkable balance of commitment and restraint, utilizing repetitive motions and consistent postures (such as standing with her feet turned in) to subtly yet effectively build a realistic character. While keeping to the behaviors often displayed by those on the autism spectrum, such as a tendency to avoid eye contact, Farfan still managed to create distinct relationships with each character in the show.

Strong supporting performances helped develop these interactions. Donovyn James as Michael used extremely high energy to create a bubbly and fun friendship with Farfan, whereas Miriam Elhadidi took on a mature tone as the counselor Mrs. Brook to make her scenes with Farfan almost motherly. Most poignant of all was the connection Caitlin shared with her father (played with thought and heart by Michael Plaugher), which perfectly illustrated the impact of tragedy on an unconventional but loving family.

The play was supported by a strong ensemble of students who, under the meticulous supervision of student director Miriam Elhadidi, painted beautiful stage pictures with sharp freezes and underscored Caitlin's moments of discomfort with the captivatingly synchronized beating of their chests.

The sound team (Skyler Hill, Sadie Sullivan, and Xavier Mosier) did an excellent job designing audio that unobtrusively enhanced the emotional elements of each play. Best of all, the same audio played at the end of Mockingbird was repeated after intermission, segueing into the tragic 110 Stories, which took place on what was, by all accounts, a "beautiful day".

110 Stories, written by Sarah Tuft and first performed in 2003, tells the stories of survivors of 9/11 in painful but powerful detail. We follow the journeys of those who were affected by the event in different ways, from a first-responder EMT to a Port Authority engineer desperately trying to descend from the North Tower to a concerned mother attempting to pick up her son from school. Together, these narrations devastatingly detail an event that forever changed America.

Although the play is comprised largely of monologues, student directors Lillie Cooper, Skyler Hill, and Kevin Turcios crafted a show filled with unique and gut-wrenching movement. From slamming down set pieces to simulate explosions to diving towards the ground, coughing and sputtering as red lights flash, the whole cast masterfully executed their ingenious blocking.

While each performer was remarkably strong, Nick Perkins stood out by crafting an honorable yet sensitive character in his portrayal of first-responder fireman Don Casey. Whether bravely charging into the burning towers or tearfully recounting a dream that haunted him after the event, Perkins was believable and endearing throughout. An especially tense moment of audience interaction came when Perkins climbed through an aisle in the audience to represent switching staircases.

Thanks to strong performances and superb direction, Woodbridge Senior High School tastefully reflected on fear, loss, and hope in their riveting production of Through the Eyes.

Maya Andersen
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to InsideNoVa-Sun Gazette

Events such as 9/11 and school shootings are responsible for terrorizing countless innocents, leaving many dead and others scarred for life. Playwrights Julie Jensen And Sarah Tuft recognized the need for these tragic stories to be told. Through their respective one act plays, Mockingbird and 110 Stories, the writers emphasize a missing link between people who are actually dealing with inner anxiety and trauma and people who are just watching from the background. Mockingbird tells the story of an autistic child, whose brother was recently killed in a school shooting. With her father too grief-stricken to assist her, she must navigate the world without the help of her older brother to catch her when she's falling. 110 Stories tells the stories of select witnesses of 9/11, each with a different horrifying account of the events of September 11th, 2001. In an afternoon full of melancholy, horror, and grief, as well as purposeful moments of humor, Woodbridge High School put on a spectacular sequence of one acts, collectively called Through the Eyes, which left the audience in tears and with a newfound perspective on death up-close.

Kaylie Farfan as Caitlin in Mockingbird dazzled the audience with strong character movement and diction. She had a clearly well-thought out approach to playing an eleven year-old with a developmental disorder, and the social anxiety she felt because of her autism shone in her performance. Adding to this feeling of anxiety was clever ensemble movement. The audience could feel Caitlin's heart beat when the entire cast beat their chests in unison, greatly elevating the show's emotional intensity.

Donovyn James' absolutely charming performance as Michael, Caitlin's first-grader friend, warmed the audience's hearts with an impeccable imitation of a six year-old and perfectly-timed comedic relief. In the same show, age was perfectly clear in Sadie Sullivan's performance as fifth grader Emma. Her vocal and physical choices left the audience with no doubt that she was a fifth grade girl.

Flashes of red as well as key moments of dim lighting emphasized the dark and urgent moods of the shows. Lighting played a big role in adding intensity to each of the one acts. Lighting design by Skyler Hill, David Method, and Logan Shreve is to be commended for setting the mood of these dark shows. Sound designers Skyler Hill, Xavier Mosier, and Sadie Sullivan provided a clever transition from one play to the other by playing familiar bird sounds at the beginning of 110 Stories.

The 110 Stories cast as an ensemble left a permanent mark on the audience's hearts, and some individuals stuck out especially. Actresses such as Yasmin Kettani and Lillie Cooper left big impressions with their respective characters Karen Slade and Natalie Roundtree. Kettani did not drop her physicality for a second: she nailed the stances and mannerisms of an adult woman and mother. Cooper's calm tones and subtle emotional intensity made her character an absolute pleasure to watch.

Woodbridge High School's Through the Eyes beautifully combined two very serious plays into one night of emotional intensity. By presenting pain and trauma due to mass murder in a completely new way, the two casts left an indelible mark on the audience's hearts.