The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
at Los Alamitos

Reviewed on October 18, 2019

Jessa Laboissonniere
El Dorado
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies

Los Alamitos High School's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" Shines Bright
written by Jessa Laboissonniere, a senior at El Dorado High School

The many sights and booming sounds of an urban train station are an overwhelming adventure. With bright lights, flashing words, and piercing sounds, even the most experienced travelers can feel over-loaded by senses. Los Alamitos' production of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" captures the anxiousness of a new place through the lens of 15-year-old Christoper Boone, an autistic math genius whose inquisitive nature leads him on a journey to uncover the truth behind the murder of his neighbor's dog, Wellington.

Louie Gallagher brings Christoper to life with subtle yet effective physicalities. Gallagher's portrayal is consistent and realistic, selecting moments to show the audience his anxiety and emotion, making his performance more powerful.

Christoper's perspective is revealed through the entire production, but notably by the versatile ensemble, who act as neighbors, passersby, and even set pieces. Their fluid and confident motions tell a story all their own but serve most predominantly to bring Gallagher's portrayal of Christoper beyond itself and spread across the entire stage.

The set, developed by Will Schneider, is complemented by lighting by Emma Meza. The dark stage is decorated with a linear grid of neon lights, which change and shift to reflect Christoper's emotional state. Images to further paint Christoper's thoughts decorate the stage through colorful projections, designed and operated by Alexi Amescua. The visual amalgamation of colors, lights, and sound serves to both frame the mindset of our protagonist and depict some of the overwhelming aspects of daily life which affect people of special needs every day.

Additionally notable are performances by the adults in Christoper's life. Christoper's father, Ed, played by Kobe Takeda, embodies a worrisome and caring father figure. Opposite Ed is Christoper's mother, Judy, played by Leah Schiffer. Takeda and Schiffer's diametrically opposed performances show the range of responses parents of special needs children can embody.

Los Alamitos' production of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is a captivating adventure through the lens of a typically under-represented community. The combination of consistently beautiful technical elements, as well as truthful and dynamic characters makes the production a captivating and alluring tale.

Samantha Stokes
Crean Lutheran
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Beautiful rendition of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" at Los Alamitos High School
written by Samantha Stokes, a junior at Crean Lutheran High School

Wellington the dog is dead. The corpse is discovered by Christoper, a young teenage boy. No one knows who committed the crime. Deeply troubled by the incident, Christoper takes matters into his own hands and sets out to solve the case.

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" at Los Alamitos delves into Christoper's emotionally compelling journey as he solves the mystery and discovers his past.

As Christoper, Louie Gallagher brilliantly depicts the mental battles that Christoper faces with outstanding physicality, bringing authenticity to the character's emotional struggles. With admirable truthfulness, Gallagher gives the audience further insight into the character by incorporating small tics and habits to realistically portray Christoper's mental disorder. Gallagher skillfully combines Christoper's curiosity and linear rationale, shaping the basis for an overall eloquent performance.

As Christoper walks about the stage with determination, his movements are contrasted by the even-tempered Siobhan (Hannah Thiel). Siobhan serenely narrates Christoper's story while offering commentary and information regarding his past. As Siobhan, Thiel speaks with a cool, mature tone that effortlessly commands the stage.

Christoper's father, Ed (Kobe Takeda), discourages these investigative activities and often becomes the source of Christoper's frustration. Takeda embodies Ed's wavering emotions through each explosive argument, creating a dynamic interpretation of the character. Contrasting with Ed's volatility is his wife, Judy (Leah Schiffer). Schiffer peacefully moves about the stage and provides a warm, motherly comfort to ease Christoper's struggles.

Each ensemble member portrays a few minor characters and helps move the set pieces. As a unit, the ensemble moves seamlessly and never interrupts the flow. Standout ensemble performances include Madison Gulmatico (Mrs. Alexander), and Nikki Ocampo (Punk Girl).

Marketing and publicity combined the efforts of multiple promotion videos, high-quality graphics, and interactive displays around campus. To spark student interest, they placed chalk outlines of Wellington and lost dog posters around the school. For social media, multiple graphics and promotional videos were excellently designed.

Props Design created a shockingly realistic corpse of Wellington. Between the texture of the fur and its lifelike shape, it became near impossible to distinguish it from an authentic corpse.

Linking the endeavors of strong acting and dedicated technical teams, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" at Los Alamitos is an excellently performed rendition of an emotionally compelling story.

Ashley Jones
El Dorado
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

It's No Mystery "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" at Los Alamitos is 'pup'ular
written by Ashley Jones, a senior at El Dorado High School

When a neighbor's dog is murdered, local Swindon teenager Christoper takes it upon himself to find the killer. While socially awkward, this intelligent 15-year-old on the autism spectrum steps out of his comfort zone to solve the case, only to find facts about his family that change life as he knows it.

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" at Los Alamitos High School is a compelling story full of heart and the belief that anything is possible.

Louie Gallagher portrays Christoper with captivating energy. By keeping poor eye contact and always finding a way to fidget or keep moving, he moves about the stage with a mixture of curiosity and fear of the unknown. Gallagher's straight, almost unnatural, tone of voice matches Christoper's factual perspective on the world.

The lighting (Emma Meza) and set design (Will Schneider) work together to create an atmosphere that reflects Christoper's mental state. The black walls encased by LED light strips convey Christoper's linear logic. The lighting shifts from flashing rapidly when Christoper is over-stimulated by a situation to a calmer pulsing dash moving down the LED light strip when he tries to connect by touching fingers with one of his parents.

The projection design by Alexi Amescua compliments the tone set by the lighting and set design. Projection plays a major component in the last scene of the show after the curtain call. While Christoper shows the audience how he solved his favorite math problem, the screen acts as a visual aid. Different colored squares and triangles appear as the numbers prove how he was able to pass the test.

The ensemble is a critical component of this show. Christopher attempts to navigate his way through a busy train station a couple of times during the play. Bustling commuters cross the stage, blocking and confusing Christoper who is in the center of it all. They move with the precision and bored or tired expressions that is expected in a place of public transit.

Projections with words showing announcements and flashing lights pick up faster and faster as the ensemble moves to create Christoper's feeling of sensory over-load. The scene is a wonderful amalgamation of the outstanding technical and performance aspects of the show that Los Alamitos captures in the production.