Luna Gale
at Somerset Academy Charter School

Reviewed on October 30, 2019

Alonso Millan
South Plantation High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Any social worker will tell you the same thing - the child's well being is always the top priority. And in Somerset Academy's gripping production of Luna Gale, just what that means morally, ethically, and professionally, is heavily tested.

Luna Gale, written by Rebecca Gilman, made its debut at the Goodman Theater in 2014. The play follows the story of Caroline, a social worker who is assigned the case of Luna Gale. Luna's parents, Karlie and Peter, are meth addict teenagers, but who truly love and want the best for their daughter. Luna falls into the care of Cindy, Karlie's religious mother, and Caroline is faced with the difficult task of deciding Luna's future. Everyone believes they know what is best for Luna, but ultimately, it is Caroline who must navigate through the complex moral and professional matters of Luna's case.

To tackle such a heavy and relevant piece of theater is no easy task, and Somerset Academy's cast and crew shine in this production. Performed in an intimate black box setting, Somerset Academy transports the audience into the world of Luna Gale for a night, through strong performances and impressive technical elements.

In her portrayal of Caroline, Mariana Sierra gave a mature and well rounded performance. Carrying the breadth of the show on her shoulders, Caroline's character is faced with difficult decisions and intense moments, and Sierra rises to the challenge wonderfully. Victoria Vitale must also be commended for her superb performance. Vitale disappears into the role of Karlie, giving a raw and honest performance that was a highlight whenever she appeared. Delivering lines with both overwhelming intensity and subtle emotion when needed, Vitale must be commended for her phenomenal job as the troubled mother.

The cast as a whole gave well acted performances, notably Daniel Calderon as Luna's father, Peter. Providing the occasional comedic relief, Calderon gives a subtle but potent turn as the loving and dedicated father. At times, some cast members lacked chemistry amongst each other and energy in their performances, but overall maintained strong portrayals throughout the night.

The technical aspects of the show were quite impressive. In an intimate setting like a black box theater, even the most minuscule of details did not escape the props team of Garcia and Co. The props immersed the audience into the world of Luna Gale, being designed and executed masterfully. The costumes by Fadekemi Tella and Natalia Fernandez further helped to build the world of the play, through the clever way they showed the progression of Karlie and Peter from struggling addicts to parents determined to get their daughter back.

Somerset Academy's production of Luna Gale was full of memorable performances and well executed technical aspects, and made for a compelling and powerful experience.

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

Oftentimes, we wonder if what we fight for is worth it. We wonder if redemption can ever be attained in situations that seem too far gone. And often, life proves that redemption does not come in the way we expect. This redemption manifests itself in Somerset Academy's production of "Luna Gale".

Premiering at the Goodman Theatre, "Luna Gale" was written by Rebecca Gilman and has won the ATCA New Play Award. "Luna Gale" focuses on the journey of a social worker, shedding light on foster care and on the debilitating situations in the world today. As Caroline, the social worker, tries desperately to help a set of teenage parents reunite with their baby, she addresses her own inner demons in the form of abuse and drug use. Perfect redemption is never obtained in the story; however, it continues to poke its hand through the broken cracks and pull characters out of the brokenness they have found themselves in.

This message was further emphasized by the energy of the actors. The raw emotion in this piece seemed to grasp each actor by the hand and make them better than they ever were before. The emotion and insecurity of the character of Caroline (Mariana Sierra) shone through every action, every word, and every expression. She never attempted to portray a social worker as glamorous or a hero, but rather as an exhausted, worried human, which, in reality, made the character more of a hero than if she had been perfect. However, this emotion was matched if not exceeded by Victoria Vitale (Karlie). She built up emotional breakdowns as if they were real, as if they were fires forming slowly inside of her until finally they burst, burning everything around them.She portrayed the true feelings of a helpless mother, one who needs someone else's help to drag her out of the ocean she has found herself in. Other actors, however, were slightly less dynamic and convincing. Despite this,they still managed to add to the emotional pull of the story,forming a tale of redemption in every action.

Technically, the show remained simple in order to draw more attention to the story itself. However, small details in each technical aspect added even more intricacy to an already deep show.In terms of costumes, designed by Fadekemi Tella and Natalia Fernandez, the show was limited by its modern setting. However,they portrayed the journey of the actors in the clothes that they wore. As Peter (Daniel Calderon) slowly became redeemed, the clothes he wore followed that journey as well, going from dirty to clean.In set design, Callie Garcia utilized the same basic building blocks throughout the show, employing creativity to bring life to the various scenes.

Somerset Academy's portrayal of "Luna Gale" served as a stark reminder that we are to fight for what we believe in. We are to fight for redemption and never give up on it, regardless of the outcome. Whenever we invest in a person, we reveal their inherent value and allow them to discover their own. As we tumble through this imperfect effort, everyone involved is sanded and polished to reveal their true selves. Thus, we find the lasting value in the fight for redemption regardless of the final results.

Madeline Finkelman
North Broward Preparatory School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

As the fate of a hospitalized baby lies in the balance, the broken adults surrounding her search for answers in the dark corners of drugs, religion and the social welfare system. The baby is Luna Gale, the title character in Somerset Academy's poignant and powerful production that explores the disturbingly real issues of addiction, abuse and apathy.

The gripping story of Luna Gale, written by Rebecca Gilman, had its world premiere at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in 2014. Gilman is known for plays that shed light on current problems in our society, and Luna Gale is no exception. Set in present-day Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the story begins in the lobby of an emergency room. Lights up on a teenage girl frantically and frenetically pacing while her partner lays passed out on the waiting room seats. This meth-addicted pair are the parents of Luna Gale, the baby who has just been hospitalized. When social worker Caroline steps into their world, what seems to be a textbook case slowly evolves to reveal the tortured pasts and troubled lives of all of those involved.

Leading the cast with excellence was Mariana Sierra as Caroline. Sierra created a believable balance between Caroline's no-nonsense, work-focused attitude and her sensitive vulnerability when dealing with her past and the memories that still haunt her. Sierra carried herself with a great sense of maturity and with her exemplary portrayal, helped further propel the other characters and the plotline of the play.

Victoria Vitale brilliantly portrayed the complexity of the drug addled teenage mother Karlie. Vitale brought honesty and truth to her performance, creating an impressive character arc as her past traumas are uncovered, going from frenzied meth-addict to sympathetic teen-mom. Vitale handles the mature subject matter fearlessly, delving into the varying stages of drug addiction and the true struggles of withdrawal. Playing Peter, her lovesick and drug-sickened boyfriend, was Daniel Calderon. Calderon added a sweet sincerity to the troubled Peter, especially in his subtle comedic moments, which starkly contrasted with Vitale's neurotic portrayal. Vitale and Calderon created a well developed dynamic of the defeated and demoralized couple, highlighting the devastating effects of addiction and its impacts on a family. Another notable performance was Nina Alonso as Karlie's faith-driven mother Cindy. Alonso excellently portrayed the nervous energy Cindy conveys in her attempts to impress social worker Caroline, a facade later unmasked when the story shows the truth behind who she really is as both a mother and caretaker.

The minimalistic technical elements in the production perfectly complemented the complex plot and performances in Luna Gale. Washes of blue light in transitions helped set the tone for each scene and the commendable choice of adding red light for the more explicit moments showed great attention to detail made by the student technical crew. The simple set pieces and costuming worked to put the actors and the story front and center for the audience, both physically and emotionally.

The Somerset Theater Factory players' meaningful and melancholy take on the tale of Luna Gale gives a glaring glimpse into the lives of people forced to deal with the consequences of bad choices and the hard decisions they have to make because of them.

Savannah Correa
West Broward High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Each person has a story, but not everyone is willing to tell theirs. Some stories are easier to tell than others. But what if telling a not so easy story could change somebody's life for good?

Luna Gale is a straight play written by Rebecca Gilman. The story follows social worker Caroline (Mariana Sierra) and clients Peter (Daniel Calderon) and Karlie (Victoria Vitale), two teenage drug addicts, after they are accused of neglecting their infant daughter, Luna Gale. After the child is placed within the care of Karlie's mother, Cindy (Nina Alonso), Caroline begins to unravel more and more information about Karlie and her family's past, proving that this is no ordinary case.

Luna Gale was dark, heart wrenching, and raw, and brought up very sensitive topics not usually touched upon on your typical high school stage. The production left many audience members at a loss for words, and in deep admiration of the young cast's maturity towards such issues and their respectful portrayals.

The lead actors were very convincing in their roles, paying attention to detail in order to make the portrayals more convincing. During scenes of high intensity, Vitale and Calderon would often show how the way their characters react under stress and how it differed from how healthy people would act by performing nervous ticks (fidgeting, biting nails) and stumbling over their words. Vitale would often sell her breakdown scenes by portraying them in a "manic" manner, showing the decline in her mental state given the stressful scenarios she has been put in, as well as the result of substance withdrawal. Peter provided some of the very few bits of comedy the play had, providing some tranquility to audience members.

As for supporting members of the show, Nina Alonso performed her role as Cindy to the best of her ability, providing strong character development for one of our few antagonists. She went from a sweet, concerned grandmother who was abandoned by her rebellious daughter, to her true self being revealed, the side of her Karlie had known all too well. Much like Peter, Cliff (Kenneth Ninomiya) was also responsible for comic relief within the show and gave the audience a moment to laugh in between such intense scenes, despite not being written as a comedic character. Supporting and leading characters alike added depth and livelihood to the story, but diction could have been stronger at times, and lines could've been delivered much more naturally and with more emotion.

Sound for this production was done wonderfully. It was consistent, clear, and never faded out once. The cast made a wide rage of their own sound effects to make the experience of the whole show more immersive, which definitely worked in their favor. Though costumes were not essential to the plot, there were times in which certain characters were not properly dressed for their age, or were not fitted as best as they could be. Makeup was also simplistic and done well, but could have been used to help define the age of certain characters. However, makeup and costumes did a good job in showing the character development of our leads, giving them cleaner clothes and more fresh faced looks as the plot progressed.

The story of Luna Gale not only touched hearts, but left a window open for discussion about such dire issues affecting our society today. Join the discussion and see Somerset Academy's Luna Gale at the NSU Black Box.

Emma Sugarman
J.P. Taravella High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

A young 19-year old girl anxiously examines every aspect of the dreary hospital waiting room, while pummeling the ground with her frenzied foot. She is awaiting information about her young baby's health, which is instead replaced by the dreadful news that her child will be placed into kinship care. This heart wrenching story follows two drug abusing teens and an evangelical grandmother fighting for custody of the title character, Luna Gale. Somerset Academy's compelling production of "Luna Gale" superbly displayed the unfiltered trenches of the modern world.

Premiering at the Goodman Theatre in 2014, this passionate play, written by Rebecca Gilman, tackles mature themes of religion, substance abuse, death, sexual abuse, and teenage pregnacy. The story is primarily shown from the perspective of the veteran social worker exhausted by her overbearing boss, traumatizing past, and the relativity of her current cases. As her clients' familiar backstories are unveiled, the social worker's sympathetic tendencies reveal her own truths.


Mariana Sierra portrayed Caroline, the methodical and meticulous social worker. Sierra steered the production by unfolding each layer of her entangled subplots with great attention to detail. Her superb maturity and great variation of mannerisms, dependant on her setting, aided in her captivating performance. Embodying the misguided mother and dependant addict Karlie, Victoria Vitale captured the intense content through her brilliant facials and distinct physicality of a drug abuser. Vitale's smooth development into her manic breakdowns enhanced her vulnerable performance. Accompanying Vitale with his well executed comedic relief, Peter, played by Daniel Calderon, provided a sense of optimism amidst the somber tone of the show. Vitale and Calderon showcased outstanding chemistry through their complex relationship as teen parents.

Cindy, the religiously guided grandmother and opponent in the vicious custody battle was portrayed by Nina Alonso. Alonso's mature intonation and remarkable character development demonstrated the intensity of her realistic circumstances. The remaining performers populating the production assisted in the portrayal of the dimensional storyline through their varying characterizations.

The cast of this production depicted the mature content with ease filtering in well-timed moments of comedic relief. The company adapted their performances to the confined space seamlessly with their personalized emotions and vulnerability. Although there were minor inconsistencies in energy, and some actors portraying older characters periodically reverted back to their teenage mannerisms, overall, the actors each established dimensional and diverse characters.

The simplistic and creative technical aspects of the production effectively established the minimalistic environment. The costume changes were precise, however, some costumes could have been better adjusted to the characters' ages. Although the set changes could have been more efficient, they were compensated for by the great use of multipurpose set pieces and the detailed props.

When ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances face impossible decisions of moral quandary, paths of good intent and secret prejudices intertwine. Somerset Academy's captivating production of "Luna Gale" will tug at the core of both your heart and mind.