The Seagull Project
at Bishop Ireton High School

Reviewed on May 15, 2021

Zander Kuebler
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Estranged cousins, apparitions, dead seagulls, oh my! Bishop Ireton High School's production of "The Seagull Project" showcased nuanced acting and smooth technical elements across three quirky yet gripping short films.

"The Seagull Project" is a student-produced compilation of three films based loosely on Russian playwright Anton Chekov's "The Seagull." Despite drawing inspiration from the same pool of characters, relationships, and plots, Bishop Ireton High School created three completely unique short films, each written and directed by the students.

The first of the shorts, "The Homework Club," was a touching discovery of friendship in the style of the similarly named '80s classic film "The Breakfast Club." The second, "Apa," was a look within an unsatisfied worker who learns about life from an apparition. And the third, "The Dead Seagull," was a comedic love story where the two lovers connect with the help of a talking dead seagull.

"The Homework Club" started the production off with a bang, weaving a revelatory friendship story between countless '80s movie vibes, including voiceovers, over-the-top expressions, and even a dance break. The story followed a group of four students who were forced to work together on an extra credit project, two of whom, Simone, played by Sophia Webster, and Bridget, played by Hallie Crawford, were a pair of cousins who had grown apart. Webster and Crawford both used subtle acting choices to demonstrate the history between the two characters, ranging from avoiding eye contact at the beginning of the show to disgusted eye-rolls when their characters were most fed up with one another. Their gradual emotional build-up and release were true-to-character and not overly dramatic, making the rekindling of their relationship more believable and inspiring.

Following the touching finish to "The Homework Club" was the much more nuanced yet equally powerful "Apa," written, directed, filmed, edited, and acted entirely by Gabby Pamor. There wasn't much dialogue in "Apa," but it wasn't necessary, as Pamor differentiated her dual roles of Ryn, a busy woman, and Apa, a bouncy apparition, with distinct physical choices. For example, Pamor used straight posture and quick movements for Apa and slumped posture and dragged out movements for Ryn. Ultimately, Gabby Pamor highlighted a completely different view on "The Seagull" with her "one-man" show.

The third and final production was "Dead Seagull," written and directed by student Maya Andersen. In the film, two lovers rebuild their dying relationship after Constantine, played by Kip Sisel, brings Nina, played by Maya Andersen, an advice-giving dead seagull. The concept is absolutely outrageous but worked because of the unfaltering commitment of the actors. Both Sisel and Andersen showed no hesitation in talking their hearts out to the seagull carcass, getting emotional and passionate despite the absurd circumstances. Their dedication made the short unbearably funny, a lighter supplement to the emotionally taxing endings to the two other films.

What made these three different productions flow together were the near-seamless technical elements. The technicians of Bishop Ireton High School recognized that, being very character-focused, none of these films called for extreme technical choices. They kept their choices simple and effective. For example, the videography of all three films (in order of film: Cory Crawford, Gabby Pamor, and Grace Constantian) was impressive but not overpowering. The videographers used clever panning and mirror shots, as well as multiple angles for each scene, to keep the progression of each story from becoming too slow or stagnant.

Overall, Bishop Ireton High School's "The Seagull Project" cleverly used different perspectives on Chekov's infamous piece to showcase talented acting and clean technical elements.

Isabelle Anderson
Thomas A. Edison High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

"We're not hurting, we're living," an eloquent line spoken in Bishop Ireton High School's production "The Seagull Project," perfectly encapsulates the message of their work. Based on Anton Chekhov's play "The Seagull," this production was an entirely student-written and directed effort consisting of three scenes with distinct takes on their source material. The first, "The Homework Club," follows four students stuck doing a group project who bond despite their differences. The second, "Apa," tells of a girl followed by an apparition that convinces her to improve her life. The third, "Dead Seagull," follows two teenagers navigating their feelings for each other through the medium of a seagull corpse. While these scenarios may seem entirely different, they all strike upon the aforementioned idea of pain simply being a part of life, showing audiences the difficulties of navigating our relationships and identity as we grow up.

With these three unique plot lines, the commitment of every actor in this production was crucial in bringing it to life. In "The Homework Club," all four actresses created distinct characters: Sophia Webster's soft-spoken character Simone contrasted Hallie Crawford's confident character Bridget, with Jasmine Williams's angst-ridden character Masha and Charlotte Benson's bubbly character Nina doing the same. Because each actress made their characters so different, their eventual bonding was heartwarming and satisfying. In "Apa," actress Gabby Pamor played both the downtrodden Ryn and optimistic Apa, giving the characters a juxtaposing dynamic that also made Ryn's eventual adoption of Apa's ideas heartwarming. Finally, in "Dead Seagull," actors Kip Sisel and Maya Andersen adopted a campy acting style, giving their characters Constantine and Nina dramatic reactions to the titular seagull corpse that made this already comedic scene even funnier.

Aside from the actors, the impressive cinematography of each scene also added to the audience's immersion in the production. In all three scenes, the shots were filmed with a clear intention to enhance audience understanding of each character's emotions. In "The Homework Club," Camera operators Hallie Crawford and Cory Crawford filmed a wonderful montage that showed the growing friendship between the characters as they ventured their town. In "Apa," Gabby Pamor's cinematography and editing made her two characters (both played by her!) appear together in the scene's final moments to share a glance that cemented Ryn's adoption of Apa's optimism. In "Dead Seagull," the close-up shots of the actors by cinematographer Grace Constantian emphasized their intense reactions to the seagull corpse, again adding to the comedy of this scene.

Of course, none of these acting and technical successes would be possible without the commendable student writing of these scenes. Olivia Dedham's writing in "The Homework Club" was insightful and heart wrenching, delivering lines such as "we push away our childhood so fast because we think it makes us better" that perfectly struck upon the struggles of growing up. Gabby Pamor's work on "Apa" involved minimal speaking, yet the plot of her scene was entirely distinguishable due to her precise emotional direction. Finally, Maya Andersen's writing in "Dead Seagull" took much inspiration from Chekhov's original text, leading to a hilarious delivery of formal lines that contrasted the scene's wacky plot.

The work of every student involved in "The Seagull Project" is evident in all three scenes, which, when viewed together, deliver three unique yet cohesive takes on their source material that perfectly encapsulate the struggles of adolescence. Whether it be reconnecting with childhood friends or finding love over a seagull corpse, Bishop Ireton's production invites laughs, tears, and contemplation all in under an hour.

Madison Shannon
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

Where do '80s coming-of-age films, apparitions, and dead birds find a common home? In Bishop Ireton's "The Seagull Project," of course!

The students of Bishop Ireton were given the opportunity to create short films based on Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull," and their creations were made into "The Seagull Project." The show features characters from Chekhov's piece, as well as some of the connections shared between them. Each scene, however, tells its own tale; with three contrasting stories full of unique plots but familiar characters, Bishop Ireton has created a marvel of a film that demands attention.

In "The Homework Club," an endearing coming-of-age film featuring four high school girls made connections to not only "The Seagull," but familiar films such as "The Breakfast Club." Sophia Webster, Hallie Crawford, Jasmine Williams, and Charlotte Benson play Simone, Bridget, Masha, and Nina, and created an ensemble of great strength. They shared moments of great joy and friendship as well as moments of brutal honesty and vulnerability, conveying a very truthful representation of the teenage years. The cinematography by Cory Crawford was phenomenal and extremely professional, aiding in the story's strong connections to '80s movies. Costumes by JJ DeNunzio gave each of the four girls a strong sense of individuality and creativity.

"Apa," created and executed by Gabby Pamor, was haunting, and featured two characters, Ryn and Apa, both played by Pamor. Apa, which is short for apparition, created an idea of a woman being haunted by herself. The scene was a testament to Pamor's immense talent, both in front of, and behind, the camera. This short story was one to behold for many reasons, all of which can be brought back to Pamor.

Finally, "Dead Seagull" completed the multipart film with a bang, providing a comedic romance full of twists and turns. The writing by Maya Andersen was extraordinary, featuring very formal speech to convey very modern themes. Andersen also played both Nina and the Seagull alongside Kip Sisel, who played Constantine. The two's constant push and pull was hilarious in its extremities, winding up with Sisel in a seagull costume.

"The Seagull Project" evoked a variety of emotions and proved the intelligence and creativity of the students involved. Though it was a whirlwind of laughs, thoughtfulness, and love, the film tied together to create one masterpiece that simply cannot be missed or forgotten.

Olivia Elliott
Freedom High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

What happens when characters and themes from Anton Chekhov's classic Russian play, The Seagull, are combined with a 21st century Virginia setting? The Seagull Project by Bishop Ireton High School; a three part production featuring the struggles in various relationships. While each scene contained different characters with different problems and personalities, the overall connection of the importance of relationships tied it all together.

The first section of The Seagull Project, The Homework Club, focused on a group of students in danger of failing a class. To avoid this, they must do an extra-credit project: a scavenger hunt to find extraordinary things in historic places in Alexandria. Despite awkward beginnings and vast personality differences, the four found a way to connect and realized that labels are arbitrary and can harm friendship. There was a clear, contrasting energy between the character personalities, such as Masha, whose introverted, depressed demeanor (portrayed by Jasmine Williams) played off of bubbly Nina's (Charlotte Benson). The heartwarming travel montages and time lapses that captured the story of blossoming friendship was artfully achieved by Cory Crawford, who filmed the entirety of The Homework Club.

Apa, the second of the three, had a melancholy, ethereal feel to it, which was enhanced by the different filters used over the film: a black and white scheme for the indoor scenes, and a sort of sunset-colored filter for the outdoor ones. The film had a subtle plot, creating an imaginative aspect for viewers. It seemed to be about an emotionally crushed Ryn, stuck in a job she didn't like, as emphasized by the downcast feelings present every time she opened her laptop. However, a ghost or inner personality apparition, Apa, appeared to Ryn and left a message that Ryn should be herself and do something that she enjoys. The cast consisted of only one actor; Gabby Pamor, who played both the withdrawn Ryn and the inspirational Apa. Some incredibly interesting camera techniques were used, especially that of editing in a faded out Apa right next to Ryn on both a couch and in the backseat of a car, which also sprang from the talent of Gabby Pamor.

Closing out the set was Dead Seagull, a somewhat dark comedy about two lovers and a dead seagull. The vignette began with Constantine (Kip Sisel) storming up a suburban sidewalk, with a dead seagull for Nina (Maya Andersen), who had been ignoring his texts. Instead of being revolted by his "gift," Nina was touched that he killed a seagull for her. The seagull corpse (which had been some sort of lifelike model of a seagull) became temporarily reanimated (as a seagull puppet) to deliver the news that Constantine pines for her. Nina promptly delivered the seagull back to Constantine, who mangled it and sent it back. Passing the seagull corpse ended when Constantine, who showed up inside a seagull suit, an extremely hilarious costuming choice, professed his undying love to her. The passion the actors infused with their characters made the already hilarious script much more comedic, such as Kip's feverish stabbing of the seagull corpse as Constantine. The seagull's voice itself (provided by Maya Andersen) harkened back to the play's Russian roots, as Maya used a Russian accent, further bolstered by the classical violin music playing in the background of the scene.

The Seagull Project, a silly, yet sentimental, classic, yet modern, story about differences and love reflects undeniable talent and imagination of script writers, actors, and technicians alike. It's clear the Bishop Ireton theatre students didn't just wing it.

Meena Megahed
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

What's better than one big play? Three all in one! Comprised of three separate movies all cohesively sewn together through similar themes, "The Seagull Project" by Bishop Ireton High School beautifully explored stories about the human experience as a person grows.

All the stories told in "The Seagull Project" were adapted from noteworthy playwright Anton Chekov's "The Seagull", a show that discusses the meaning of life and still stands as an extremely prominent and influential piece that, regardless of its dating back to 1865, always starts conversation. Choosing a piece such as "The Seagull" to adapt and turn into an original version is no easy feat; however, the cast at Bishop Ireton pulled it off seamlessly through their stellar camera work, magnificent acting, and adept writing that left the audience deep in thought post-curtain.

The first story, entitled "The Homework Club" took the audience inside the world of an '80s movie and followed the four lovable main characters, each starkly different from the next in their looks and attitudes, becoming unlikely friends as they unravelled truths together and opened up one another. The character of Bridget (played by Hallie Crawford) led the pack in her exceptional performance of the classic "popular girl" character. Crawford showed incredible skill as she exemplified an authentic honesty in her role, and directed the whole piece as well! Simone (played by Sophia Webster) perfectly balanced Crawford's performance as the outgoing protagonist. Playing cousins and former childhood best friends who have since drifted apart, Crawford and Webster brought the perfect chemistry to the screen, one filled with awkwardness, truth, and a unique and perfectly captured love between long lost friends.

After the heartfelt ending of "The Homework Club", the show was immediately transformed into "Apa", the story of a lowly girl, Ryn, followed by a ghost named Apa, who the audience comes to learn (and love) is Ryn's guardian angel in life, and leads her to a meaningful change whenever she disappears. Taking on every possible role in the show, Gabby Pamor successfully showed off her exceptional talent as both Ryn, Apa, director, and creator. The creative depth and complexity of "Apa" is one that left the audience with different interpretations of the characters, their roles in each other's lives, and the general meaning of "Apa".

Closing out "The Seagull Project" was the cleverly named "Dead Seagull" starring (and created by) Maya Andersen, along with Kip Sisel. The story of "Dead Seagull" took the audience on a wild ride, with a seagull being passed back and forth between a broken couple, each trying to win each other back through the advice and presence of this wacky seagull. Andersen and Sisel embraced the peculiarity of this story, whether it involved dressing in a seagull costume, or talking to a dead seagull, each actor left a hilarious and memorable performance. The show discussed some dark aspects, but the cast managed to keep it light and funny as they left the audience in fits of laughter with their slapstick humor and comical delivery.

Overall, each show excelled in any and all technical aspects. Each movie's cinematography was not only done skillfully but played a hand in telling the story. Doubling as an actor and behind the scenes creator was an incredibly hard job, but those who accomplished just that in "The Seagull Project" did so wonderfully!

"We push away our childhood so fast because we think it makes us better." This meaningful quote written by the talented folks in this show perfectly sums up the meaningful and touching stories told in the spectacular performance of "The Seagull Project" by Bishop Ireton High School.