That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body
at Broad Run High School

Reviewed on March 13, 2021

Alyssa Medici
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

At the hour of midnight, the Titanic began its fateful sinking, terror and panic gripped the passengers on board. As the ship slipped further below the waves into the frigid ocean, one note rang true: even amidst the chaos, the band played on. Broad Run High School's production of "That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body" mirrored the sinking of the Titanic in just the same way; amidst absurdity, turmoil, and murder accusations, the band played on. The production, written by Brant Powell and co-directed by Theo Mastio, placed the audience in a lifeboat with six Titanic passengers to observe their antics as they attempted to escape the sinking ship.

Despite the constraints that in-person theatre poses during this time, the cast did a stellar job of maintaining a consistent energy throughout the whole show. The chemistry between the cast was exceptional, especially given that they were not physically together while filming their scenes. The violinists (Kyleigh Loy, Gabriel Saines, and Maggie Kapczynski) set the tone for the rest of the show with a nice balance of solemn resolve and Saines' "fun fact" quips. Sarah Jakubowski's portrayal of the ditzy Southern belle Claire Ingram was remarkable; her antics, though annoying those in the lifeboat with her, were a welcome comedic break for the audience. Tristan Fishel as Jaques Frutrelle brought the best of both worlds to his character. With his steeled talk of murder punctuated by his drunken tomfoolery, Fishel toed the line between comedy and tragedy perfectly. Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick shone as the mime Tabitha Buttons. While working around the confines of having no actual dialogue, Kirkpatrick artfully demonstrated that actions do, in fact, speak louder than words.

The technical elements of "That Sinking Feeling" were absolutely remarkable, and truly tied the show together. The editing of the show, done by Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy was masterful. From splicing each individual line together, to making it appear as though the characters were standing right next to each other, the editors made the show feel cohesive, and truly enhanced the production. The faint but ever-present sounds of violins in the background was an impressive detail, especially as the tunes changed slightly to reflect the tone of the scene. The props (curated by Jannah Fawzy and Erika Abrillo) were true to the period and added to the tension and humor of the scenes, as the characters pulled weapons on each other and Jaques continually drank from his wine bottle. The costumes crew (Winky Nguyen, Natalie Saint-Rossy, Kermena Sameul, and Christina Russell) ensured that the costumes were not only true to the period, but also wonderfully accented each character, whether it be Claire Ingram's baby pink dress as a reflection of her ditzy innocence, or Vivian's sleek black gown and opulent jewelry, indicative of her lust for wealth and venomous nature. In a virtual format, the technical elements helped the production to rise to a whole new level of realism and made for a pleasant at-home viewing experience.

Throughout the tumultuous and tragic sinking of the Titanic, the band played on through the chaos, so as to calm the passengers. This is not unlike the adaptation of theatre throughout the Coronavirus pandemic; in times of tragedy and hardship, the arts bring us together and provide a welcome distraction from the situation around us. Just like the sinking of the Titanic, Broad Run High School's "That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body" will go down in history as an incredible virtual production.

Aidan Wilbur
Thomas Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Although the Titanic may have sunk, Broad Run High School's theatre department rose to the occasion. Just like the violinists that harmonized aboard the doomed ship, their production of That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body blended a perfect chord of comedy and drama.

The play was written by Brant Powell and originally performed in 2019. As the Titanic sinks, groups of passengers find themselves on lifeboats, but find that their personalities are just as big as the ship itself. In the excerpt the Cappies were shown, First Officer William Murdoch attempts to keep their lifeboat calm as drunk mystery author Jacques Frutrelle babbles about a murder, citing an invisible body as evidence of this heinous crime. Shenanigans ensue.

The entire ensemble gave a standout performance, remained engaged and reactive and kept high energy for the entirety of the performance. First Officer Murdoch (Skyyla Marks) played an excellent transition from stoic and in control to frustrated and shocked at the play's turns of events. Frutrelle (Tristan Fishel) played both emotions well, weaving back and forth between a comedic drunk and a wise author. Vivian (Grace Nambo) also conveyed this translucent characterization, with a mask of class and professionalism that thinly veiled her frustration and hatred for the other passengers. Edna (Chris Dearie) gave a phenomenal performance, from the hilarious pompous and over-the-top Edna to the cold and cunning Captain Smith, and the transition was impressive to watch. Claire Ingram (Sarah Jakubowski) delivered bit after bit, with a naivety and airheadedness that broke up the moments of tension. Tabitha Buttons (Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick), the mime, also expertly alleviated the drama, with hilarious physicality and facial expressions. All of this was framed by the three violinists (Kyleigh Loy, Maggie Kapczynski, Gabriel Saines), whose calm acceptance of the ship's fate set the tone for the dramatic aspects of the show.

The actors were kept afloat by an extremely skilled crew, who created an incredibly realistic atmosphere and brought the show to life. The props (Jannah Fawzy, Erika Abrillo) and costumes (Winky Nguyen, Natalie Saint-Rossy, Kermena Sameul, Christina Russell) were all reflective of the time period and created an immersive world. The set designers (Zoe Anderson, Amann Iqbal, Frank Ezui, Aiden Presley, Jacob Metzger) expanded upon this realism, and the lifeboat they built looked professionally done. A truly heroic effort came from the editing team (Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Natalie Saint-Rossy), who spliced each individual line to make it seem as though the actors were actually standing next to each other. Although each actor filmed on their own due to social distancing restrictions, the editing team made it seem as though they were standing face to face on the boat. These phenomenal technical aspects of the production complemented the actors perfectly and made for an immersive world.

The Titanic only claimed to be unsinkable, but Broad Run High School's production of That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body truly was. The actors' mastery of the balance between comedy and drama joined with the crew's skill at building a world when people have to be worlds apart. Together, they are on a collision course with greatness.

Pranav Choudhary
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Murder. Lies. Deception. Drunk Frenchmen. Amidst the retelling of history's greatest catastrophes, there comes a time for comedy to emerge from the ashes of tragedy, so grab your life jacket and climb aboard for Broad Run's rudder-ly hilarious production of That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body!

Written by Brant Powell, That Sinking Feeling revolves around a larger-than-life band of Titanic passengers who find themselves stranded together on a lifeboat. As a murder takes place onboard the boat with no body to be found, chaos and comedy ensue as the group struggles to solve their wonderfully ludicrous whodunnit.

As the thickheaded Claire Ingram, Sarah Jakubowski embodied every attribute of a ditzy southern belle, using an accent and exaggerated mannerisms as she remained clueless as to everything that was going on throughout their journey on the lifeboat.

With impeccable diction and a pronounced English accent, Grace Nambo brought a well-thought-out presence to the wealthy Vivian, using her character's poshness to aid her reactions throughout moments of drama and absurdity alike. Nambo's opulent scoffs perfectly foiled the doltishness of Claire, with a sobering taste for the situation's seriousness.

A cunning Francophone, Tristan Fishel's Jacques Frutrelle combined quick wit and a hunger for mystery, bolstering a French accent and several bottles of alcohol as he progressively began to get drunker and vomit overboard.

Although physically separate, the cast functioned as a powerful and dynamic ensemble, building off each other's energy in order to carry out their story. The cast's ardor was sustained through extended periods of time, even as individual clips had to be cut, re-recorded, and spliced together into one large final product.

Fluid editing (Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Natalie Saint-Rossy) grounded the production in realism, with crisp green screen visuals and intuitive splicing bringing about a true sense of unity, making it truly seem that the actors were together in-person and interacting with each other as they played their roles. Additionally, astute student direction from Theo Mastio ensured that a sustained sense of vigor endured distance and time.

Water you waiting for? Don't bait to sea Broad Run High School's production of That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body--the time is bow!

Carolyn Saxe
Thomas Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

Three violinists stood alone on deck in the cold moonlight, playing one final encore to the passengers of the ship as they sank into icy waters. The lifeboats had left by now, carrying the women and children of the Titanic away. All except one.

This lifeboat's story, The Case of the Invisible Body, was the second act of That Sinking Feeling, a play by Brant Powell. Originally produced and performed locally, Broad Run High School reached out to the playwright for permission to film, which was gladly given. Each act of the play focused on a different lifeboat attempting to flee from the Titanic while absurd events occurred. The second lifeboat followed an oddball assortment of characters trying to solve a mystery that a drunken mystery writer insisted had happened while the officer in charge tried to make him leave. By the end of the act, the lifeboat sunk with the ship as the characters realized they could not escape and accepted the actions that led them to that fate.

There was a boatload of challenges to overcome in the production of this play during quarantine, but everyone involved certainly made the most of it. Filmed on greenscreen with each actor isolated and using clear facemasks, safety guidelines were met without losing chemistry or emotion. All the actors were excellent at staying upbeat while acting alone, and combined with the slick editing, it was easy to forget they were not in the same room.

Each actor played their role with comfortable attitude, be it Vivian's snark or Claire's ditzy-ness. Sarah Jakubowski, who played Claire Ingram, brought so much sweet air-headed buoyancy to the role she could have saved the Titanic from sinking. On the other side of the comedy-tragedy spectrum, Tristan Fishel played Jaques Frutrelle's inebriated incredulousness with confidence and seriousness, all the while gripping the side of the boat trying not to allow the reappearance of his wine. These two, as well as all the other actors, did this with strong, unwavering, and varied accents. Everyone, except for Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick. Of course, she played Tabitha Buttons, the mime, so though she had no speaking lines, her outstanding physicality and facial expressions proved more than equal to an accent.

The show's tech teams' effort is clearly visible in the show. The beginning and ending songs feature violins, reminding both the characters and the audience of the musicians still onboard and of the overall theme. The actors were very audible, though their masks would muffle the sound at times. The editing team's work was impressive, the flow and cohesiveness would never betray that this was many students' first time editing a film this long, with especially seamless greenscreen work. The inclusion of a physical, handmade boat set made it all the more believable, as did the costumes. A lot of thought was put into every one costume to fit each character's personality, from the pen in Jacques' shirt pocket as a hint to his job, to Vivian's black mourning clothes contrasted with the shiny, expensive jewelry around her neck to make it clear she's a black widow through and through.

This funny yet chilling vignette into the end of the Titanic will leave you feeling like you've fallen into the arctic waters yourself, listening to the coda of those three violins.

Zack Burton
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

An unsinkable ship. An unsolvable mystery. An undeniably hysterical set of characters. Combined, they're a formula for chaos. But one thing rang true for Broad Run High School's production of "That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body"; even as hope sinks into murky despair, "Gentlemen, we play on."

Written by Brant Powell, the plot revolved around the drunken mystery writer, Jacques Frutrelle (Tristan Fishel), First Officer William Murdoch (Skyyla Marks), the clueless Claire Ingram (Sarah Jakubowski ), Tabitha Buttons the Mime (Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick), the black widow, Vivian (Grace Nambo), and Edna/Captain Smith (Chris Dearie) as they tried to solve an impossible murder, as the Titantic continued to submerge beneath the waves.

No actor can go unnoticed. The cast had phenomenal chemistry, despite not being able to physically see each other while filming. Tristan Fishel, in particular, however, gave a stunning performance. While maintaining a French accent, Fishel drew the audience in with his witty humor and spot-on line delivery. He went even further when he transitioned from a boisterous drunk to a melancholy man, resolute with the actions he had done. Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick's pantomiming was the perfect support for the inebriated author. Kirkpatrick's dancing background was apparent as she demonstrated her great physicality, with ample effervescence. Without the aid of dialogue, Kirkpatrick used other methods, such as facial expressions, to show what she was thinking. Despite playing a silent role, Kirkpatrick still managed to remain a highlight of the show, giving reactions and delivering soundless jokes.

The true stars of the show, however, were the impeccable editing team. Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy worked together to truly give life to the production. Due to COVID precautions, the cast wasn't able to be on the small lifeboat at the same time. To remedy this, the group of editors slaved, line by line, to splice together an exquisitely finished product, where the actors appeared to be side by side. They also aided actors through sound effects and camera zooms. The precise use of green screens allowed the audience to join the cast on the Atlantic Ocean, without being a constant reminder that the show was virtual.

Broad Run High School's hysterical production of "That Sinking Feeling: The Cast of the Invisible Body" left the audience laughing, even after the curtains fell. So, what happened when an unsinkable object meets an unstoppable iceberg? This story taught us that it doesn't really matter. What really matters is that you keep on persevering. Because no matter what, the band plays on.

Chrissy Martin
Independence High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

Sail across the screen as Broad Run takes you on a rambunctious journey back to 1912 in this humorous interpretation of a familiar historic event. "That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body" written by Brant Powell, a local playwright, is full of exuberant characters and... DUH DUH DUH...murder. This hysterical show filled with effortless comedy, a dazzling score, and seamless editing is an unmissable experience!

The story "That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body" takes the classic tale of the Titanic and capsizes it. In the midst of chaos induced by the sinking of the "unsinkable" ship, this hilarious interpretation full of eccentric and conflicting personalities depicted lifeboat occupants trying to escape inevitable doom. The action-packed show, split into three distinct tales took place on three separate lifeboats, allowed us to look into one story filled with the killingly amusing narrative of a murderer aboard the lifeboat: their victim...an invisible body.

This intriguing film mesmerizes from the very first shot opening on a whimsical introduction which gave an inside look into the eccentric characters the audience would encounter and three violinists who presented the given circumstances as they started playing the diegetic score, beautifully moving alongside the show's tone. Though filmed in front of a green screen, the background images aided as a pristine background allowing the viewer to focus on the gripping performances executed by this brilliant ensemble. Each actor was equipped with a clear face shield which proved to be an excellent choice allowing viewers to see the dazzling facial expressions that added to this captivating show's overall spirit.

First Officer William Murdoch (Skyyla Marks) served as a flawless straight man who brought a sense of reason and order to this rowdy group. A standout in this rambunctious ensemble was found in the idiosyncratic character, Jacques Frutrelle (Tristan Fishel) the French drunk, who tried distracting his fellow passengers with a preposterous story to prolong his stay on a lifeboat that was supposed to be for women and children only. His organic approach to such an over-the-top character served as a perfect way to introduce the extravagant plot, while he seamlessly juxtaposed his own character by delivering dark undertones to land the show's message.

Tabitha Buttons' (Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick) mime left viewers speechless with her phenomenal silent performance. Her physicality and facial expressions didn't need to utilize words to communicate her feelings. A breakout moment in the show occurred when she finally broke her silence and delivered the show's final words to the audience. This entire cast deserved applause as every actor was filmed separately yet impressively still managed to make their characters connect authentically and kept the energy of the show consistent throughout.

The amazing tech team served as the backbone as they poured themselves into sailing this show. The dedicated editing team worked tirelessly to splice every line together and green screen the entire show which they accomplished winningly! Not only did the editing team nail it but the lighting team's hard work was evident in the motivation of each cue that lit the incredibly well-executed set and show-stopping costumes. The multiple camera angles added visually engaging elements solidifying the whole show.

"That Sinking Feeling: The Case of the Invisible Body" by Broad Run High School delivered a unique high-flying performance. This broader version of a classic event in time proved Mark Twain's quote "Humor is a tragedy plus time". The show delivered a message still prevalent today: there's not always one person to blame in the face of a tragedy. This beautifully well-done show is a must-see for any audience!