That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker
at Broad Run High School

Reviewed on April 17, 2021

Rebecca Connor
South County High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Whenever disaster strikes, insanity and hysteria are bound to strike. Such is the case on a small lifeboat adrift in the icy sea after the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Following the absurd tale of six strangers, Broad Run High School's production of "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" artfully blended tragedy and comedy to create an unforgettable show.

Written by Brant Powell, "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" is one of a collection of three stories that details the immediate aftermath of the Titanic's sinking. After exchanging stories, including some from writer Edgar Allen Poe, the survivors pull a man in from the water. His presence quickly incites fear among some members of the lifeboat, leading the band of strangers down a treacherous path.

With eccentric gestures and high energy in the role of Dorothy Gibson, Rachael McNutt lifted the show beautifully, carefully utilizing consistent physicality to fill the space. By varying how she handled her repeated lines, Dorothy's penchant for drama and acting came across beautifully. Opposite the vivacious Dorothy was Sam Fila as Sarah Westerly, who helped to ground the show with sincere and clear expressions. Her genuine emotions and consistent accent helped to pull the show together, especially when juxtaposed with some of the more comedic characters.

Mike Spage as Victor Volkov provided excellent comedic relief to the show with perfect timing and solid physicality, adapting to each scene as necessary. His fluid Russian accent helped to add to the mood of the show and helped to alleviate many somber moments. Ailish Cole excellently captured Hudson's slow descent into madness, transitioning clearly from a more grounding presence in the show to a catalyst for destruction. The cohesion of the actors during the ensemble scenes was commendable, and the embrace of the strange circumstances the characters found themselves in created a fulfilling performance. In the final scene of the show, Kyleigh Loy as Wallace Hartley executed a heartbreaking ending that brought depth and contrasted a more somber mood with some of the more absurd moments.

Combining virtual backgrounds and in-person set pieces, director Theo Mastio navigated the rough terrain of pandemic-era theatre flawlessly. With physical interactions limited by social distancing, the use of comical props during the fight scenes only served to heighten the insane tone of the production. The use of green screen was executed wonderfully, with the use of thematic overlays adding beautiful depth to the story. The director and the rest of the editing team (Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Natalie Saint-Rossy) are to be commended for stitching together each scene in such a smooth manner, especially given how each actor was filmed separately, to create an astounding production. The costumes (Winky Nguyen, Natalie Saint-Rossy, Kermena Sameul, Christina Russell) helped bring the show to life, creating the feel of a true period piece, especially with the beautiful flapper-style dress worn by Rachael McNutt.

The cast of "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" admirably juggled the absurd and somber nature of this show, complemented by an amazing technical array. Full of attention to detail and juxtaposition, this show is best summed up by a quote from the great Edgar Allen Poe: "I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."

Kailee St. John
Thomas A. Edison High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Titanic. Everyone knows the story, or at least, they think they do. Broad Run High School presented their new show, "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker," a captivating comedic spin on the classic story. What awaits these lifeboat occupants adrift at sea? Could it be murder, the undead, or perhaps, the master of macabre himself, Edgar Allen Poe.

Musicians played a sweet serenade as water flooded the ship, yet amidst the ocean waves laid another, much smaller boat with troubles all its own. The passengers shared a haunting tale as tensions rose and tides swelled. A wealthy socialite, a glorious actress, a British sailor, and a mysterious stranger pulled from the sea waited for rescue. But how long would it take, and what happened beneath the black of night?

This offbeat show, by local playwright, Brant Powell, was not afraid to embrace its absurdities with a sense of self-aware humor that was wonderfully hilarious and engaging to watch. Of particular note was Mike Spage's performance as the endearing Victor Volkov. Spage's Russian accent was quite impressive and served to further emphasize his impeccable comedic delivery. With well timed breaks of the fourth wall and one liners to spare, Spage was a brilliant adddition to this well rounded ensemble. Rachael McNutt was enchanting as famed actress Dorothy Gibson, a woman with a particular flair for the dramatic who viewed life as a never ending rehearsal, because rehearsals, after all, mean you can always have a do over. McNutt's audacious energy was consistently intriguing as she managed to find the perfect balance between comedy and drama.

Sam Fila was tremendous as Sarah Westerly, whom she portrayed with a beautiful sincerity that not only contrasted her more animated counterparts, but helped to ground this otherwise farcical show. Another standout was the trio of violinists played by Kyleigh Loy, Maggie Kapczynski, and Gabriel Saines. Their authentic chemistry bookended the performance in only the best of ways. Maggie Kapczynski as John "Jock" Hume immediately captured attention as her frantic distress revealed a more truthful side to the maritime tragedy. Kyleigh Loy brought an unexpected somberness to the role of Wallace "Wally" Hartley, which was sure to touch any audience member.

Despite the distancing restrictions placed upon them, the students of Broad Run High School worked creatively and collaboratively in order to achieve a feat of technical production. Their commitment to excellence was especially evident in the intricacies of the editing. The dedication of the editing team (Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Natalie Saint-Rossy) was highly commendable and the result was a seamless production that created the illusion of close proximity. The use of green-screen made the show all the more immersive and helped create the ambience of cinema. This was also helped, in part, by the work of the fantastic lighting team (Kate Baltazar-Toral, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Amann Iqbal, Aiden Presley). It truly appeared as though the actors were illuminated by the moon's light, a lovely touch that further enhanced the atmospheric quality of the set. The costuming was beautifully done by Winky Nguyen, Natalie Saint-Rossy, Kermena Sameul, and Christina Russell, who managed to create distinctive characters within the realm of period appropriate attire. Allison Carver's blue gown and delicate fur exuded wealth and extravagance, while Dorthy Gibson's stunning gold dress was the pinnacle of Hollywood glitz.

The water's rising and chaos is descending. Get ready to meet the passengers of the world's most famous ship, but prepare yourselves and grab a life vest because you are in for a couple of twists.

Isabelle Anderson
Thomas A. Edison High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

If you enter Broad Run High School's production of "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" expecting a somber tragedy based on the true story of the Titanic, you're in for quite the surprise: Combining a classic lost-at-sea narrative with Edgar Allen Poe and the undead, Broad Run's entirely virtual take on this absurdist play made for an experience that will have the audience both laughing and gasping in horror!

Comprised of three acts, "That Sinking Feeling," by Brant Powell, follows three lifeboats of survivors from the sinking ship. In the final, most absurd act viewed by the Cappies critics, audiences were introduced to a particularly eclectic group of strangers. Ranging from energetic actress Dorothy Gibson to stoic Russian Victor Volkov, these survivors struggled to cope with the tragedy they had just witnessed. As time in their tiny lifeboat went on, madness began to take hold: murder, zombies, and socially-distanced fight scenes all ensued that left audiences on the edge of their seats!

Broad Run created this production using an impressive amount of editing and individual efforts from the actors, making for a virtual performance that felt entirely immersive. Each actor filmed their parts alone, allowing for proper social distancing, and each of these recordings were seamlessly edited together by director Theo Mastio along with Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy. The dialogue between actors felt quick and natural, and when their separate shots were visually combined, it was impossible to tell that they were filmed individually!

The commitment of the editing team towards bringing this virtual production to life was paralleled by that of the actors, all of whom created entirely believable and entertaining characters. Among these commendable performances was Rachael McNutt as actress Dorothy Gibson. McNutt fully embraced the melodramatic and eccentric nature of her character, providing consistent entertainment through her over-the-top mannerisms and insistence on repeating real-life conversations as if she were in the middle of a play rehearsal. Another impressive performance was Ailish Cole's portrayal of sailor Hudson, who portrayed the descent into madness and murder of this initially rational character hauntingly. This descent into madness was embraced by the rest of the lifeboat cast as well, all of whom created absurdly entertaining zombie personas upon each of their deaths.

As mentioned before, the editing of "That Sinking Feeling" was particularly impressive, especially when combined with the visual effects created by the production team. For instance, the overlay of images utilized when the survivors aboard the lifeboat talked of the horrifying actions of past shipwreck survivors added to the eeriness of the moment, with daunting images of sinking ships being placed over the shot of the survivors in their lifeboat. Similarly, the cool-toned lighting employed by Kate Baltazar-Toral, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, Amann Iqbal, and Aiden Presley made it seem as if the actors were truly being basked in moonlight despite their indoor filming location.

Overall, the commitment of the actors to creating entertaining, absurd characters and the dedication of the production team to creating an immersive, realistic show despite the constraints of the virtual setting resulted in a thoroughly entertaining production. Broad Run's "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" was not only a perfect blend of horror and comedy, but served as evidence of the ability virtual theatre has to innovate and inspire.

Sam Kaynor
Thomas A. Edison High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

One of the most sorrowful events in the history of the world, the sinking of the Titanic, is synonymous with many words: tragedy, disaster, and catastrophe to name a few. However, after Broad Run High School's performance of Brant Powell's "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker," other words come to mind, chief among them being comedy, absurdity, and poeticism.

This story followed the aftermath of the Titanic's fateful collision with an iceberg in April of 1912. The show first introduced violinists on the boat discussing the state of affairs, but quickly shifted to follow a group of individuals in a lifeboat discussing their situation and getting into petty squabbles. From an energetic actress to a smooth Russian gentleman to a dignified, albeit outspoken, lady, a variety of passengers discussed the predicament they now all faced. As tensions slowly rose, a man was saved from the water, some passengers lashed out, some perished, and absurdity came to the forefront.

The actors and actresses of the show all added an incredible amount to the atmosphere, and their chemistry with one another helped to elevate the show. One great standout was Victor Volkov (played by Mike Spage), whose consistent Russian accent and well-timed comedic relief kept the show light and helped audience members to stay focused and engaged in the action. His interactions with the other characters brought out many memorable comedic moments of the show. Another incredible performance was shown by Dorothy Gibson (played by Rachael McNutt). Her ambitious actress character was amplified immensely by her powerful delivery, great body movement, and stellar expressions. Her performance alone was enough to thicken the atmosphere of some scenes to the point where audience members could practically taste the tragedy through their computer screens. Of course, the initial sense of atmosphere was largely owed to John "Jock" Hume (Maggie Kapczynski) and the other violinists. Jock's character presented a different view of the events and a refreshingly unique style that kept the violinists scenes at the beginning and end of the show from being too sullen. Without a doubt, the best part of the acting talent of the show was the chemistry between every character and their dedication to their roles creating an ambience that gave the show a deeper meaning.

The technical elements of Broad Run's performance must not be ignored. Every scene was filmed individually and composited together through editing, which seemed impressive before watching the show. However, the smoothness of every scene and the clean jump cuts made the whole thing seem professional and more like an in-person experience. The jump cuts in particular gave the sense of turning to look at other actors in the middle of a scene, a feeling that added greatly to the realism of the show. The work of editors Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy should be applauded and respected. Additionally, the costumes felt period-appropriate, helped to characterize the passengers, and allowed audience members to easily differentiate between characters at a glance. Winky Nguyen, Natalie Saint-Rossy, Kermena Sameul, and Christina Russell did an incredible job, especially considering all of the difficulties of remote filming from a variety of locations. Every technical element added to the show in a different way and made it feel more complete.

This show was truly special. Every aspect was good on its own, but in tandem with one another, they created something special. Broad Run's performance felt like true Poe-try brought to life.

Taylor Nagaj
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

A sinking ship, an eccentric with a love for dark poetry, and a group of eclectic strangers-- the perfect combination for an eerily tragic tale, surely. Or maybe…a comedy?

"That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker", written by Brant Powell, followed along the storyline of the sinking of the Titanic, combined elements of humor, tragedy, absurdity, and overall creativity.

As the boat full of its caricatures told its story, Broad Run High School explored the theme "gentlemen, we play on", spinning a twist on the original story of the Titanic by asserting the perspective of the pandemic into their show. Though faced with their own iceberg upon being locked into the virtual environment, the cast took advantage of what they had in front of them.

The actors and actresses of the production maintained solid tone quality and projection despite their masks, which really added to the visible dedication displayed throughout the scenes. Though the parts of the violinists were short, played by Kyleigh Loy, Maggie Kapczynski, and Gabriel Saines, the performers added a necessary depth to the production, cutting away at the humorous night to exemplify the main theme. Overall, the students of Broad Run demonstrated consistency and balance as they made their descent into madness, held strong with accents, and took advantage of the props in their setting.

Speaking of detailed usage of surroundings, it's impossible not to mention the intense dramatization provided by actress Rachael McNutt. McNutt's character, Dorothy Gibson, was animated, energetic, and read with elegance. McNutt exhibited valiant use of gesture and body language, and additionally provided the drama necessary for her character, as demonstrated in her reading of Edgar Allen Poe--creatively changing the dark poetry to shift the tragedy towards humor.

The brilliant idea to make such a tragic story into something laughable, would not have been interpreted as smoothly without the comic mind of Mike Spage. His landing of jokes not only hit at just the right moments, but his accent flowed cleanly, creating a unique contrast to the others in the boat.

Throughout the entire production, it's impossible not to see the detailed dedication that the crew has placed in this work of art. The advanced editing skills by Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy turned this tragedy to brilliance. The green screening skills, the splits and editing for fight scenes, and additionally added overlay/sound/cuts, showed that when placed in the virtual setting the crew was successful in taking advantage of their surroundings.

The attention to detail was notable, as the lighting and scenery appeared so realistic at times, aiding the show underneath moonlight. Sound and music never appeared overbearing, and this goes for all technical elements. They contained a balance that aided the show along in its plot and helped performers with accentuating their theme.

Though hit with many challenges and great sorrows in our lifetimes, Broad Run reminds us that there's always a spare moment to turn your tragedy into a comedy, if you take the advantage of perspective.

Philip Callihan
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

Have you ever been stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, with a group of strangers on a single lifeboat, who are all slowly becoming zombies, after you just paid tons of money to be on a luxury cruise to America? If you haven't, you definitely need to see "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" performed by Broad Run High School, so you can be filled in on all the shocking details. "That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker" was created by Brant Powell to follow the bewildering events of a fictional lifeboat (no need to worry about zombies… yet) at sea after the sinking of the Titanic. This act was completely directed and performed by students of Broad Run High School under the direction of student Theo Mastio.

While there were many lead actors in this film some audience favorites were Mike Spage and Rachael McNutt. Mr. Spage played Victor Volkov, the Russian servant of Allison Carver (played by Madeline Dearie), who was a dynamic character as he constantly switched from the role of a servant to that of a lover. Additionally, using a Russian accent and some dry humor, Mr. Spage was able to develop a lovable and laughable character unlike any other. Miss McNutt played the part of the famous actor Dorothy Gibson, who did everything twice. Once for real life, and once for pure theatrics. Upon being stabbed Miss McNutt yelled out in pain and collapsed, upon being pronounced dead, she rose again. Insisting on being stabbed a second time she yelled and flailed about, reciting works by Edgar Allen Poe until her last breath was spent. Miss McNutt acted as though this would be the only reasonable response to being stabbed at sea, staying perfectly in character until death.

The most noticeable aspects of this play had to be the post-film editing that was conducted by Theo Mastio, Jannah Fawzy, Nicholas Kaplan, Rachael McNutt, and Natalie Saint-Rossy. The most amazing thing about the editing wass the scale at which it was done. Unlike other virtual shows, every single scene shown to the audience included some form of editing such as splicing, the use of a green screen, or simply showing text on the screen. Splicing was utilized in order to expand the theater's ability past Covid-19 restrictions, making it possible for actors to perform directly "next" to each other, while actually performing at a separate time or room. It was extremely impressive to see such a technique put in place and used to its fullest potential. Green screens were also used extensively to better show the environment in which the play took place. For example, during the introduction it was used to show the deck of the Titanic, and during the bulk of the play it was used to show that the actors were out at sea.

"That Sinking Feeling: The Delectable Tale of Richard Parker," performed by Broad Run High School, stood out as a sensational and beautiful mix of a COVID virtual performance and traditional in-person play. Utilizing the virtual platform and editing abilities that come with it, Broad Run was able to create a production that was as liberating and realistic as a traditional performance, while allowing for the use of technology to further escalate their abilities. While actors weren't able to gather side by side, Broad Run made the very best of their situation to create the very best production they could.