Julius Caesar
at Stone Bridge High School

Reviewed on May 22, 2021

Leah Blum
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears." The memorable line from one of Shakespeare's most famous plays captured the essence of politics: listening to the person of highest authority. Through the use of a podcast/radio-show format, the line resounded with meaning. Stone Bridge High School's radio drama-style production of the classic Shakespearean play "Julius Caesar" was a complex, intriguing, and beautifully performed adaptation of the historical show.

The performance consisted of scenes one, two, and three of the third act of the play. Beginning with the titular character (voiced by Katie Reif)'s betrayal by the likes of the powerful Brutus (Theodore Streaker), the audio recording followed the story to the performance of the famous speeches by Brutus and subsequently Antony (Lucy Sampson) and continued on to the final display of the theme of authority with the witch hunt-like accusation of an innocent poet (Cori Teel) by the angered group gathered to hear the speeches (Diana Altenhof, Bella LoBue, Zack Burton, and Rachel Emch). The audio format lent itself beautifully to the play, as the actors and technicians created a multi-dimensional production through their performances and technical elements.

The audience, referred to as plebians' in the original script, displayed the characteristics of townspeople in the wake of a political uprising very effectively. Altenhof, LoBue, Burton, and Emch, playing these characters, worked well together, using excellent diction to both demonstrate the changing emotions of the crowd and differentiate between them. Streaker as Brutus was a subtle, stoic character, using his strong voice to command others in the scene and radiating authority. He held consistent energy throughout each scene and delivered clear, meaningful monologues as the traitor through well-developed pace and a clear understanding of the text. Sampson stood out as Antony, a conflicted and passionate performance, eliciting the character's emotions through every powerful line. Delivering long and important monologues, the range of Sampson's emotional diction was never lacking, and her energy was consistently high. Each line hit hard and true, drawing full attention to the character when speaking.

The technical aspects of the show completed the well-rounded and ever-interesting production. Original music by students Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris underscored key moments in each scene, building tension or adding to the atmosphere with beautiful melodies. The music did not at any point take away from the actors' performances and was subtle enough to draw no attention away from the dialogue while adding key atmosphere to the scenes. Katie Reif additionally managed the recording, sound mixing, and sound effects for the production. While some sound effects were pre-recorded, some of the most effective ones were created by Reif using practical Foley techniques. One such instance was the seamless incorporation of the slight crackling of paper as Antony opened Caesar's will. The effect added suspense and realism to the scene and created dimension in the performance without the need for a stage. Also contributed by Reif, the audio was accompanied by a simple yet beautiful image of a parchment for Caesar's will. This graphic aided in setting the atmosphere for the production and did not distract at all from the performance.

Overall, Stone Bridge High School's audio production of Act III of "Julius Caesar" was an excellently edited and produced performance. Their use of actor's voices as well as sound effects was effective and created a world through only sound. A beautiful performance, "Julius Caesar" was compelling, memorable, and impressive. With a finished product resembling a BBC radio drama, it was truly an example of great audio storytelling.

Cami DiVenere
Freedom High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Most everyone is familiar with the iconic story of Julius Caesar. The intense betrayals, the dramatic deaths, the togas! But are most people familiar with how the play sounds? Due to COVID-19 constraints, Stone Bridge High School took Shakespeare's classic Julius Caesar off the stage and into the recording booth to create a BBC radio-style podcast version of the classic play!

Even without seeing them, the stark contrast between Lucy Sampson's Antony and Theodore Streaker's Brutus was very clear. Sampson's ear-catching monologues and dramatic pacing made her a stand-out actress in the podcast. Her sarcastic pokes at Brutus and intense tone of the speech made her an excellent voice to listen to and easy to picture on-stage. Streaker's Brutus was different in the best possible way. His subtly and rational calmness added excellent variation to the vocal levels of the podcast. Streaker played the role with a certain confidence and determination that played well off Sampson's Antony.

The ensemble of Plebians (Diana Altenhof as Balbinus, Bella LoBue as Caecilius, Zack Burton as Valerius, and Rachel Emch as Rufus) was the audience's guide in the podcast. Shakespeare's verses can sometimes be difficult to understand, especially if you're only listening to them. The ensemble provided a clear mood for each scene. Their overlapping dialogue aided in making clear where the characters were next headed, while also solidifying themselves as a strong and adept band of characters.

While her time in the podcast as a voice was short-lived, Katie Reif did more than just assume the role of Caesar. Not only did she do his climatic death a great justice, but she also skillfully executed all the other sounds in the podcast. As the podcast's foley artist, the sounds of parchment unfolding, sandals running, stabbing, and bodies hitting the ground were all the work of Reif. Her homemade sound effects blended in seamlessly with the scene and added to the environment of the podcast. And with the addition of original music compositions and performances by Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris, the background music and sound effects created a dark atmosphere, especially after Caesar's death.

With the intense acting and creative use of sound, Stone Bridge took a leap by using a unique setup and owned it. The podcast format was filled with great atmosphere and professional-like sound work that engaged audiences even without the four other senses. Stone Bridge High School's Julius Caesar was truly a treat for the ears.

Ellie Vlattas
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

"Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar." Stone Bridge High School's production of Julius Caesar launched directly into action with the most iconic betrayal in literature. This fascinating production was filled with captivating vocal expression and detailed sound effects transporting the audience to the streets of Ancient Rome.

This classic Shakespearean play was written during the Elizabethan era. This ancient story paralleled the conflicts occurring in the monarchy which inspired William Shakespeare to put a quill to paper. Stone Bridge's production featured only audio, which resembled a BBC-style radio show. This podcast brought attention to the actor's vocal expression and diction and allowed the sound aspects to shine through.

The play begins with Caesar arriving at the Senate, unknowingly about to be faced with the ultimate betrayal from the fellow senators. Caesar's death creates a conflict between Mark Antony and Brutus as they ponder if killing Caesar was truly the right choice. This conflict travels throughout the city of Ancient Rome as the people begin to pick sides.

Lucy Sampson starred as the proper and compelling Mark Antony, who struggles to accept Caesar's death. Sampson's vivid emotions and clear vocal expression made her character's motives easy to follow. Her ability to change from a calm and collected senator (when with the ensemble) to filled with rage and irritation (when by herself) demonstrated her impressive acting range. Theodore Streaker starred as the stoic and honorable character Brutus, who is against Mark Antony's opinion. His calm and stoic nature captured Brutus' personality and motives. Streaker's vocal ability and emotional tactics were used to convince other actors. Following Caesar's (played by Katie Reif) death, Streaker's vocal expression paralleled Reif's expression, which created a connection between the different characters.

Katie Reif played Caesar, the ill-fated Roman leader. Reif's inflection and diction made her important lines easy to understand. Her ability to convey the important moments throughout the show added to the rest of the production by shaping the rest of the story. Cassius' (played by Grace Paskey) complex dialogue came naturally to the actor and featured the ensemble in her captivating lines which connected everyone. The ensemble work throughout this performance created the streets of Ancient Rome. The four citizens (Diana Altenhof, Bella LoBue, Zack Burton and Rachel Emch) developed the story and helped define the mood of the show. The ensemble played off each other which included speaking over each other to add dimension.

The technical aspects of the show were masterfully crafted. The sound effects and mixing (designed by Katie Reif) created pleasant flow throughout the story and added to the actors' performances. The detailed sound effects--such as the will being unrolled -- added dimension to the scene. The original music composition and performance (composed by Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris) added intensity and shaped the eerie nature of the show.

Stone Bridge High School's production of Julius Caesar was filled with remarkable vocal expression, elaborate sound effects, and beautifully crafted music that transported everyone back to the streets of Ancient Rome

Bethany Gledhill
St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen" lent their ears to Stone Bridge High School's podcast of Act III, Scenes I, II, and III of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare's venerable play about the assassination plot surrounding the title character. First published in 1599, the play continues to offer insights into the fall of the dictator, and the character flaws that plague both dictator and conspirators alike. Delivered in a unique podcast format which evoked famous radio shows of the pre-television era, each actor's voicework took center "stage."

Act III of the play begins after the treacherous Cassius has managed to convince Brutus, Caesar's close friend, to join the conspiracy. The action continues with the actual murder of Caesar and culminates with two opposing funeral eulogies delivered by Brutus and Caesar's other close ally, Mark Antony.

As Antony, Lucy Sampson delivered Shakespeare's iconic lines such as "Brutus is an honorable man" with a level of commitment that unveiled Antony's stark ambition. Sampson's performance avoided melodrama, while infusing her character's words with a potent mix of guile and sincerity. No rendition of Julius Caesar would be complete without Brutus, deftly played by Theodore Streaker. In contrast to Antony's emotional response to Caesar's death, Streaker portrayed Brutus' calm reaction to assassinating a man who had once been his friend, and Streaker's steady performance telegraphed just how deeply the character of Brutus believed his actions to be the right ones. While all of the other characters seemed to be preparing for war, Streaker's Brutus clearly just wanted everyone to calm down.

Even though the assassins and Caesar's supporters are crucial to the action, the plot of Julius Caesar is driven, in large part, by the common people, known as the Plebians. Stone Bridge's choice to perform Act III of the show gave these supporting characters ample opportunity to showcase the emotions of the Roman masses. Played by Diana Altenhof, Bella LoBue, Zack Burton, and Rachel Emch, the characters interacted with each other in a way that revealed their emotions as the common people of Rome reacted to the oration of Brutus and Antony. Their intonations throughout the funeral scene portrayed the changing mood of the crowd and conveyed the crowd's vacillating allegiances.

The background music, composed and performed by Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris, complemented the dialogue without overpowering or distracting from it. The music was particularly integral to conveying the tone of the scenes. For example, the music played after Caesar's death conveyed momentary victory, while foreshadowing the ominous events to come. The Foley sound effects and sound editing, both done by Katie Reif, added realism and cohesiveness to the podcast, allowing the audience to hear even small details like a character unfolding a piece of paper.

Stone Bridge High School's lively podcast of Act III of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar was as ambitious as the conspirators believed Caesar to be, in that the theatre company displayed a rare ability to tackle Shakespearean drama without the aid of facial expressions or body language. The production owes its success to the actors' crisp voice work and emotive delivery, supported by the technical crews' lush sound and original music. In short: a triumph.

Alyssa Medici
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

"Et tu, Brute!" As he died, Julius Caesar stared down Brutus, having been stabbed by a man he had considered a close friend. The sting of this painful betrayal rings prevalent throughout the eerie, treacherous, and traitorous plot of Stone Bridge High School's production of "Julius Caesar." Written by William Shakespeare, "Julius Caesar" follows the aftermath of the assassination of Roman general and politician Julius Caesar. The production stood out in that it was created in the style of a BBC radio show and was audio only.

Despite the production being audio only, the cast of "Julius Caesar" was very dynamic, and the emotion they brought to their Shakespearean characters was extremely evident. Katie Reif adopted more modern conversational tactics in her portrayal of Caesar, which was a very refreshing take on Shakespeare's notoriously complex language. Theodore Streaker's portrayal of Brutus was more stoic, and a perfect representation of Brutus' personality: collected, and confident that murdering Caesar was a wise choice. Lucy Sampson's soliloquies as Mark Antony were phenomenal, her emotion could be felt solely through her voice. It reverberated through the screen and was extremely compelling. The ensemble characters Balbinus (Diana Altenhof), Caecilius (Bella LoBue), Valerius (Zack Burton), Rufus (Rachel Emch), and Octvaius' servant Sabina (Anaika Korath) all helped to define the tone of the show and ensured that there was never a dull moment. The cast worked together artfully to maintain consistent pacing and energy, guaranteeing that no monologue was too fast or too slow.

While the technical elements of "Julius Caesar" were not physically seen, they definitely did not go unheard. The editing, done by Katie Reif, was smooth and subtle, and maintained the flow of the story without feeling choppy. The sound effects, also done by Katie Reif, were extremely impressive. Many of them homemade, the effects enhanced the story without being too distracting, whether it be the retreating footsteps of a character as they exited a scene, the sounds of Caesar's last breaths, or the unfurling of his will. Equally as impressive was the score of the production, created and performed by Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris. The music was subtle enough so as not to distract from the speech of the characters, but set the mood of the scenes nicely, especially the eerie music that underscored Caesar's death. Even the still image that served as cover art for the production was student created (Katie Reif). The image of Caesar's will looked remarkably authentic, and perfectly represented the essence of the show.

The cast and crew of "Julius Caesar" had a refreshingly alternative approach to the timeless Shakespeare tale of haunting betrayal. Be wary, there is certainly more than meets the eye in Stone Bridge High School's production of "Julius Caesar."

Makayla Parker
Centreville High School
Submitted for publication to The Bulldog Tribune

Beware the Ides of March! In William Shakespeare's classic play "Julius Caesar," the leader of the Roman empire is assassinated via a conspiracy of sixty of his colleagues stabbing him twenty-three times on the Senate floor. The tale of Caesar's death has lived on for generations, including Stone Bridge High School's advanced theatre class' production of the bard's popular show. The cast and crew created a BBC Radio-style podcast of part of the play, which includes both Caesar's assassination and Mark Antony's famous "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" speech.

The podcast itself is absolutely stunning, one of the best produced all year. The actors spoke their words with consistently excellent diction, and each voice was distinct; the audience had no trouble telling who was speaking (an essential piece of an audio-only show). The cast members were able to play off each other with ease. Throughout the dialogue, dead space could not be found, and at times when the cast would speak over each other, the actors navigated the challenge with an un-likened grace.

Two of the most graceful actors were Theodore Streaker (playing the conspirator Brutus) and Lucy Sampson (playing the noble Mark Antony). The mark of a great Shakespearean performance is how well the audience is able to understand the language. This is already extremely difficult to perform without the limitations of no physicality, but both of these actors went above and beyond. Not only did they have the mark of great Shakespearean performers, but they also succeeded in crafting their true-to-text characters, which is often a challenge for young actors, given the language. Streaker brought a stoic calamity to Brutus, creating a nice contrast between himself and the ensuing chaos of his actions. And Sampson, as Antony, was by far one of the most compelling actresses. She gave a performance laced with gusto and drama and made the plot clear for the average audience member.

Some other characters that deserve recognition were Julius Caesar (played by Katie Reif) and the plebians (played by Diana Altenhof, Bella LoBue, Zack Burton, and Rachel Emch). The audience was wowed by these performances, particularly Reif's commitment to telling the story. Her modern inflection helped the modern audience understand the plot. The same goes for the plebians, story-telling-wise. The audience was better able to understand the effects of each speech because of the plebians. They worked extremely well together and deserve a round of applause.

Although the acting was stellar, the technical aspects of this show were even more impressive. Most of the sound effects were created by Katie Reif. She created almost everything, from the sound of people walking to the unfolding of the will. She even put in the diligent work to create, find, and insert the audio of fabric moving. Her meticulous nature elevated the show to the next level and only re-asserted the radio show essence of this podcast. Speaking of elevating to the next level, the music composed and performed by Arman Moshafi and Evan Harris was incredible. It was never too overpowering and added to the ambiance of the show, creating a feeling of high stakes. Overall, the technical crew brought a level of almost professional work to the performance.

And even so, this professional-level performance is indicative throughout the piece. Forgive the bluntness of this review, but there are too many compliments to be said, and these reviews have a word-limit. Simply, Stone Bridge's production of "Julius Caesar" is a must-see.