Murder at the Old Keene Mill
at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Reviewed on May 7, 2021

Jack Child
Falls Church High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Have you ever passed a local street sign and wondered how the road got its name? This curiosity prompted a group of students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to research and adapt into a musical the history of Old Keene Mill Road in Burke, Virginia. "Murder at the Old Keene Mill" tells the true story of the murder of Lewis Hall in 1856 and the corresponding trial and appeal of William Keene in 1857. The dramatic tale is presented as an animatic musical one-act with a storyboard feel. The project, which was 11 months in the making, employed inspired use of color, clever adaptations for an animated format, and convincing voice acting to create a thoroughly entertaining and engaging experience.

"Murder at the Old Keene Mill" was the brainchild of Quentin Lovejoy, who composed eight original songs, wrote the book and lyrics, mixed the audio, and directed the production. Lovejoy's passion was abundantly evident, and his skill shone through in the quality of the music and lyrics. In the role of assistant director was Valo Dandashi, who also contributed much to the musical. Dandashi composed the percussion parts, designed sound for the show, contributed to the book, and animated the courtroom scene. The work of these two students alone created a promising foundation for the rest of the show.

The most impressive part of "Murder at the Old Keene Mill" was the animation. The students at Thomas Jefferson split up the hefty task between seven animators: Rachel Kwon, Valo Dandashi, Naz Ansar, Meera Gupta, Svet Pack, Mayuka Valluri, and Champe Mitchell. An animated medium allowed for creative decisions which could not have been executed in a live performance. Exaggerated facial expressions, thought bubbles used to portray the imagination or memories, and cartoonish effects dramatically increased the appeal of the show. Also noteworthy was the importance of color. The production was presented almost entirely in black and white, but the color red was used carefully and sparingly to bring attention to certain parts of important scenes. This technique made Hall's blood more jarring, the harshly accusatory John Barker's handkerchief more eye-catching, and Barnett Stewart's bowtie more vibrant.

While the animators certainly should be commended, they were only one half of the equation that brought the characters to life. Voice acting from the Thomas Jefferson students rounded out the animated figures seen on screen. Impressive coordination between voice actors and animators meant that each character's physical appearance and voice meshed together seamlessly into one individual with a believable personality. Particularly notable voice acting performances came from Ryan Lien, who gave his all in the role of John Barker, and Jay Abraham, whose clear, brassy singing voice beautifully carried the emotions of William Keene as he resigned himself to his fate as a condemned man.

Months of preparation by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology paid off in "Murder at the Old Keene Mill." The extraordinary efforts of the animation crew, coupled with the voice work done by Jefferson's actors, formed a memorable, fun, and endearing musical experience. Next time you encounter a strange road name, consider looking into its history. Who knows? There may be potential for an outstanding musical hidden in its past!

Elizabeth Vichness
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

If you've ever been in West Springfield, Virginia perhaps you've driven on Old Keene Mill
Road. However, unknown to many, there's a surprisingly riveting and violent history surrounding this road's namesake. Thomas Jefferson High School's production of Murder at the Old Keene Mill explores this local historical event in a new, creative, and musical way.

In 1856 William Keene murdered a man by the name of Lewis Hall in a blind drunken rage. Keene was subsequently arrested and sentenced to death. However, two men on the jury, Richard Lee and Barnett Stewart, were blackmailed into convicting Keene despite their initial reservations about the case. After the trial Lee and Steward, upset about the unfairness of this case, sought legal counsel to try to help Keene get a fair sentencing. Eventually, after a plethora of petitions, the governor of Virginia agreed that Keene should not have been sentenced to the death penalty. Instead, Keene was moved to a prison in Richmond, Virginia to serve out the rest of his sentence, where he is thought to have perished in the ransacking of the city during the Civil War. Despite his controversial past, Old Keene Mill Road is named in his memory.

Written, directed, and composed by Quentin Lovejoy and Valo Dandashi, Thomas Jefferson's production of Murder at the Old Keene Mill is an animated musical. The performance features eleven instrumentalists, eight unique songs, and seven animators all working seamlessly together to create a cohesive work of art. Each song is distinct and memorable. These remarkable scores were highlighted by the vocals of the voice actors. Some highlights include "The Killer (Dead Men Cannot Accept An Apology)" sung by Jay Abraham, whose beautiful vocals highlighted the pain and remorse of William Keene during his time in prison, and the vivacious ear worm "Lock Him Up!" that recounts the events at Keene's trial.

Another impressive aspect of the performance was the dedication, skill, and creativity put into the animation. Hand-drawn, in the style of an animated storyboard or animatic, each animator's individual talents and artistic vision shines through in their artwork. Despite this, each character remained consistent and had the same physical traits and characteristics from frame to frame regardless of the scene or animator, allowing the audience to seamlessly follow each character's journey throughout the production.

Of course, as any historical adaptation does, the creative team takes some liberties with the plot. For example, in TJ's adaptation the characters of Richard Lee and Barnett Stewart (played by Camber Boles and Siddharth Premjith respectively) were portrayed as a gay couple. While the historical account of this event confirms that the two men claim to have been blackmailed, there's debate about what information they were blackmailed with exactly. The creative team chose to fill in this hole in history, and infer that someone had threatened to reveal their sexuality to the town if they didn't convict William Keene. This choice added a new element to this local story and elevated the storytelling of the entire production. This is in no short part due to the talent of the actors themselves; Boles' (a TJ alumni) endearing and sweet personality that oozed throughout their performance and Premjith's portrayal of the more levelheaded, beautifully mustached man both worked together to create a dynamic and exciting set of characters.

Overall, Thomas Jefferson's production of Murder at Old Keene Mill is an extremely impressive feat. From the animators to the score to the voice work, the entire cast and crew delivers an exciting and creative retelling of Virginia history.

Caitlin Hollen
St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

William Keene's story is now printed on the pages of history books, but that did not stop Thomas Jefferson High School from reviving his legacy in the form of an animatic musical. Murder at the Old Keene Mill retells the repercussions of Lewis Hall's murder and the people involved in the legal proceedings that subsequently followed, including jurors forced to vote against their beliefs, a lawyer who fought for Keene's rights, and a governor who turned into a friend. In an impressive feat of animation, original scoring, and voice acting, Thomas Jefferson High School students brought local Virginian history to life in an exciting and fast-paced musical.

Seven animators collaborated to create a mesh of their own unique design approaches, and their hard work and attention to detail was evident throughout the duration of the show. The animation style was effective in its simplicity and storyboard format to relay the story as efficiently as possible. Moreover, the animators incorporated noticeable metaphorical elements that kept each scene stimulating and each character lively. Facial expressions and body language, such as Keene's resignation to his fate while withering away in a jail cell, were captured beautifully, and a variety of style choices were used such as thought bubbles and exaggerated cartoon elements.

Each of the animator's unique artistry added to the creativity of the show; however, the animators were clever in the way that they ensured there were common threads throughout each style to maintain continuity. For example, each character kept their defining features, such as Lee's curly hair or Stewart's mustache. The animators' genius could further be seen by their strategic use of color: the backgrounds were cream colored, which gave the impression of an old photograph to stay true to the historical context, while the color red was utilized to depict anguish and blood, as well as define important symbolic moments. Rachel Kwon's dynamic and compelling animation to "Oh, Mrs. Sutherland" and Valo Dandashi's "Lock Him Up!" exemplified the well executed and wonderful animation of the show.

Each voice actor brought individual quirks and characterization to their roles. Jay Abraham, who voiced William Keene, displayed fantastic vocals in "The Killer" to pair with their strong voice acting capabilities. Ryan Lien as John Barker brought charm to his role, particularly during courtroom scenes where he stole the show and the audience's attention.

Quentin Lovejoy built the musical scoring to its strong storytelling function by writing the catchy lyrics, leading the detail-oriented sound editing and mixing, and participating in the instrumental composition. The songs were used to drive the plot and create dialogue, and there was a wide range of musical styles, from spoken word to contemporary, that contributed to the variety of the show. The orchestra was layered with a number of different instruments and topped with vocal talent that ranged from high notes to a strong bass.

The care, research and detail that the entire cast and production team of Murder at the Old Keene Mill was extraordinary. It preserved the foundations of the story but also added in modern and often humorous elements to elevate the show to new heights. William Keene's story may have taken place back in 1856, but artists and students are still keeping his memory alive today.

Cecil Turner-Veselka
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

"If I give it a moment, and I put my mind to it, I guess I could give it a try." Thomas Jefferson High School's students said to themselves, and with infallible precision they succeeded. Their latest show, released after a year's diligent effort, proves that a community united can face any trial and win. Murder at the Old Keene Mill is a charming animatic musical sketching out the historical tale of one William Keene, who drunkenly stabbed Lewis Hall and was overcharged on the words of Hall's suave companion John Barker, and on the extortion of two members of the jury who wished to avoid being exposed for homosexuality. A campaign launched by said jurors and their lesbian lawyer friend Emma Geisendapher brought Keene's remorse and extraneous circumstances to light, and Keene eventually moved to Richmond Penitentiary for a ten-year sentence and was lost to history with the burning of Richmond during the Civil War. It was a clever, well-depicted drama with compelling characters and a painstakingly intricate texture that captures any heart.

Old Keene Mill was a dazzling delight from the first frame to the last. Purely a student creation, the only connection this show had to amateurism is that its root is love. It was presented in the form of an animated storyboard, with a different artist for each scene. Valo Dandashi, Rachel Kwon, and a team of five other artists each poured their unique ideas into this project, and every one lent itself beautifully to the tone of song it was partnered with. Their styles blend smoothly, in large part because of the simplistic yet elegant color palette. Dashes of red for Hall's draining blood, for Keene's pained dreaming, for Emma's crisp, determined hairstyle, made striking movement through the sepia colored artwork, and with glistening white sparkles in their eyes, every dynamic design was fully realized and unique.

The musical components of the show match its artistic prowess in awe-striking fashion. They encapsulate the quintessential modern Broadway sound - bright, jazzy, tunes that slide weighty historical exposition into clever rhymes and catchy melodies effortlessly. Quentin Lovejoy is a protégé of musical theater, fantastically witty and truly talented at crafting melodies that will be hummed all evening. From the jaunty ensemble number "Lock Him Up" as Barker, performed by Ryan Lien, wielded his charisma against a troubled Keene, to the surreal, heartrending plea "Killer" that Jay Abraham, playing Keene, made to the heavens, each song was individual and truthful to the last chord. Every performance fit the show's cheerfulness perfectly as well. Siddharth Premjith and Camber Boles were peppy and hilarious as Stewart and Lee, the gay, extorted jurors, and Emily Song, playing the confident and forceful Emma Geisendapher shone with them. The cast was brimming with glowing voices and unwavering talent.

Devotion is what makes theater worthwhile. It perseveres because it inspires passion in its performers and viewers alike. It is therefore fitting that TJ's show has the moral that dedication and care can form greatness. It is abundantly clear that from the first moment someone looked at the Old Keene Mill Road street sign and wondered about its story, this play has been stuffed full of its creators' hearts. A truly inspiring performance, Murder at the Old Keene Mill may not have changed Keene's life… but its impact will withstand time.

Savannah Raeder
Lake Braddock Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

A murder mystery, an animated show, and a musical all in one? With Thomas Jefferson High School's 'Murder at the Old Keene Mill', you will get all three elements and more wrapped into one wonderfully creative, inventive, and original musical.

'Murder at the Old Keene Mill' was written and animated by the students of Thomas Jefferson High School. It follows the true story of how Old Keene Mill Road in West Springfield received its name when in 1856, Lewis Hall was murdered. The show covers the accusation of William Keene as the murderer and the legal events that occurred afterward in 1857.

The voice acting done by the students was impressive. All the actors were able to capture each character's unique personality and emotions through not only their acting, but vocally in the music as well. Jay Abraham who played William Keene excelled at this. The song "The Killer (The Dead Man Cannot Accept an Apology)" portrayed William Keene's distress and heartbreak center stage, and Abraham was able to capture this masterfully through simply their vocals. Emily Song who voiced Emma Geisendapher also did a fantastic job showing her character's bright, sophisticated, and determined personality through her beautifully melodic voice.

The animation and technical elements of the show were outstanding. Many different animators worked together on the show and therefore, a new and different style of animation was introduced in every scene. Each animator brought a distinct style and feel while still tying the plot together and making the intensity of the story front and center. Two animators, Champe Mitchell and Valo Dandashi, did a particularly great job at conveying their scenes. They both dealt with court scenes and animated them in a way that looked like courtroom sketches, which really created a trial atmosphere.

The historical accuracy and writing really brought this show together. Valo Dandashi and Quentin Lovejoy's scene writing kept the musical factual and accurate and created an intense, alluring, and heart-wrenching story. This show also excelled with its original music. The songs, written and composed by Lovejoy, did not simply stick to one style of music. Between ballads, pop, and rock, Lovejoy incorporated all the musical elements he could. The music and orchestrations were able to underline every scene perfectly and really brought another layer of emotion to the story.

The students of Thomas Jefferson High School really showed their commitment, dedication, and passion for theatre through ‘Murder at the Old Keene Mill', making the show an absolute must-see!

Lucia Ku
Falls Church High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

Virginia's history is ill represented in the media, and while one high school may not make much large-scale impact, Thomas Jefferson High School's Murder at the Old Keene Mill shed light on a story from the commonwealth. This show concerned the murder of Lewis Hall by the miller William Keene, and the conflict in court the year following. Old Keene Mill Road was named after the latter. What started as curiosity about a road in West Springfield's namesake blossomed into a full-fledged animated musical, not only acted, but animated and directed almost entirely by high school students. Eleven months into the making, this project was certainly unique from any other this show season.

Given the medium, design was a high priority for this project. Even though seven animators are credited, and with it seven art styles, there was an admirable level of consistency with styles as well as specific character and setting designs. Each art style actually complimented its respective scene - the courthouse scene contained art reminiscent of real life courthouse sketches, while "The Killer" had an airy quality to match the fading away of everything Keene knew. Additionally, the color red played a key role. Not only was it the color of blood from Keene's murders, but also of important objects in each scene. Design was clearly deliberate in Old Keene Mill. A long form animation is often a risky move for a high school project, but the result was visually beautiful.

The music in this show was also composed and performed by students. It would be easy to compare the show to uber-popular Hamilton for the historical setting alone, and echoes of it were heard in such places as the spoken word verses of "Lock Him Up." Influences from other shows of the past decade were also evident in its instrumentation. But make no mistake - Old Keene Mill had a clear identity separate from its contemporaries. One key difference between this musical and many others is the wide range of vocal diversity. Roles for bass singers are rare in modern musical theatre, so the songs written for John Barker and Barnett Stewart in particular were welcome choices. In structure, instrumentation, and vocal notation all at once, the music was highly successful in telling the story of the Old Keene Mill.

Of course, the actors were extremely strong in this show. Emily Song as Emma Geisendapher was a perfect choice, because Song gave her role a subtly strong portrayal that would both fit in the canon of theatrical female roles and give her an identity besides "confident woman character." A highly emotive Jay Abraham was a natural at getting the audience to see the side of William Keene, and the ever-collected role of Barnett Stewart sat comfortably in Siddharth Premjith's acting ability. Ryan Lien, while having played a smaller role, breathed life into what could have been a forgotten John Barker. While the animation certainly helped, these actors solidified their characters' identities, which was no easy feat with what could be assumed to be little voice acting experience.

This year was certainly a challenging one for mounting any performance, let alone a half-hour musical animatic. But dedicated actors and detail-savvy animators worked together to make a singular theatre experience.

Adelynn On
Clarksburg High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

The streets we drive on everyday have their own unique names, and they also come with their own backstories as well. Old Keene Mill Road in Virginia is an example of this. Thomas Jefferson High School's original one-act musical, Murder at the Old Keene Mill, shares the tragic backstory on how the road got its name.

An entirely animated musical with original music and writing by student Quentin Lovejoy, the talented students in Thomas Jefferson High School's theater program have taken virtual theater to a new level. The story takes place in 1856, where William Keene. owner of a mill, murdered a visitor named Lewis Hall who was traveling with his friend John Barker. This leads to a determined John Barker calling for William Keene's arrest, and in order to follow through he extorts jurors Richard Lee and Barnett Steward, who eventually try to get Keene pardoned from the death penalty with the help from a lawyer named Emma Geisendapher.

In production for a little less than a year, Murder at the Old Keene Mill has proven to be a standout virtual show due to its wonderfully unique kinds of animation styles, talented voice-acting, and its professional-sounding instrumentals.

There were some noteworthy performances from Thomas Jefferson High School's exceptional students. Jay Abraham, who played William Keene, had an outstanding performance for the song "The Killer (Dead Men Cannot Accept an Apology.)" Abraham's beautiful vocals perfectly relayed the sorrows and worries of William Keene as he sat in his jail cell reflecting upon his life. Emily Song, who played Emma Geisendapher, took the stage with her witty charisma and excellent ability to sing along to fast-paced beats. Although John Barker, played by Ryan Lien, was only on screen for a short period of time, Lien dominated his performance with his determined attitude and charm.

This virtual production was made possible due to the student director, Quentin Lovejoy. Lovejoy singlehandedly composed the music, wrote the lyrics, and, with the help of assistant director Valo Dandashi, wrote the scenes for the musical. Lovejoy's hard work and contribution to this production has not gone unnoticed as every original song is composed and written beautifully. The orchestra that provided instrumentals for each song did an amazing job. In every song all the instruments sounded in-tune and professionally played. Another staple in this production were the gifted and skilled animators who brought these characters to life on-screen.

The students at Thomas Jefferson High School took a relatively unknown moment in their local history and with great passion and commitment, they shared it in a brilliant and effective way through their musical, Murder at Old Keene Mill.

Katherine Reif
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

An original, animated, one-act musical would be an ambitious feat even for professionals. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's production of "Murder at the Old Keene Mill" tells the entirely true story of the 1857 murder trial of miller William Keene in the death of Lewis Hall. Featuring exquisite music, skillful writing, and animation oozing passion and determination, the show proves that "high-school" theater and "professional" theater don't mean a different level of quality.

The research put into this show was astonishing. The piece was written and directed by student Quentin Lovejoy, who said he got the idea for the show after searching online for the namesake of Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield, Virginia and stumbled upon a rich history of drama and murder. There were only three changes to the history. Firstly, Richard Lee was a juror at the autopsy, not the trial. Secondly, lawyer John Geisendapher was genderbent into Emma Geisendapher. Finally, two characters that are in a gay relationship in the show were not in one in real life, at least that a record of which survives. The way the gay representation was handled was exemplar: while the reveal was important to the characters and to the plot, it was not treated as a big deal, neither something the characters should be ashamed of nor something they should expect to be shamed for. It was handled with grace and maturity that many writers struggle with even today.

The musical boasts 8 original songs in the half-hour runtime. The music and lyrics, written by Quentin Lovejoy and Valo Dandashi, ranged from playful to heartbreaking. The student orchestra featured eleven musicians (Hita Yalla, Aditi Chandrashekar, Quentin Lovejoy, Vance Kreider, Justin Paul, Anais Beauvais, Katie May Kretzer, Vagul Mahadevan, Evan Ling, Trung Phi, Reva Hirave, Keira Larkin, and Emma Cox) on at least fourteen different instruments, leading to a full, rich, well-put-together sound. The music and lyrics, by Quentin Lovejoy, used internal rhymes, enjambment, and syncopation in a masterful way that rivals Lin-Manuel Miranda in their skill and genius.

The animators (Rachel Kwon, Valo Dandashi, Naz Ansar, Meera Gupta, Svet Pack, Mayuka Valluri, and Champe Mitchell) opted for a hand-drawn digital animatic style, meaning that motion was simulated rather than shown. Drawings were often not colored in, opting instead to utilize black outlines on a sepia-colored background to simulate old photographs. A vibrant red was also used as a highlight, which was stark after only seeing shades of the two colors. The animatic style also decreased the frame rate, taking pressure off the animators to crank out scenes and instead giving them the opportunity to make every image a work of art. They did so: every frame was beautiful. While the animators all had different styles, the drawings never seemed out of place with each other and the characters looked consistent and it was easy to tell who was who, even with the style shifts.

"Murder at the Old Keene Mill" is legitimately one of the best shows available right now, up there with greats like Hamilton, Wicked, and Dear Evan Hansen. Pair that with the amazing artwork and masterful performances, and the resulting show is something that has scarcely been attempted, let alone produced to such a high standard. Should this show be fortunate enough to continue on in theaters, perhaps making it to Broadway (and it really, truly has the potential), it would become an instant cult classic like Beetlejuice, Waitress, or Tuck Everlasting. This show deserves every word of praise and accolade it receives.