Bad Auditions
at Freedom High School

Reviewed on January 16, 2021

Cecily Rood
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

The eccentric, the plain, the nervous, and the vain: these are all examples of stereotypical auditions, all of which are hilariously showcased in Freedom High School's self-written production of "Bad Auditions"!

While casting Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" through an online video call, Director Rebecca (Maiti McKenna) and Assistant Director Christie (Shannon Herrmann) meet a collection of committed contenders for the starring roles. Each audition displays common mishaps within the acting world as well as the virtual world, such as not having monologues prepared or a glitching laptop, and as auditions keep coming and going with no looks of success, both the director and assistant director wonder if they'll ever find their leading actors.

The students of Freedom HS didn't let their virtual environment become an obstacle in their show process, but instead embraced it with open arms and cleverly tailored their show to this medium. One standout example of this is Sahana Anand's performance as Jackson, where her character's monologue was unintelligible due to the background noise in their home. Sabrina, again played by Anand, was also victim to these online complications as her character was caught wearing pajama pants during her audition. Both roles were played amusingly!

On a similar note, common audition setbacks were included as well, with Christian Jarwa's character, Arlo, capturing the nervousness one is met with when continuously messing up during their audition. Though Jarwa's comedic timing on his repetitive line "Can I start over?" was impressive and admirable, his character's uneasiness and embarrassment were unfortunately relatable to many.

But this show, of course, would not have been the same without the performances of Maiti McKenna and Shannon Herrmann as Director Rebecca and AD Christie (respectively). The polarity between the two characters created a peaceful balance between optimism and its counterpart as Christie would respond to Rebecca's sullen comments with hope for the next audition. Each role was played with energy and commitment, and the variety across characters was refreshing and entertaining!

Another applaudable aspect of this show was the scriptwriting. Allison Fountaine, Cameron Nguyen, Cami DiVenere, Maeleigh Moore, Maiti McKenna, Sahana Anand, and Shannon Herrmann all combined their efforts to create the script for "Bad Auditions" and their hard work paid off! It's also notable that all of those who contributed to the script were students at Freedom, which is an inspiring feat in itself! The well-written lines had a wide variety of humor to them, and the stereotypes displayed in the characters were cleverly and comedically written. The costumes, done by Shannon Herrmann, Anna McDonald, Sahana Anand, and Asli Bal were another aspect of this show well-done. All of the costumes were natural and accurate to an audition or home setting, and none of them distracted from the scene (unless intentional like Sabrina's pajama pants mishap!)

Freedom High School's "Bad Auditions" helped to share a laugh and a great piece of theatre in these unprecedented times where some may feel like humor and art are not as close by as they used to be. The students' commitment to this show is commendable and their impressive array of talents have been poured into every aspect of the show, ranging from script writing to acting to stage management. And to do it all from a distance is an achievement in itself! Relevant to this moment in history as well as the final overarching theme of the show, Freedom High School's "Bad Auditions" ultimately taught us that art has no limits! (And also, not to wear pajama pants to an audition.)

Anna Guethoff
Flint Hill School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name – Wait, can I start over?" And… there went another over-enthusiastic, albeit anxious candidate for the role of Juliet, something not altogether uncommon in Freedom High School's self-written play, "Bad Auditions."

Through narrating a series of unfortunate events befalling a theater director and her assistant, this production not only brilliantly encapsulated the exuberance and exasperation of the two protagonists but also illustrated the quotidian nuisances and shortcomings of modern virtual communication. Spending several months on applications such as Google Meet or Zoom to conduct business or facilitate school, everyone has experienced the half-dressed arrival to morning classes, the raucous background noise of a vacuum cleaner or family pet, and, yes, the dreaded awkward silence; it is this - this reflection of daily life, of the 'new normal' - that defined this play's relatability and versatility even in the face of contemporary constraints.

Indeed, "Bad Auditions" lent itself extraordinarily well to the online climate, providing the audience with second-hand embarrassment, genuine laughs, and even morsels of insight into the self. Truly, it established a palpable rapport with the audience by integrating elements of nuanced humor and hilarity into the dialogue between the directors and the candidate.

As the only constant presence throughout the show, Director Rebecca (Maiti McKenna) and Assistant Director Christie (Shannon Herrmann) accomplished quite the feat: 40-minutes on camera, non-stop. However, it was not their capacity to remain in character for an extended period that fomented their laudable performance, but rather their interpersonal dynamic. In balancing each character's respective personalities - whether it be the incorrigible cynic or the buoyant Pollyanna - the actors endeavored and succeeded, with the aid of playful banter, in portraying the complementary nature of optimism and pessimism. Furthermore, their vocal projection, enunciation, and intonation exuded their behavioral proclivities and ensured the audience consummately understood the plot and character progression.

Similarly, Maeleigh Moore's Ethel exhibited exceptional vocalization, as well as an astounding expression of physicality in the form of tap dancing, a certainly unforeseen and unforgettable turn of events for both directors and audience alike! In fact, the character secreted so much personality and vitality through the screen that it was impossible not to grin at her antics, especially in contrast to the actress's dual role as Cozbi. Moreover, when Albert Steinein (Jacob Neale) joined the proverbial stage toward the end of the production, he had all but stolen the ability to steel oneself into calm collectedness. Representing a technologically inept, elderly gentleman, he immaculately summarized the misadventures and daily battles between the aged and the internet in comedic detail.

While the logistical constraints of rehearsal and filming likely posed some hindrances to its successful production, the adaptation of this self-written play onto an online format only enhanced Freedom High School students' possibilities. The outfit changes, the hair, and make-up, all aspects exhibited self-evident intent on behalf of the cast, contriving and buttressing the idiosyncratic personalities that had been ascribed to each character. Additionally, as a sort of droll interlude, Allison Fountaine's rendition of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" injected an inimitable pause between the second-hand embarrassment experienced vicariously through the screen.

Through the highs and lows of virtual tryouts, "Bad Auditions" ultimately reminded the audience of the reality of the contemporary world, concluding their commendable play, with two short words: ‘A Plague."

Kailee St. John
Thomas A. Edison High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

"A plague, a plague!" Both a line from Shakespearean prose and (unfortunately) a descriptor of the world right now. Yet, this is where the humor can be found, amongst the challenges and oddities. Freedom High School captures these elements perfectly in their new show "Bad Auditions," because with connection issues, unprepared actors, and the most tragic love story of all time, what could possibly go wrong?

Ding! The familiar sound of a new Zoom call attendee, could this be the next Juliet, or perhaps Tybalt? Rebecca and Christie are looking to cast the perfect virtual production, but every audition seems to have more problems than the last. They just need to find someone with a quiet space, the right level of emotion, and a convincing British accent. Follow along as they navigate an audacious ensemble of potential gems.

This engaging show features humor for all, with a wonderful mix of physical and anecdotal comedy. Jacob Neale was a standout performer, appearing as both Albert and Jacob Squat. The Southern, cowboy-reminiscent character of Albert, who is more interested in ham then "Hamlet," inspired fits of laughter, as he portrayed the tech illiterate friend or family member that just doesn't seem to know how close is too close. At the core of the show is relatability, with scenarios that mirrored real life in only the most hilarious of ways. Desperate to speak in a house filled with noise, Jackson, played by Sahana Anand, realized Shakespeare can't always compete with a barking dog and a vacuum. Anand made wonderful use of the muted silence to showcase her impeccable physicality.

Maiti McKenna and Shannon Herrmann played the wonderful Director Rebecca and Assistant Director Christie, whose contrasting personalities carried the show from start to finish. Their repertoire felt realistic and the duo complemented each other nicely. With every new actor there was the element of surprise, be it the tap dance stylings of Maeleigh Moore's character Ethel or a perfectly timed verse of "Ice, Ice, Baby." Christian Jarwa was terrific as the remarkably endearing Arlo, who, despite his best efforts, can't quite seem to get the words out. The audience found itself not only rooting for him but feeling empathetic towards him. Each character brought a new perspective that kept the show alluring and seeing the actors play multiple roles truly solidified the talent which was evident in each moment.

The students of Freedom High School utilized their virtual environment skillfully and effectively. The performance was shot as one continuous recording which was not only impressive but added to that realistic quality, with tension-building pauses and moments of suspense. This was only further enhanced by the character-building costuming that helped bring these scenes to life. The costume team (Herrmann, McDonald, Anand, and Bal) did a fantastic job, from cowboy hats to Purson's diva-esque sunglasses. What's more, "Bad Auditions," was also written by the students themselves. The amazing team of writers collaborated to create this comical collection of amplified personal experiences and amusing human caricatures. It was this assemblage of unique writers (Fountaine, Nguyen, DiVenere, Moore, McKenna, Anand, and Herrmann) that allowed the characters to feel well rounded and complex despite the short time each one appeared.

With dynamic characters, fabulous staging, and a robust comedic ensemble, this is not your classic Romeo and Juliet!

Katelyn Preble
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

"A plague," ham, and Vanilla Ice, what couldn't go wrong? Freedom High School's original piece, "Bad Auditions", pays homage to the many technical issues students face everyday in virtual school while also showing us that maybe not everyone is meant to play "Romeo and Juliet".

"Bad Auditions" was written entirely by students collaborating virtually from a distance. It follows Director Rebecca and Assistant Direct Christie as they conduct auditions for the community production of "Romeo and Juliet". Many different people come to audition, and their performances are far from perfect. The play was not only extremely captivating but hilarious throughout.

Many of the actors showed phenomenal versatility as many played multiple roles. Specifically, Jacob Neale, playing Jacob Squat and Albert, committed fully to his odd characters with exquisite attention to detail. Accents, physical mannerisms, and even camera angles, the two wildly different characters were skillfully kept separate yet both so entertaining and humorous. Christian Jarwa, playing Arlo, showed amazing characterization. Even as he repeated "Can I start over?" again and again, Jarwa said it differently each time making the scene flow well and continue to be entertaining throughout his character's audition. Finally, Ivy Ridenhour did an exceptional job of ending the piece. Her character Jenna finished off the auditions by performing the assigned monologue, memorized, with great acting, and took the director's notes. It was the perfect way to end the piece.

Another pair of actresses to commend is Maiti McKenna and Shannon Herrmann, playing Director Rebecca and AD Christie. They played so well off each other. The many students working together to create the script made the wonderful choice for the two characters to have opposing character traits: Rebecca being more pessimistic and impatient with the auditionees and Christie being optimistic and making humor of the situation. Seeing as they were constantly on the video, McKenna and Herrmann's execution of their lines and this relationship filled the space between each audition and kept the audience engaged.

The production wouldn't have been complete without the wonderful work executed by the different technical crews. For starters, the script writers did a wonderful job of creating a broad range of characters, each with their own quirks. Even though some characters were only on for a minute or so, the piece flowed seamlessly. The attention to detail was shown wonderfully with the costuming and backdrops. The choice to make the background and costume of each character's audition simple and monochromatic kept the focus on the actor while each portion was filmed from the comfort of their own home.

Freedom High School's creation of "Bad Auditions" remarkably showed that it takes wonderful actors and actresses to perform the worst of auditions. In our current climate, it is the perfect show to lighten up your Google Meet troubles and satisfy your longing for theatre to come back to the stage.

Gabriella Molseed
Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

Misadventures on Zoom are quite a common occurrence in this day of virtual communications and online interactions, but rarely some as zany or entertaining as portrayed in Freedom High School's "Bad Auditions." The short film depicted quite a chaotic group of hopeful stars as they auditioned for roles in a community theatre performance of Romeo and Juliet, and their ridiculous antics brought to life both the divas of auditions and the annoyances of online interactions.

Freedom High School's Allison Fountaine, Cameron Nguyen, Cami DiVenere, Maeleigh Moore, Maiti McKenna, Sahana Anand, and Shannon Herrmann collaboratively wrote the script for this hilarious production, and most of them starred in it as well! Their phenomenal script writing is not to go unnoticed, indeed it was the star of this production. Cleverly integrating common Zoom mishaps and misadventures that widely appealed to students working under similar circumstances with hilarious actor stereotypes made the script both self-aware and appealing. Every character was delightfully unique and outrageous, and every single scene used a different comedic bit, and the use of twisted stereotypes kept the show moving and entertaining.

One standout feature of every performance was commitment to character. All the actors clearly put in well thought-out character work, and it showed in their unabashed ridiculousness on camera. From Allison Fountaine's hilarious performance of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and Jacob Neale's southern-drawled computer scam susceptibility, to Maeleigh Moore's spritely cooking show and tap routine and Cami DiVenere's adorable dichotomy of bubbly conversation and monotonous monologuing, the campy and silly tone was consistent, and it was clear how much the actors were enjoying themselves throughout.

While initially seeming small, the technical elements of this show brought it together. The video editing, done by Cameron Nguyen, Amy Larson, Anna McDonald, and Paige Nguyen kept the show going at a steady pace, and any pauses were as funny as they were realistic and relatable given the platform. The usages of camera angles and setting to show character were subtle but really shined. Additionally, the costuming, led by Shannon Herrmann, Anna McDonald, Sahana Anand, and Asli Bal was wonderful at helping differentiate characters, as well as establishing a personality before the actor even spoke! The costuming also excelled at creating character without seeming unrealistic or outlandish. The smallest technical details of this production are overall what brought this production to life, including even tailoring the zoom icons to match each character and website difficulties mirroring reality.

Freedom High School's performance of "Bad Auditions" was undeniably a delight to watch, and every student involved has earned their kudos for this production. Telling an earnestly funny story over such a difficult medium is to be highly commended, and every aspect of the show was chaotically fun while still cleverly fitting together.

Natalie Tubia
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

The theatrical universe, with all of its tragedies, comedies, and everything in between, is a creative outlet and source of entertainment for audiences worldwide. Each actor, whether professional or amateur, begins their journey to the stage with one audition that can define life in the arts. However, many auditions do not turn out as phenomenal as expected, and Freedom High School presented exactly this in their production of Bad Auditions, giving light to the ceaseless ways in which an audition goes south.

The show followed a director and her assistant, who throughout the duration of the show, endured an almost excruciating number of auditions with mishaps and downfalls, each seemingly worse than the last. The two women went to lengths to discover talented performers to fill the roles for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet but to no avail. Instead, they are presented with the stereotypes of poor audition blown to ridiculous proportions, along with the immeasurable difficulties accompanied by a virtual theatre setting.

Director Rebecca (Maiti McKenna) and Assistant Director Christie (Shannon Herrmann) exhibited a wonderful contrast of characterizations, with McKenna exemplifying the pessimistic show leader with a defeatist attitude, and Herrman demonstrating a bright and optimistic second hand who tries to see the redeeming qualities of the audition. These two characters, who served as developed foils to one another, allowed the effective progression of the show with their conflicting banter and personalities.

In staying true to its title, the show unequivocally found its comedic essence in the performances of its ridiculous and unforeseen auditionees. In her audition slate, Sophia (Cami DiVenere) introduced herself with a charming and bubbly disposition, thereby becoming a promising candidate, but DiVenere humorously proved the directors wrong in this judgment as she unexpectedly recited a bland and monotone monologue. Another standout that provided absurd comedy was Jacob Neale as the well-known caricature of a nervous auditioner whose sounds of food-chewing echoed through his mistakenly unmuted microphone. Neale not only portrayed a slapstick audition error but additionally exemplified the universal hassle of an online audition. As Purson, Diya Parikh took overconfidence to a laughable level as she embodied the recognizable traits of a conceited and impertinent professional actor with a brazen persona and rude comebacks to the feedback of the directors.

The production's scriptwriters (Allison Fountaine, Cameron Nguyen, Cami DiVenere, Maeleigh Moore, Maiti McKenna, Sahana Anand, Shannon Herrmann) displayed a thorough understanding of the numerous types of ludicrous actors that find themselves in an audition, provided witty banter that matched the dispositions and traits of each auditioned, and created engaging transitional dialogue for the director characters.

While numerous actors cannot stress the importance of leaving a good impression during an audition, Freedom High School's Bad Auditions showcased the features of a bad impression to a new and hysterical extent. Not only did the production brim with the talent and absurd humor of numerous actors and writers, but it also found itself with aspects of reality regarding the nature of auditions with which any proponent of theatre could identify.