The Party Hop
at Langley High School

Reviewed on April 9, 2021

Clare A'Hearn
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"Be the brightest box." In the time of Zoom communication, it can be difficult to stand out, but in Langley High School's "The Party Hop" each actor had a moment in the spotlight.

"The Party Hop" is a quarantine-era one-act by Natalie Margolin that epitomized the timely concern of socializing while social distancing. The play followed friends Ava and Emma, joined by newcomer Nancy, as they jumped from one Zoom party to another and encountered challenges along the way. Tensions ran high between the trio, friendships were questioned, and a mission was formed: for Ava to experience her first kiss by the end of the night. The realistic and relatable struggle of finding togetherness when we are so far apart was brought to life by the performance, complete with charmingly awkward silences and endearing moments of technical lag.

Talia-Rose Diorio artfully portrayed Nancy, the transfer student with a touch of mystery in her past. The attention-seeking character was energetically depicted by Diorio who employed expressive hand gestures and quick-witted line timing to encapsulate the lively personality of her character. Diorio also added layers to Nancy through her performance, but the wall that was built was quickly torn down in the honest moments Diorio spent alone on screen. Despite Nancy being a "background changer," Diorio found levels to the character and authentically represented the difficulties of being the outsider.

The bubbly and kind-hearted Emma, played by Abhaya Tyrka, and the apprehensive yet amusing Ava, played by Tess Jannery-Barney, were the dynamic pair that grounded the show. Together Tyrka and Jannery-Barney had a fast-paced back and forth, portraying their characters as the best of friends by either speaking in sync or finishing each other's sentences. Friendship is complex however and Tyrka and Jannery-Barney skillfully maneuvered the more emotional moments between their characters. Tyrka and Diorio also held subtly sweet connections as Emma and Nancy explored how to navigate feelings over a Zoom call. The trio's individually compelling performances made each character stand out in their journey.

With ease, Jannery-Barney portrayed Ava's mission as she put up a facade to impress her romantic interest, Jackson (Nicolas Kristensen). As Ava leaned in to kiss the disinterested Jackson and was swiftly rejected, the crushing defeat was depicted naturally by Jannery-Barney, who broke down in an emotional state, and pulled off the wig that she had used to shield her true self.

Moments of jest were included through a scene at a cocktail party where Nora (Gabriella Sanchez), Nathan (Gunnar Peacock), Victoria (Isabella Montesinos Davis), and Denise (Siannen Keough) were adults who had muted arguments and humorous struggles with technology. The group illustrated the socialization that everyone has missed through the pandemic, regardless of age.

Elizabeth Tippens directed "The Party Hop" and her building of a cohesive ensemble enabled a strong performance. Her inclusion of awkward pauses and fluid timing felt planned, and the disjointed feeling of Zoom calls was summarized perfectly. Even the camera angles were individual and provided insight into the technological abilities of each character. The show was expertly edited by Phia Colabatistto who crafted natural transitions and well-placed music. Her editing allowed the party to "hop" from one scene to the next, true to the play's title.

Between the delightful friendships portrayed to the all too realistic Zoom lag, Langley High School made audiences want to "kiss the screen" with their stellar interpretation of "The Party Hop."

Amanda Weaver
Annandale High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Grab your blue wig and get ready for a night "out" with Langley High school's "The Party Hop!" Directed by junior, Elizabeth Tippens, The Party Hop centers around three college sophomores, Ava, Emma, and Nancy. They're getting ready to bounce to and from a couple of parties when they discover Ava has never kissed anyone. Shocked by the news, Emma and Nancy insist that tonight is the night they'll make it happen. Will she succeed, given their circumstances? Probably not. But with their goofy antics and somewhat strained relationships, anything can happen.

Ava, played by sophomore Tess Jannery-Barney, with her snarky remarks and fiery energy truly brought balance and loads of humor to this chaos-packed show. She played Ava seemingly with ease and helped to carry the show. Her slow descent into madness and eventually her breakdown was done very well, and the breakdown was believable yet hilarious. She was also able to give her scene with Jackson (Nicolas Kristensen) the awkward and uncomfortable energy needed to convey the story. She truly stood out overall.

The audience very much enjoyed the performances of Emma (Abhaya Tyrka) and Nancy (Talia-Rose Diorio). Nancy with her high energy and silly nature kept the show intriguing. Diorio played the new-girl aspect of her very well. The audience could tell she just wanted to fit in and to be liked. Something to which everyone can relate. Tyrka played off the other girls very well as Emma. She could be seen trying so hard to be the glue, conflicted because Ava was her best friend, but as the audience finds out, she also has feelings for Nancy. Tyrka did an impeccable job of hinting at this and playing the build-up until she admits it to Ava. Their performances were very impressive.

The tech was creative yet simple. There were plenty of innovative additions in this production. The editor Phia Colabatistto did an incredible job. Everything was cohesive and clean. They also created an entire website for tickets, cast and crew bios, and an about section which was very well thought out. The director is junior, Elizabeth Tippens. Directing is a difficult and complex task but Tippens took charge and really brought the cast and crew together to make a well-oiled production.

Overall, Langley's The Party Hop was a fun, hilarious, show with great acting and technical aspects from everyone that reminded the audience that anyone can be the life of the party, even if the party is a zoom meeting.

Rebecca Connor
South County High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, milestones have been missed. Birthdays, graduations, and even first kisses. With few ways to experience tangible, physical connection, we are now forced to get creative to try and bring some semblance of normalcy back to our lives. In Langley High School's heartfelt production of "The Party Hop," the lines between the physical and virtual world are explored, showcasing the vulnerability and craving for connection we all have within us.

Set three years in the future, Natalie Margolin's "The Party Hop" explores what a perpetual pandemic is like, from virtual parties to friends that have never met in person. Written for the digital world, this show exemplifies the new virtual age of theater that promises increased accessibility and social commentary. Following three college girls as they try to help one of their own attain her first kiss, this show moves from a cocktail party to a surprise party to a house party, showcasing the strangeness of a social life relegated to Zoom.

Tess Jannery-Barney gave amazing clarity to the role of Ava, displaying beautiful moments of awkwardness and vulnerability. After Ava's attempted kiss, her struggle with regret and frustration was incredibly clear with well-timed expressions that truly brought the character to life. The juxtaposition between Ava and Abhaya Tyrka as Emma brought a wonderful depth to their relationship, with Emma's bubbly personality providing a great contrast to the more introspective Ava. Talia-Rose Diorio as Nancy brought a consistent vivaciousness to the show, her bright personality shining through every scene. With enigmatic gestures and perfectly timed background changes, Nancy's fabulous energy helped to ground the show and lift it all at once. The revelation of Nancy and Emma's romantic relationship was a beautiful twist, delivered with soft vulnerability from both girls.

Gunnar Peacock as Nathan and Gabriella Sanchez as Nora had great chemistry together, their arguments bringing a lively edge to the cocktail party. Even when their characters were muted, they brought expressive reactions to the scene with silenced shouts and large gestures. Isabella Montesinos Davis as exhausted mother Victoria brought the perfect amount of maternal frustration to the role with carefully timed exits and entrances. The singing of "Happy Birthday" during the surprise party thrown for Mary (Katie Murchison) emphasized the realism of the show, with a slight lag that was charmingly awkward. With a deadpan personality, Nicolas Kristensen as Jackson perfectly portrayed the apathetic teenage boy during Ava's attempted kiss.

Each character's costumes perfectly complemented their personality, with bold pops of color for the energetic Nancy and more subdued, earthy tones for the adults at the cocktail party. The sets were also matched very well to the characters, such as an expansive library for Ava's reserved mom Denise (Siannen Keough) and a "Saturday is for the Boys" flag pinned up behind Jackson. The use of virtual backgrounds also complemented the show very well, with Nancy changing from Hogwarts castle to a smattering of limes depending on her mood, helping to illustrate both her fun personality and showcase her vulnerability when she finally took down her virtual background. The show flowed together with ease under the helm of director Elizabeth Tippens, the technical aspects perfectly complementing the various tones of the performance.

Filled with moments of energy and vulnerability alike, each actor showcased their talents accompanied by perfectly paired technical details. As Zoom meetings continue and our world is still shaped by the coronavirus, it is important to remember: "We are all just little boxes. Be the brightest one."

Sujay Khona
Chantilly High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

Take an exciting trip three years into the future, where humans are… still stuck in quarantine! Join Emma, Nancy, and Ava on a night out - or rather a night in - as they hop between virtual parties, and attempt to get Ava her first kiss. Langley High School made this experience just as unexpected, awkward, and hilarious as it sounds.

In "The Party Hop"'s version of our future, college parties as we have known them are now a thing of history. Instead, Emma and Ava jumped from hometown reunions to a surprise birthday, to a raging party with their college buddies. Tonight, however, they were joined by Nancy, a transfer student eager to socialize and whose outgoing personality tested Emma's and Ava's friendship as they tried to bring a new person into their group. An added challenge of trying to land Ava her first kiss and there was a night of college kids navigating their new normal through awkward breakout rooms, changing backgrounds, and of course, Tik-Tok dances.

"The Party Hop," written by Natalie Margolin, was unique as it was written to be performed in a virtual setting, of which Langley High School took full advantage.

Emma's (Abhaya Tyrka) and Ava's (Tess Jannery-Barney) conversation instantly drew the audience into their world with the authenticity and familiarity of their performances. This realism was also be attributed to Ava's struggles with her insecurities and her journey through the play. Nancy (Talia-Rose Diorio) was the perfect supplement to Emma and Ava. Her awkward and aggressive nature shone, and behind her annoying behaviors, Diorio created a character with vast emotional depth. Other character's interactions with Nancy amused the audience, such as her moments with Nora (Gabriella Sanchez). Sanchez did an excellent job portraying Nora's sarcastic moments, and her physicality in wildly chaotic muted Zoom arguments with her husband, Nathan (Gunnar Peacock). Finally, it would be impossible not to mention Jackson (Nicolas Kristensen), Ava's chosen target to kiss. Kristensen's excruciatingly dry performance was incredibly convincing, and the lack of chemistry between Jackson and Ava's character was painfully obvious and all too similar to students forced together in breakout rooms during a modern school day.

The technical elements of this show were just as natural as the acting. The video editing, done by Phia Colabatistto, was clean and effective. She allowed the story to flow, and the cuts were never awkward or out of place. The music during the party scenes was a nice touch as well, and it helped set the atmosphere and never overpowered the actors. Elizabeth Tippen's outstanding directorial choices pushed the show to a new level. Subtle touches, such as the drawn-out beats in the conversations and the staggered entrances and exits into the various virtual meetings, felt very natural and helped ground the show in reality. Other touches, like the well-thought-out background sets, added more depth to the characters. Notable settings included Jackson's room, donning a gigantic flag that proclaimed, "Saturdays are for the boys," and Mary's room, filled with musical theater memorabilia. Even details as subtle as the character's usernames were carefully chosen to contribute to the telling of the story.

Langley High School's "The Party Hop" truly made the best of our undesirable situation and gave us a more hopeful glimpse into the future with familiarity and authenticity.

Ishika Naik
Clarksburg High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

Parties are a thing of the past now due to the pandemic, but desperation is a great motivator to find a solution! The idea of a quarantine party seems sort of redundant, but Langley High School was able to pull it off through their portrayal of The Party Hop quite spectacularly- and safely! From the safety of their own homes, students filmed this show over Zoom, a now widely used platform for virtual social connection.

Emma (Abhaya Tyrka) and Ava (Tess Jannery-Barney) were dying to have a night out, but they would never let the still ongoing pandemic harsh their mood. Instead, they "hopped" from one Zoom party to another with their friend Nancy (Talia Rose-Diorio). As the night extended, they sang a theatrical Happy Birthday to a friend while wearing top hats, joined an adult cocktail party, and Ava had her first (virtual) kiss in a bright blue wig. Sounds insane, but being stuck in quarantine for three years takes its toll!

A performance worth mentioning was Isabella Montesinos Davis as Victoria, a mother fed up with her children at the cocktail party. Her scolding was incredibly believable, almost leading the audience to become upset with her kids as well! Additionally, Nancy, played by Talia Rose-Diorio, had impeccable comedic timing, as a wonderfully whimsical yet unpredictable college party-goer. Lastly, the dynamic between Ava, portrayed by Tess Jannery-Barney, and Emma, represented by Abhaya Tyrka, never disappointed. Acting like perky best friends, they always had each other's backs- even when Ava embarrassed herself having her first kiss.

Glitches and lag naturally come with using any type of online meeting app, but the cast and crew of "The Party Hop" at Langley High took all of the blips in stride, making it a part of the show instead of letting it interrupt. The crew also took advantage of the backgrounds that came with the platform, referencing modern pop culture such as Ladybird, Harry Potter, and Tiktok. This helped the audience become much more engaged with the show. Sound was also well-balanced; whenever background music was played, speaking lines were not drowned out. The choice to have sparsely included underscoring in this show was a smart one, and kept it all very natural. It's also tough to manage not talking over each other when using an online platform, but the cast did a wonderful job of it.

Zoom shows are tough to pull off. There's a lot that can go wrong, but Langley High School was able to power through and turn complications into beautiful additions. Hopefully soon, Ava will get her real first kiss; though she'll definitely remember that humiliating screen to screen kiss for the rest of her life. Post-pandemic, she'll be ready for it!

Cecil Turner-Veselka
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Falls Church News Press

Sometimes the light of hope is a computer screen. We grow to hate them the more they contain us, as the virus drags us through more of our lives. The monotonous "new normal" never fits quite right, and we miss our old lives by the hour. Though the internet contains so much loneliness, it also shows us each other. Three years into the future in a lingering pandemic lockdown, The Party Hop, a virtual play by Natalie Margolin, and performed by Langley High School, observed a trio of online friends as they attempted to claw through the insurmountable barrier of Zoom to the college social lives they were promised. At the play's core was an optimistic, feel-good story that urged its audience to find their own color and fun despite the crushing odds. It was during the lingering breaths of silence, however, that the cold truth of the new world crept in: it was frighteningly hard to remove the fallacy from what was real.

Central to this show were the dynamics between Ava, a withdrawn skeptic looking for love, her best friend Emma, an anxious but bouncy companion, and Nancy, whose overbearing, point blank confidence enraptured her friends with the idea of a magical first kiss for Ava, ignoring the obvious physical barrier. Performed by Talia-Rose Diorio, Nancy reigned over every scene. Her cheerfulness was at once irritating and charismatic. She had a monstrous strand in the tapestry: her actions were the catalyst of both Ava and Emma's arcs. Through sheer force of will, Diorio shaped two people, with only obnoxious charm, lacerating humor, and an enigmatic internal monologue. With the group she was domineering, flattering, elusive, and yet her personal moments revealed a completely different texture, of loneliness like an open wound. A thousand tiny shifts occurred, and yet each of them felt coherent and smooth. Diorio was simply radiant.

Although it was Nancy that drove the plot, Ava, played by Tess Jannery-Barney, brought the emotional force. Understated and relatable, Jannery-Barney was gently vibrant as she tangled with the virtual world around her. Her silent, descriptive reactions to the guests at their various parties, be it the well-meaning but pushy Nathan (Gunnar Peacock) or her struggling, shut off mother Denise (Siannen Keough), led the audience through the plays many shifts in ensemble. Jannery-Barney rode the waves of the production effortlessly, unfurling a tangibly moving emotional climax effortlessly. Ava's arc was the reverse of her foil, Emma, played by Abhaya Tyrka; Ava started energetic and assertive and faded into Nancy's ideas, and Emma started as Nancy's withdrawn mimic and bubbles up as she learned what she wanted. Tyrka was expert at playing off her costars. Her infatuation with Nancy changed her in little ways as they spent more time together, while simultaneously pulling away from Ava and attempting to drag her in, and Tyrka's charisma held the motion together. Her connection with those around her made her delightful to watch.

"The Party Hop" captured the soul of quarantine with a disconcerting nostalgia. The slang felt natural, the references to pop culture were worked in well, and not a single member of the ensemble missed a beat. Director Elizabeth Tippens had a talent for pacing, portraying the motions of zoom with elegant realism. She was masterful at cutting through the fake plastic layers of virtual life to the humans underneath it, their hearts and their lives that reminded us of ours. Hope is a precious thing in this frightening world, but if we hold tight to it, we can find something real beyond the screens.

Carolyn Saxe
Thomas Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Unfortunately, things don't seem to have changed much two years in the future. Quarantine and all of its struggles were still very present, or at least they were in the universe of "The Party Hop," a one-act play recently written by Natalie Margolin.

Langley High School's production of this play brings eerie nostalgia to a familiar situation. Friends Ava, Emma, and (unexpectedly) Nancy got ready to attend a few parties one night, and it was revealed that Ava had never kissed anyone. Nancy declared that this was the night Ava would get her first kiss! Ava was convinced by the other two to hold onto this dream as they traveled through parties, each one revealing different ways people try and sometimes succeed to connect while distanced. In the final party, Ava's chance finally came along, and she took it. Immediate regret followed with the realization that she just kissed a camera, not a person, and her crush was weirded out. The three friends returned to their own meeting and Ava spoke her thoughts to both friends, frustrated, but ultimately they forgave and felt more connected than when the night began.

All actors involved gave extremely natural performances, to the point that it appeared to be just a recording of a normal Zoom call. Nancy's (Talia-Rose Diorio) extroverted extra-ness filled her little box, even when she wasn't speaking, and the small moments of quiet vulnerability were moving. In stark contrast was Ava, (Tess Jannery-Barney) with subtle yet very relatable reactions. You had to cringe when something awkward happened. Emma (Abhaya Tyrka) was always present and smiling as the mediator between the other two, able to finish Ava's sentences despite lag and share a happy moment with Nancy.

The supporting cast all brought strong, diverse characters to the screen. All the adults at the cocktail party were astoundingly adult. The combo of Nathan and Nora, played by Gunnar Peacock and Gabriella Sanchez respectively, had excellent chemistry (or anti-chemistry, looking at their muted heated arguments). Nora's exaggerated eye rolls added levity, especially making use of the limited framing. At Mary's birthday party, Mary herself (played by Katie Murchison) displayed the strangeness of emotions online with her mostly stoic face describing her emotions.

Impressively, there were zero technical issues. The audio was perfectly clear, the editing was very subtle and well-timed, and the lighting was natural. All the costumes fit the characters, especially Nancy's bright orange party attire. The sets for every character were carefully chosen and perfectly framed, such as the very accurate way Grandma (Erin Young) seemed even smaller in frame with too much distance. The production also made use of Zoom itself, including personalized name tags and somehow making lag nostalgic. The direction of each scene, by Elizabeth Tippens, kept everyone extremely authentic and in character.

Perhaps the world isn't as far away as it would seem in this quarantine. As Nancy pointed out, physical distance doesn't matter online. You could even throw your own Zoom party. Maybe even have your first kiss (in a year at least).

Lila York
Chantilly High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

First kisses are… awkward to say the least. But a first kiss over Zoom three years into a pandemic? Now that's a new level of excruciating embarrassment. In Langley High School's student-run production of "The Party Hop," the cast and crew took us on a Zoom adventure with secret Tik Tok gestures, plenty of background changes, and, of course, the ever so awkward pauses that accompany virtual settings.

Written by Natalie Margolin when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck, "The Party Hop" revealed what it's like for three college sophomores, Ava, Emma and Nancy, who have lived in the pandemic for three years. On a mission to acquire Ava's first kiss, they jumped from Zoom link to link and party to party.

Popping on to the screen first was Ava (Tess Jannery-Barney) and Emma (Abhaya Tyrka). Wearing a sparkly shirt, Tyrka's bubbly attitude as Emma radiated through the screen. Matching drinks for "togetherness" with her best friend Ava, Tyrka's characterization of Emma perfectly encapsulated the hopeful spirit one needs when facing quarantine. Juxtapositioning such a spirit through her hardened personality is Ava. Whether it was her gradual breakdown after her cringe-worthy first kiss or the subtle confidence boost with a blue wig on, one could relate to all the brilliant emotions Jannery-Barney portrayed on screen. Then enter the CEO of background changing: Nancy (Talia-Rose Diorio). From swift background changes to her stunning singing voice, Diorio gracefully portrayed how one's eccentric personality can be a facade to the harsh reality of quarantine. With their relationships shifting and growing throughout the play, all three actresses exceptionally demonstrated how Zoom life can alter one's connections.

The first Zoom bash the girls click into was a cocktail party. Shouting at her kids for disrupting the annual event was Victoria (Isabella Montesinos Davis). Davis' hysterical gestures and booming voice allowed the audience to chuckle at the all-too-familiar scene. When the three girls join the next party, a surprise birthday party, Mary (Katie Murchison) gracefully captured the energetic theatre kid, her energy bursting through the seams. After doing the secret Tik Tok gesture, the girls are off to the next party for Ava's long-awaited kiss with Jackson (Nicolas Kristensen). Throughout the awkward breakout room scene, Kristensen's disinterested facial expressions only added to the peculiarities of an attempted Zoom kiss. In every scene, each cast member was engaged with unique reactions, which allowed for every moment to be entertaining.

Yet, such an astounding performance could not have been done without the phenomenal technical aspects. The directing by Elizabeth Tippens enabled each Zoom encounter to be very natural and relatable. Other notable features included the set with the hilarious "Saturdays are for the Boys" flag behind Jackson as well as the very fitting costumes. Additionally, the remarkable editing by Phia Colabatistto allowed for each scene to run smoothly and engaged the audience through aspects such as party music. Most impressive was the virtual playbill, designed by Austin Young, which beautifully included information about the production, cast, and crew.

Challenging us all to be the "brightest box" on the screen while we fight this pandemic together, Langley High School's production of "The Party Hop" brought to light how we can still persevere and find connections even in a virtual setting… even if it's a little awkward at first.