The Heidi Chronicles
at Lake Braddock Secondary School

Reviewed on November 6, 2021

Caprice Aspland
South County High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"You have no right to call me honey, or to tell me to calm down!" Take a seat (or take a stand), because Lake Braddock's production of "The Heidi Chronicles" shows sexuality, feminism, and the infamous events that happened during these groovy times, covered with phenomenal pop culture references and amazing costuming, suitable for anyone willing to take a seat and empathize.

This play followed the life of bright and headstrong feminist Heidi, from the 1960s - the 1980s, depicting struggles with women and society, through one impeccable setlist played by a live band, creative and period-accurate costumes and set, and characters you will love, hate, and burst out laughing at all at the same time. With Peter (Linus Brannam) being a fan favorite, Scoop (Josh Reiff) making you want to kick and dance with him both at once, and Heidi (Liesl Winternitz) making you sit up a little straighter, the complexity of the growing chemistry between the three kept audience members never wanting the 2 hours 45-minute long play to end.

Winternitz', Reiff's, Brannam's, and many more outstanding supporting and featured roles showed the importance, risk, beauty, difficulty, and complexity of not only being a woman but of friendship. Heidi was constantly told one thing about her femininity but was smart and strong enough to fight that notion for 30 years straight. You'll become Heidi's biggest fan and become so proud of all she comes to be and do with her life by the time the show wraps up, so be ready to cry, laugh, sigh, and beam. The fallings in and out of love, each time in a different way throughout the production, gave a much larger appreciation for the hardship that comes with growing up with the people you admire.

Not only is the storyline and presentation perfect, but the kids who made it all happen are also just as amazing. There was something significant about how these high-school actors could switch on and off being adults and teens while being able to gradually mature before our very eyes. There was a unique and ingenious usage of set design, efficiency, lighting, and those geometrical lights fit perfectly with every period. The costumes, by Angelia DeJesus, are not only aesthetically pleasing but were precisely the fashion and styles that were worn at each time period. The live student-constructed band was so on point at every cue, one could completely forget they were high school students doing this all and not a professionally trained cast and crew.

When all is said and done, this masterpiece of a show, from the set designs to the moving acting, sent the audience off with a brand-new perspective on life, love, and whether or not the term "jackass" can be used enough. If you love to learn, to laugh, or to shout from the rooftops what you truly believe, this is the show for you.

David Sun
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

The changing roles of women during the mid to late 20th century sounds more like a chapter description of an AP US History textbook rather than the plot of Lake Braddock Secondary School's fall production of "The Heidi Chronicles". However, Lake Braddock Secondary School combined live music, witty banter, and lovable chemistry to balance the heavy, tough topics of feminism and societal roles and provided a comedic, intriguing, and heartfelt show for all ages.

"The Heidi Chronicles", written by Wendy Wasserstein, followed the life of Heidi Holland as she grows up from the 1960s-1980s. Set in three subsequent decades, the show tackled the changing roles of women throughout the 20th century as women throughout the play conformed and broke traditional gender roles.

Liesl Winternitz stole the show as Heidi Holland. She masterfully captured the mature nature of Heidi Holland. She spoke with utmost sincerity in a gut-wrenching scene, delivering a monologue about how she felt isolated and alone from other women who had all settled down and started families. Winternitz's looks of discomfort and anger as she was trapped between Peter and Scoop while they stole her spotlight on a news segment artfully portrayed Heidi's feelings without uttering a single word.

Linus Brannam dazzled as Peter Patrone. In most of the show, Brannam commanded the stage, being cheeky and hilarious as he delivered quick one-liners. However, in one of the later scenes, Brannam showcased his versatility as Peter Patrone during the Christmas scene in the 1980s. Brannam sighed as he forcefully dropped crates of donations, upset over Heidi leaving their friendship to start anew during the age of AIDs.

Other notable performers included Josh Reiff as Scoop Rosenbaum and Lake Rusch as Susan Johnston. Reiff effectively captured Heidi's love interest's masochistic and narcissistic nature while Rusch transformed from a passionate fist-pumping feminist advocate in her college years to seeing feminism as a dying trend by the 1980s.

The music performed by the live band, Vicious Dumpling, brought the show to life. From '60s jams to classic Christmas crooners, the band expertly transitioned the audience through the various decades. Additionally, the music helped complement the play. In the basement scene, "Respect" by Aretha Franklin blasted and soared as the women high-fived and felt empowered to change the world. In contrast, "Please Come Home for Christmas" ached with sadness and regret as Peter and Heidi conversed in a hospital on Christmas Eve as they come to terms with the harsh realities of the 1980s.

Another feature to commend was the era-specific props and costumes managed by Lindy Nelson and Angelia DeJesus, respectively. As Heidi taught in her Columbia classroom, the vintage slide projector was physically managed by an actor, clicking the correct slides in place. Another ambitious choice in a post-COVID world was the presence of real food and drink. Actors poured real coffee, crunched real chips, and there was even a hint of real fish aroma in the dinner scene.

Meanwhile, the costumes helped transform the teenage actors into middle-aged baby boomers by the end of the two-hour show. Heidi started the show as a teenager wearing a bright, bold blue dress but by the second act dressed in muted plaid colors. Even the live band wore different costumes throughout the show to fit each era's specific fashion trends.

Even though "The Heidi Chronicles" began in a stuffy Columbia classroom in a droopy art history class, Lake Braddock Secondary School brought life, laughs, and lessons to the tough topics of women's rights, feminism in the 20th century, and societal norms.

Lillian Ali
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Rich shades of azure blue folded beneath intricate strokes of white floral lacing cinched around a woman with delicate, auburn curls. The soft strokes of Lilly Martin Spencer's "We Both Must Fade" projected center stage at Lake Braddock Secondary School's production of The Heidi Chronicles. The auditorium beamed four golden spotlights onto actors dispersed within the crowd, who vigorously took notes on the woman in the painting and transformed the audience into part of the play as peers. With the bar immediately set high, The Lake Braddock Theatre worked hard to maintain a consistently extraordinary performance.

Wendy Wasserstein's Pulitzer Prize winning The Heidi Chronicles followed independent Heidi Holland from high school to adulthood as she strived for success as an art historian in a society ruled by men during the mid to late 1900s. The play also brought to light the struggles of gay men during the 60s and 70s and their equally important role to support other minorities.

Throughout the production, Liesl Winternitz as Heidi Holland asserted her character as a self-assured and forward-thinking individual by adopting confident posture, expressions, and even vocals. Linus Brannam as Heidi's best friend Peter Patrone developed a believably genuine relationship with Winternitz as the play progressed, and Brannam did a remarkable job of signaling anger and sorrow by letting the stage lights cast shadows on certain features.

The only times Winternitz's confident demeanor shifted was in an exasperated response to Scoop Rosenbaum (Josh Reiff)'s comical reflection of the obnoxious arrogance in sexist men. His blunt delivery when grading or rating items and women brought an amusing yet very real tone to its scenes - a perfect example of the cynical ambiance of the play.

Other notable mentions are Heidi's high school friend Susan Johnston (Lake Rusch), who set the tone of the production with laughter as a relatable swooning teenage girl with impeccable timing on her delivery, and Scoop's picture-perfect wife Lisa Friedlander (Amelia Campbell-Reidhead) who portrayed a sweet, lovable character with a southern accent and domestic aspirations.

One of the most impressive factors of the production was the live orchestra that threaded each scene together. Jazzy bass progressions from Claire Copes and crisp drumbeats from Charlee Baldwin blended extravagantly with lively guitar from Jake Sizemore and smooth synth from Noelle Koss to form an environment accurately encapsulating each decade the play covered. Ally Harbourt's lead vocals were particularly noteworthy from her generous range to her strong vibrato as animated tunes were incorporated into scenes depicting the actors listening to music, all without missing a beat.

The set on which the actors performed was intelligently designed by Sungah Kong, featuring a versatile platform constructed using slanted planks to change its appearance when rotated at different angles. Lighting designed by Katie Brusseau was thoughtfully added as LED strings to the clever backdrop of picture frames crafted by the set team. This lighting beautifully silhouetted the actors, who never stopped performing while on stage, during scene changes.

Costumes adhered to a neutral and retro color palette; growing in sophistication as the characters aged and years passed. Angelia DeJesus implemented consistent detailing for every performer's attire, including the orchestra's which similarly adjusted to the decade. Heidi was fittingly dressed in fashion-forward outfits for each time period, and Susan's dress during Scoop's wedding, in particular, emphasized her eccentric personality as it sparkled beneath the stage lights.

From the sheer amount of interactive props managed by Lindy Nelson to the quick and efficient transitions between scenes managed by Wilson Weingast, Lake Braddock Secondary School's The Heidi Chronicles was a clearly well-rehearsed production worth seeing again.

Zibby English
South County High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

You can dance, you can jive, you can laugh, you can cry in Lake Braddock's stellar performance of The Heidi Chronicles!

The phenomenal cast and crew of The Heidi Chronicles brilliantly displayed the true and sentimental story of Heidi Holland in this drama with a touch of comedy as it tells the impactful story of a bright young woman spanning from the years 1965 to 1989. The play was a series of scenes jumping between time periods as the decades, and Heidi's understanding of the world around her, changes.

Lake Braddock's fall production of The Heidi Chronicles was a beautiful ode to the hip decades that were the 60s through the 80s. From the live band to the exquisite technical elements and the stellar acting performances, The Heidi Chronicles took the audience back in time to experience these great cultural moments in history.

The role of Heidi Holland was triumphantly portrayed by Liesl Winternitz. Winternitz was one who commanded the stage and sunk into her role. Heidi seemed real and was excellently displayed through Winternitz's physicality of the character, genuine and sincere facial expressions, and her great diction and inflection of words. Heidi Holland was a sophisticated and successful, yet humble and kind, art historian and professor. Liesl Winternitz was that and more. Whether the character of Heidi was conducting a lecture, expressing her feelings, or spieling about a recent life event in a pivotal monologue, Liesl Winternitz was able to hold her character and make the audience mere side characters in Heidi's awe-inspiring life story. Winternitz was a joy to watch as she valiantly and comfortably took on the role of the brilliant Heidi Holland.

The stubborn yet lovable role of Susan Johnston was expertly portrayed by Lake Rusch. Susan Johnston was an interesting character to experience as her character development was drastic and strong. During act I, Susan was an insecure, shy, and hopeful young woman with strong feminist ideals. By Act II, Susan was a corporate woman who slowly started to lose her touch and fall more into the ideals of societal expectations. Lake Rusch did a phenomenal job at adjusting and making that change in character. The vocal tone switched, and the physicality changed to have a purpose. Susan transferred from being a fun friend of Heidi's to an intentional, diligent woman who would pave her own path. Lake Rusch was a powerhouse and such an energetic person to watch.

The tech of The Heidi Chronicles set this show apart from anything else. Firstly, the set was beautifully lit with LED lights which set the mood and tone for each scene. The lights team used gobos to add to the set. In Act II, a shadow of a window can be seen on the stage floor in Heidi's apartment. With a minimal set of a rocking chair and a lamp, this interesting gobo had a great lighting effect that elevated the overall performance. Costumes were another great standout. Costumes played a critical role in distinguishing each time frame and differentiating each character in a unique way. Each costume was fashion-forward for its era and had the audience's eyes glued to the stage. Lastly, the stupendous stage crew's movement of set pieces on and off stage was so fluid and wasted little time. The stage crew made it possible so that there was never a dull moment on stage.

Lake Braddock portrayed this sensational story in such a sentimental and nostalgic way with believable acting performances and inventive technical elements. So, make sure to check out The Heidi Chronicles!

Pranav Choudhary
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

What does it mean to make history? In an ever-changing society, can one art historian overcome the odds and chart a path for herself in twentieth-century America? Lake Braddock Secondary School's production of "The Heidi Chronicles" was a true testament to the idea that making an impact takes grit, resilience, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work to make change possible.

Written by Wendy Wasserstein, "The Heidi Chronicles" depicted the life of art history professor Heidi Holland as she embarked on a pursuit for a fulfilling life. The production premiered on Broadway in 1988, later garnering a Tony Award for best play and a Pulitzer Prize for drama. As kind-hearted Heidi worked to attain her goals, she found herself entrenched in a journey of life, love, and ardor.

Grounding the production in strength, Liesl Winternitz played the eponymous Heidi with pronounced fortitude. Forthright in her speech, Winternitz infused a thoughtful and caring demeanor into her character, bringing a relatable, poignant, and often humorous delivery across decades of Heidi's life. Winternitz deftly brought careful, detailed thought into Heidi's varied interpersonal relationships, establishing subtle but distinct connections with each character she encountered.

Executing cheeky quips at every turn, Linus Brannam's portrayal of Peter Patrone, a gay pediatrician, brought an invigoratingly positive presence to the stage. Brannam's heartfelt, witty spirit and larger-than-life physical presence fused with Winternitz's intrepid curiosity to build an intricately intimate dynamic. As Heidi and Peter aged, Brannam and Winternitz artfully built off one another, with their friendship growing more jaded and nuanced as they began to grow up together.

Standing in contrast to Heidi's cheerful poise, Josh Reiff's Scoop Rosenbaum was a walking ball of cynicism. Fraught with a wry sense of humor, Reiff exuded the essence of a narcissist with ease. As he and Heidi interacted, Reiff's witty delivery charmed Heidi, spurring a brief fling before the two break up as a result of Scoop's egotistical actions.

The boisterous Susan (Lake Rusch) helped Heidi find love. Rusch tactilely emanated the excitement of a young woman, adopting an excited presence as the character helped push the protagonist out of her comfort zone. Furthermore, Rusch utilized reactive facial expressions throughout the interactions with others, enhancing each interaction Susan took part in. Rusch worked attentively to evolve the reactions as the character aged, transitioning from an upbeat demeanor to a serious one as time moved forward. Each actor placed thoughtful attention to detail in every aspect of their characterization, carefully weaving together individual character traits with collaborative ensemble-building in order to convey an alluring and cohesive storyline.

The play's versatile set, designed by Sungah Kong, was skillfully adapted to communicate the show's various settings and themes over time. Scenery included platforms and a backdrop of rectangular frames that fit an array of environments. Additionally, Katie Brusseau's meticulous lighting design shone through every moment of the performance, including a natural wash deliberately designed to match the production's setting, a realistic rain effect on the cyclorama, and targeted spotlights cast upon seats in the auditorium during Heidi's university lectures. Most impressively, Brusseau's design lit up the squares along the backdrop in order to reflect the profusion of different locations presented throughout the show.

With soul, love, and humanity, Lake Braddock Secondary School's production of "The Heidi Chronicles" brought to light how harrowing journeys fought by fearless individuals can bring society forward.

Aeryn Dahm
South County High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

A lot can change over forty years, both on the levels of the individual and society. This theme and more were explored in Lake Braddock Secondary School's production of "The Heidi Chronicles," an in-depth look at the life of one woman advocating for feminism as the roles of women evolve.

The play, written by Wendy Wasserstein in 1988, began in the 1960s with a teenage Heidi Holland at a school dance. The first few scenes introduced Susan, her oldest friend; Peter, who became her best friend; and Scoop, magazine editor. From there, the play traveled through Heidi's life. As she aged, Heidi refused the roles she was expected to play–wife, cook, caretaker–and instead took an ardent interest in women's rights and devoted herself to be an art historian with a focus on underrepresented female painters.

One of the things that stood out most in Lake Braddock's production was that every actor marvelously fulfilled the task of selling the fact that they played characters three times their age. Not once did the illusion break, from their costumes to their levels of speaking to the ways they sat in chairs. Particularly Liesl Winternitz did an exceptional job of this in her portrayal of Heidi. Not only did she seem mature beyond her years, but her fidgeting, posture, and subtle cues of annoyance (specifically when conversing with the men) added another layer to Heidi that brought her to life. Playing Scoop's wife Lisa, Amelia Campbell-Reidhead also excelled in this category and created a vibrant and memorable character, despite not having as much stage time. Linus Brannam portrayed Peter, and while he carried the comedy in the show with an expert hand, he showcased masterful range by also delivering on the more dramatic, serious moments as the tone of the play matured. Josh Reiff and Lake Rusch, who played Scoop and Susan respectively, also handled the tone shift with remarkable skill, changing the ways they spoke and adjusting their body language to fit their new ages.

Another clever and impactful choice Lake Braddock made in putting on this show was using live music to set the ambiance. The band, Vicious Dumplings, provided background music during scenes and played songs of the times through transitions, immersing the audience further into the story. The music was vital in creating a realistic atmosphere, as the set, while effective, was minimalistic. Costumes, headed by Angelia DeJesus, were another impressive feat, with each character dressing differently in every scene. Every outfit told a story of the year and the personality of who wore it.

Lake Braddock's "The Heidi Chronicles" was certainly an ambitious undertaking, but the cast expertly traversed the thirty years over which the story takes place, and every person involved made a notable contribution. The levels of detail in the acting, costumes, and sets were incredibly well-thought-out, and through this and more, the show managed to capture themes of feminism, maturity and finding a place in the world far beyond the years of high school.

Gaby Flores
St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to The Bear Facts

"I'll let you in on a scoop from Scoop," The Heidi Chronicles from Lake Braddock Secondary School combined the radical feminism of the '60s with the self-fulfillment of the '80s in a comedic, moving, and inspirational performance. Written by Wendy Wasserstein in 1988, The Heidi Chronicles followed Heidi Holland, an art historian, Peter Patrone, a gay pediatrician, and Scoop Rosenbaum, an arrogant publisher, on a 20-year course in which they struggle to find not only themselves but their true purpose in an ever-changing society. Accompanied by a gaggle of girls, also struggling with relationship and workplace issues that arose from sexist ideals, The Heidi Chronicles was comprised of a series of scenes taking place from 1965 to 1989 when the feminist movement really started taking off. Lake Braddock Secondary School's cast and crew gave an exquisite performance, in which the scenery, music, comedic timing of actors, and physicality were perfectly harnessed.

Starting off the show, Heidi Holland, played by Liesl Winternitz, with a single spotlight, talked to her class of art history students about the lack of women in the art world. Some of her students, seated in the audience, elevated the intensity of the scene. It was as if the audience were her students, listening intently to her lesson, but amazed at the delivery of her words. Liesl Winternitz gave a supreme performance, where it was forgotten that she was just a high school student, not a 40-year-old on her path of discovery. Delivering many hefty pieces of dialogue, Liesl Winternitz vibrantly added comedic and dramatic levels to her speech, preventing her from losing the audience's attention.

Combined with the performance of Linus Brannam as Peter Patrone, a pediatrician from New York, who turned out to be gay, Winternitz and Brannam's chemistry was incredibly well performed. Starting from their first encounter as children, to their struggles in adulthood, the audience was able to watch their friendship unfold. Peter Patrone (Brannam) made the audience laugh with every line, using physicality and differing delivery techniques. In Act 1, the audience witnessed his comedic performance, while over the course of the show, his dramatic and serious acting talents were displayed as well.

Setting the background emotions for the audience, the band, Vicious Dumpling, (Charlee Baldwin, Claire Copes, Ally Harbourt, Noelle Koss, and Jake Sizemore) clothed in period attire and played an array of music from "Yesterday" by the Beatles, to "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. Not only set the mood, but they gave the audience a clue to the time period and scene. This, coupled with the details of the props (managed by Lindy Nelson) from records, to real pourable coffee, added a heightened experience to the play.

With frames hanging in the background, covered with seamless LED lights, the cooperation of scenic design and lights from Sungah Kong and Katie Brusseau was able to transform the acting from superb delivery to truly memorable feelings and emotional performance.

Heidi Holland (Liesl Winternitz), vowing to never let the next generation feel a sense of loss and loneliness that she felt by society, moved the audience introspectively to question their own impact on the next generation of women. Lake Braddock Secondary School combined glorious acting with seamless technological crews to bring raw emotion to the stage. Let us never forget the women who came before us who climbed their way to self-fulfillment, setting an example for all those women feeling unappreciated today that they too must find themselves to truly ignore the ever-critical society.