Airness High School Edition
at McLean High School

Reviewed on January 29, 2022

Ryan Lien
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Six wannabe rock stars walk into a bar. They fit the mold: leather, denim, band shirts. There's just one thing off. There's not a guitar to be seen.

After its 2019 runs at The Keegan Theater in DC and 1st Stage in Tysons, "Airness" by Chelsea Marcantel has returned to Northern Virginia at McLean High School. The play followed a group of air guitarists as a newcomer joined them and quickly climbed her way to the top of the competition circuit.

While one might think "Airness" demands a loud rock atmosphere, TheatreMcLean performed the show in their smaller Black Box theater, which was dressed as a bar. The decision added an intimacy as the audience sat right next to action, but there was no lack of high amplitude rock n' roll energy.

Playing the lead role of Nina, Jackie Stoll's transition from skepticism to achieving "airness" was smooth and exciting. Stoll's ability to quickly shift gears between upbeat and dramatic scenes anchored the air guitarist ensemble as they blitzed through the story. Out of the bunch, Arielle Else, playing Golden Thunder, stood out. Her big, bubbly persona had the crowd laughing as she bounced around, tearing off jacket after jacket for quick costume changes. But most captivating were her fingers flying across her invisible instrument.

While the air guitarists' chemistry and soloing drew the most attention, the Dark Horse ensemble, draped in cloaks, brought an eeriness to the show's end, with Keira Murphy, playing Dark Horse Announcer, as a hilarious spokesman. Competition announcers throughout brought up the crowd's energy with small yet fun roles. Thomas Shanks, playing San Diego Announcer, and Erin Sharpe, playing National Championship Announcer, especially cranked it to 11, with Sharpe and Kate Fontaine, playing D Vicious, also having a hilariously awkward interview scene.

Creating the noise of a rock n' roll concert in the small setting of a bar was no easy feat, but TheatreMcLean's sound department, headed by Emma Springer, did a wonderful job of boosting the bass without blowing ears out. The bar set, designed by a team lead by Vivian Kreeb, roped the audience into the world of the show with autographed dollar bills and nametags, band posters, and signs stuck to the counter and walls. A working root beer keg also kept glasses filled, adding realism as characters grabbed a drink before their shows and oomph to their anger as they slammed down their glass and spilled over the table. Other technical aspects of the show were also executed meticulously. Stage manager Campbell Al-Khafaji and the rest ensured sound and light cues and a set transition to the National Championship stage worked seamlessly.

Despite the pandemic which started just as 'Airness' left 1st Stage two years ago and which forced McLean High School to decrease their audience size, there was a magic in Mclean High School's Black Box theater that could make an audience believe in the power of imaginary guitars.

Hailey O'Connell
Robinson Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

There is nothing quite like the atmosphere of a rock concert- deep, colorful lights, roaring music, the movement of the crowd, and the feeling of pure joy in the air. It is truly unique and quite the task to replicate, but anyone who saw McLean High School's production of Airness High School Edition knows the cast and crew made it look easy.

Airness followed the story of Nina, a girl who attempted to immerse herself into the world of air guitar. Her experience as an actual guitarist led her to believe she would win with ease, but after freezing up on stage in her first competition in Staten Island she quickly realized she had much to learn. Through the help of her new long-time air guitarist friends, Golden Thunder, Facebender, Cannibal Queen, and especially Shreddy Eddie, Nina discovered her path to true airness.

The cast and crew of McLean truly put on a remarkable show. The decision to perform Airness as a roundhouse blackbox production, combined with audience engagement, colorful lights, upbeat music, unique special effects, and an impressive stage presence and chemistry from the cast made the show more than memorable. Notable attention to the detail of the set, timing of cues, costumes, hair, and makeup together allowed the audience to make little to no distinction between reality and the story being told.

Jackie Stoll's noteworthy portrayal of Nina propelled the plot forward with ease. Her execution of Nina's character development from a timid, out of place yet determined air guitarist to a confident national champion who felt at home had the audience attached from the start.

The cast as a whole, especially the air guitarists, Shreddy Eddie played by Charlotte Carson, Golden Thunder played by Arielle Else, Facebender played by Jack Abba, and Cannibal Queen played by Idil Erdogan, made this story a reality. They did an exceptional job telling the story through physical movement, engaging chemistry, natural projection, filling the entire space with constant attention-grasping energy. The Dark Horse ensemble, as well as Keira Murphy's performance as the Dark Horse Announcer, added a heartwarming sense of humor through the unexpected that had the whole audience laughing. Noteworthy performances also came from Kate Fontaine (D. Vicious) and the various competition announcers.

The technical aspects of McLean's Airness delivered the true rock experience. Exceptional timing of cues never allowed for a dull moment. A notable example of this was the video scene, in which Shreddy Eddie shows Nina a video of the other air guitarists' past performances. Here, the timing of music played as soon as Shreddy Eddie laid his finger on the mousepad, the "videoed" actor's immediate response movement, and light cues were executed flawlessly. Themed lights and projections coincided with a character's persona during their respective guitar performances added deeper meaning. Extreme detail to every aspect of the set, including a working kegerator, illuminated city signs to represent the setting, authentic looking wall art, and so much more made the audience feel as if they were in a real bar. Attention to detail in terms of costumes, especially during Nina's final performance in which fans were used to blow flowing pieces of fabric, made each character truly unique.

If there ever was a must-see high school play, it would be McLean's production of Airness High School Edition. Every moment was action packed, emotionally engaging, and overall, simply a great, enjoyable time. A word of advice we could all take would be the following from Facebender, "I like to live like there's no tomorrow, because there isn't." Hopefully we can all find our true airness and forever rock on.

Amelia Preble
Robinson Secondary School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

The moment you step through the door of the black box theatre, you are no longer in a high school. A slight haze and dim lighting illuminate a bar, covered in distinct personal details and complete with a working root beer tap. McLean High School's "Airness" pulled audiences to a new world for two hours of competition, classic rock, and camaraderie.

"Airness", a 2017 play by Chelsea Marcantel, followed the story of Nina, a young woman who entered an air guitar competition. She met a lovable group of misfit competitors and was swept into the world of competitive air guitar. The show was full of both comedic and poignant acting opportunities, as well as potential for outstanding rock-themed tech. McLean took advantage of all these opportunities and exceeded expectations on each one.

The show revolved around five core actors- the air guitarists. Nina (Jackie Stoll) joined Shreddy Eddie (Charlotte Carson), Golden Thunder (Arielle Else), and Facebender (Jack Abba) as they traveled around the country, vying for a spot in the upcoming national championship and hoping to achieve "airness." The eccentric group brought energy and pure joy to the show, moving the story forward as a tight-knit group while maintaining clear individuality. By the end, the group also included The Nina and Cannibal Queen (Idil Erdogan), who both brought distinct personalities that challenged the norms of the group. The five actors were truly an ensemble, never upstaging one another and always supporting the group as a whole.

Each individual embodied a distinct character and took every chance to demonstrate their unique skills as an actor. Stoll portrayed a complex and dynamic character with a sense of maturity that is rare for high school theatre. Else consistently upheld the energy and humor that anchored this show, bringing perfectly executed comedic relief to even the most serious moments of the show. Abba maintained a near-constant comedic tone for the show's first act before reaching a major point of vulnerability in the second, demonstrating true versatility, a feat achieved by few actors.

The technicians behind the production showed their skill through attention to detail and extensive background research. Vivian Kreeb, Haidyn Brockelman, and Chris Tillotson succeeded in meeting the show's demands and created a detailed set in the round. The set was primarily a bar, but the decorations continued around the entire space. Every inch of every set piece and wall was decorated with countless small details, enhancing the distinct sense of personality and community that this production excelled in. Equally impressive were the costumes (Kyrsten Lewey and Bri Zawicki) and the hair and makeup (Sabrina Beadie, Erin Sharpe, and Emery Graninger). Both groups clearly did their homework, pulling inspiration from rock legends like Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie, as well as referencing the script itself, using Joan Jett as inspiration for Nina and the Ramones for Shreddy Eddy.

"Airness" was a thrilling showcase of both acting and technical prowess but was truly brought together by the love and care of a tight-knit community. With the persistent skill and effort put in by each student involved, it seems as if McLean itself truly achieved airness.

Jaeden Kunkel
Centreville High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

Fingers flew across fretboards, the heavy pound of the bassline shook the risers, lights and smoke engulfed the audience into the music. This may sound like something straight out of Madison Square Garden, except that those guitars are made of air, and those risers are in the black box theater of McLean High School, not NYC!

Airness, written by Chelsea Marcantel, first debuted on stage in 2017, but went into something of a "hibernation" when the pandemic hit in late 2019. Now, Airness is back for one of its first stages in years, live at MHS. Airness follows the story of Nina, a young woman who learns about the art of air guitar (and quite a bit more) through an eccentric group of friends as they compete to become the next air guitar champions.


Airness is described as having a minimal set, but the way that the MHS set crew executed their production's set design proved that ‘minimal' doesn't have to mean ordinary. Throughout most of the production, the audience watched the cast interact in a series of bars, all represented by the same set. Despite the lack of frequent set changes, however, it never became dull to look at. The detail put into the set and props (done by Keira Murphy, Kylee Majkowski, and Jackie Stoll) made it look straight from a real bar, right down to a functional beer kegerator, engineered by JT Fulkerson, Megan Wright, and Ethan Jones.


The immersive experience that McLean's unique environment created was one of, if not the most thrilling part of the show. The McLean sound team (JT Fulkerson, Emma Springer, Ethan Jones, Matthias Zahinser-Renteria, Megan Wright, Dillon Prestidge) amped the volume of the classic rock songs that played throughout the show to perfect level. They were just loud enough for the audience to feel the bass, and get pulled right into the world of Airness, but not loud enough to be overwhelming, or to drown out any important moments in the show. As they clapped and stomped to the beat, cheered for the heroes, and booed for the villains, the audience became not just onlookers at a play, but adoring fans at a real air guitar competition.


The tech was not the only thing that pulled the audience in, however. While the loud music, colorful lights, and smoke machines had the audience making as much noise as a real concert, the emotional scenes had them gasping and jumping in shock, and at times, going completely silent. The antagonist of the show, D Vicious (played by Kate Fontaine), argued with two of the main characters in two separate scenes, once with Nina (played by Jackie Stoll), and once with Cannibal Queen (played by Idil Erdogan). Both of these arguments created a potent, personal tension throughout the black box, as though the audience had walked in on a real argument and was wondering, "Am I even supposed to be witnessing this?" The argument scenes had noticeable buildup, going from a tense discussion to a full-on verbal brawl, table slamming and all. In Fontaine's later appearances as Vicious, the audience loudly booed her character, a true sign of a villain done right.

There is so much to talk about with McLean's Airness: the characterful, spunky hair, makeup, and costumes, the clean and oftentimes hilarious blocking, the list goes on, but to detail every brilliant part of this production would take at least five more essays, and one can only do a production like this so much justice in written form. All in all, McLean's Airness was highly immersive, incredibly realistic, and overall, pure rock and roll!

Kayla Katounas
Centreville High School
Submitted for publication to Falls Church News Press

With hair almost as impressive as the air guitar solos, McLean High School's Airness was rock and roll like you've never seen it before.

Airness, a play written by Chelsea Marcantel that premiered in 2017, was the story of Nina, who entered an air guitar competition on a whim, not expecting to find a close knit community of competitors who took it extremely seriously. Nina found herself traveling to competitions across America, her newfound friends introduced her to the world of air guitar as they also help her discover the "airness" inside her.

The production, set in a bar, quickly became immersive as each audience member had their hands stamped before entering the theater. It was performed in the round in McLean's blackbox, complete with detailed set design spanning the entire room, making it easy to feel like a part of the story. Immediately noticeable was the detailed bar set, complete with a functional (root) beer tap. The ensemble cast was dynamic together, with natural chemistry and unique characters, each with their own distinct and technical air guitar style.

At the center of the show was Nina, known as "The Nina" on stage, played by Jackie Stoll. Nina was a character riddled with emotion, with dramatic arguments and relationship drama, and Stoll pulled this off successfully, with authentic acting, even with a mask on. Watching Nina's scenes never seemed like an actor playing a role. Instead, it was easy to feel Nina's anger through impassioned air guitar performances or arguments with other characters, particularly with Idil Erdogan's Cannibal Queen, with these actors playing off each other very naturally.

This show would not be what it was without its amazing supporting cast. Golden Thunder, played by Arielle Else, was easily one of the most comedic parts of the production. The character was one of the most exciting air guitarists to watch, constantly filled with energy. Jack Abba's Facebender was also a standout, able to seamlessly balance comedy and depth in each scene, introducing some of the show's most emotional themes while still working in stellar comedic timing.

Every technical aspect of Airness seemed more impressive than the last, with a great deal of attention to detail. In a blackbox setting, the audience was so close that it is difficult to go halfway on anything without the audience knowing, but this was not a problem for McLean. The entire set design, led by Vivian Kreeb, with faux brick walls and a realistic bar setting was already impressive, becoming even better during a scene change, when the bar turned around to reveal a stage built onto the back of it. The makeup, done by Sabrina Beadie, was a defining part of each character. The different makeup on each character had so much detail and greatly enhanced the production. The lighting, by Scott Fulkerson, was another defining aspect of Airness. Each guitarist was spotlighted in a different color, and during their performances the use of strobe lights made it feel like a real concert.

It's immersive concert-like experience, garnering constant cheers from the audience, created a difficult to achieve authenticity and genuine fun that made this performance impressive and left the audience itching to discover the "airness" within themselves.

Sara Kaufman
Justice High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

Being a rockstar is so much more than displaying a nonchalant persona and sporting edgy clothing. In McLean High School's vivacious production of Airness High School Edition, it is determined that the power of being a superstar comes from within.

Written by Chelsea Marcantel, Airness followed the story of a recently heartbroken Nina, who believed her understanding of the instrument alone would allow her to win an air guitar competition. After making allies with her lovable competition, she realized that winning would not be as simple as strumming the air but would require the confidence and passion to truly perform.

Jackie Stoll, who portrayed the leading role of Nina, commanded the stage with power, seamlessly shifting between both serious and comedic line delivery. Whether she engaged in a heated argument with her ex-fiancé or poked fun at her dorky friends, Stoll depicted her character with a sense of authenticity that was difficult to achieve.

Supporting Stoll were the endearing air guitarists Charlotte Carson (Shreddy Eddie), Arielle Else (Golden Thunder), Jack Abba (Facebender), and Idil Erdogan (Cannibal Queen.) Each actor developed their own distinct character: Carson's Eddie was adorably goofy, Else's Golden Thunder was hyperactive, Abba's Facebender was comedically calm, and Erdogan's Cannibal Queen was poignant and intense. While maintaining these distinct characters, however, the actors were still able to function as a well-oiled ensemble, their interactions nuanced and authentic.

Accompanying the phenomenal acting was strong technical elements that added to the rocker ambience of the play. The edgy aesthetic of Golden Thunder's bluntly cropped wig, made by Sabrina Beadie, Erin Sharpe, and Emery Graninger, depicted a rock ‘n' roll imagery that supported the storyline. Each of the air guitarist's makeup was reminiscent of a rock idol, such as Shreddy Eddy sporting Gene Simmons' iconic white paint and streaky black eyeliner. Furthermore, the costumes, managed by Bri Zawicki and Kyrsten Lewey, represented each character's personality, for example Facebender wore flowing, cool toned colors, without being overly bold and taking away from the overall performance.

Also of note were the flawless lighting and sound cues. Lighting and sound crew members JT Fulkerson, Scott Fulkerson, Colin Coerr, Alessandro Martinat-Pilhaca, Emma Springer, Ethan Jones, Matthias Zahinser-Renteria, Megan Wright, and Dillon Prestidge undertook the challenging task of imitating a rock concert within a small Blackbox theater. Lighting coloring was creative and matched the personality of each performer. For example, Cannibal Queen was lit in dark red. Additionally, the use of a fog machine during each air guitarist's solo created an immersive experience which allowed the audience to feel as though they were attending a real rock concert.

McLean's production of Airness High School Edition taught the audience that the power to be a rockstar lives within us all.

Sofia (Sofi) Hemmens
Justice High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Air guitar isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind at the phrase "abstract art." But the cast of McLean High School's production of Airness are gleefully singing a different tune.

Airness is a play first produced in Washington DC in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It tells the story of Nina, a woman committed to succeeding in the world of air guitar to get back at her ex-fiancé, with whom she parted on less than the best of terms. However, as Nina (portrayed in this production by Jackie Stoll) learns about air guitar and the people who play it, she learns about what makes it meaningful, and what "air-ness" really is. Her teachers are a motley bunch, comprised of Shreddy Eddie (Charlotte Carson), Golden Thunder (Arielle Else), Facebender (Jack Abba), and Cannibal Queen (Idil Erdogan). The five of them often cross paths with national air guitar champion, D Vicious (Kate Fontaine), who has connections with both Cannibal Queen and Nina.

Each character had a strength in playing the air guitar, with Carson as Shreddy Eddie conveying his charisma beautifully, to Else putting on a brilliant show with Golden Thunder's distinct originality, to Erdogan's technical flawlessness as Cannibal Queen, to Abba as Facebender with the heart he puts into performing. The actors had a strong rapport that shows onstage, and their chemistry was intense. The explosive argument scene at the end of Act I was a testament to the actors' skill, to the point where it felt as though the audience was intruding on something private.

Other technical aspects also contributed to the intimate feel of the show. The play was performed in a Theatre in the Round style, where the audience was seated on all sides of the actors and had an up-close view of the events unfolding. The play was set in a detailed bar, designed and decorated by McLean's crews (lead by Vivian Kreeb, Haidyn Brockelman, and Chris Tillotson), where the characters interacted and played air guitar on the raised stage in the corner of the room. The lighting, executed by a crew lead by Scott Fulkerson, was beautiful. With bold, flashy colors spotlighting the characters, it felt as though they were each truly immersed in the world of rock and roll with each performance. Lights were used to emphasize different characters and their importance in the story.

The cast and crew at McLean High School created a heartwarming ode to air guitar, while maintaining ties to rock and roll. While watching Nina find out more about the people, she slowly started to consider her friends is a lovely thing. She learned to take air guitar more seriously and came to embrace it the way her companions showed her, able to play without worrying about looking foolish. As a play, Airness wasn't only about air guitar. It's about connection, to one's friends, to one's art, and to one's self. Airness was a callback to days long past, to being a child who felt music deep in their bones, who could jump and dance without a care in the world. It's what draws people to air guitar, that ability to let go and feel music deep in their soul, and it's what Nina learned through the play. It's something we'd all benefit from every once in a while.

Aafreen Ali
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Swirling fog surrounds the audience. Strobe lights flash in rainbow hues around the venue. Everyone is dressed in outlandish rock garb, yet there's not a single instrument in sight. Welcome to the world of competitive air guitar: the world of McLean High School's production of Airness.

Airness centered around Nina (Jackie Stoll), a band guitarist making her first foray into air guitar in a scheme to get back at her ex, the semi-sellout D Vicious (Kate Fontaine). Upon completely bombing her first event, Nina joined forces with a motley group of air guitarists, comprised of Golden Thunder (Arielle Else), an optimistic Energizer Bunny of a performer; Facebender (Jack Abba), the wise guitarist with a heart of gold and hair the size of Texas; the angry yet committed Shreddy Eddie (Charlotte Carson), and the technically brilliant Cannibal Queen (Idil Erdogan). Guided by this group, Nina transformed into her alter ego, The Nina, and started on her path to discovering the true meaning of air guitar.

All six of the air guitarists showed attention to the technical aspects of their choreographed air guitar performances while adding their characters' own personality and touches to the movements. Idil Erdogan as Cannibal Queen exemplified this; her wide stance and rapid movements imbued her character with fury.

The characters' chemistry was notable in both comedic and serious scenes. The camaraderie and comedic timing between Else's Golden Thunder, Carson's Shreddy Eddie, and Abba's Facebender brightened all the ensemble's scenes, Else's dynamic vocal acting providing an extra touch. On a more dramatic side, Fontaine's angry chemistry with both Erdogan and Stoll added a depth of emotion to the more confrontational scenes the duos had together.

Stoll's performance highlighted Nina's individual journey to her persona of The Nina, conveying her awkwardness through her posture and voice early on, then building up to the relaxed slouch and forwardness of the other guitarists.

Airness's intimate blackbox setting really allowed the tech elements to shine. The immersive set (created by a crew lead by Vivian Kreeb, Haidyn Brockelman, Chris Tillotson, Allie Mazur, and Eliza Hager) revealed new details at every fresh glance, from the name tags all over the walls to the wine cork curtain to the working keg setup. The costumes (Bri Zawicki, Kyrsten Lewey), hair, and makeup (Sabrina Beadie, Erin Sharpe, Emery Graninger) were precise, down to the guitarists' rings and Carson's impressive makeup as Shreddy Eddie. Lastly, incredible projections (Megan Wright, JT Fulkerson, Ethan Jones) and lighting (Alessandro Martinat-Pilhaca, Scott Fulkerson, JT Fulkerson, Colin Coerr, Ethan Jones) were personalized to each air guitarist, providing an additional individualizing aspect to their performances.

It's easy to have reservations about a play about air guitar, of all things, but the committed performances from the actors and the immersive, intimate nature of the technical elements completely sold the concept. With a performance that perfectly balanced the silly nature of air guitar with the serious concepts the play tackled, McLean High School's Airness left the viewer with a new definition of what it means to embrace yourself.