Marvel Spotlight Plays
at Lightridge High School

Reviewed on January 22, 2022

Hayley Asai
Quince Orchard High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Beloved characters from a superhero franchise get new ways to shine in a fresh and hilarious showcase of shenanigans. Lightridge High School's clever production of Marvel Spotlight Plays encompasses the idea that even superheroes are human.

Marvel Spotlight Plays was first introduced in 2019 at the International Thespian Festival. The plays were written for teenagers and feature two female leads, one of which is Pakistani. The show is split into three one-act plays and each play tells the story of a different superhero. In a modern spin on the traditional superhero ideals, two of the plays also center on strong feminism, creating a dynamic setting for teens to portray characters.

Altogether, the cast handled the refreshingly funny and hip play with notable expertise. However, there were undoubtedly a handful of standout performances from the large cast. Nakia Bahadir, played by Kenzy Ibrahim in the play Mirror of Most Value, played her character with a sense of playful electricity, intelligently highlighting her concern as a good friend without compromising Nakia's own aspirations.

In her play, Ibrahim shared the spotlight with Jones Parris, who played Bruno Carelli. Parris worked right beside Ibrahim and crafted a charming and grounded character, with mastery seldom seen in young actors. Parris' rock-solid line delivery provided an ideal balance to the lead of the play, Lily Selvaraj. Through Parris' remarkable performance, Bruno's thoughtful and considerate attributes showed through.

An exciting amount of talent filled all three plays, including Kat Bixler as Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl, who was a playful and endearing delight. Bixler took to the stage with a confident stride that transformed the room. Bixler's assured movements and intonation brought out Squirrel Girl's dynamic inner conflict while still allowing her to be fun-loving and relatable. Ultimately, Bixler created a compelling character arc that elicited copious amounts of applause from the audience. However, the highlight of her performance was the dance battle at the end, which provided the perfect avenue to showcase her spunky portrayal of the character.

Though each actor's contributions to this show were significant, Tayori Snipe as Thor/Jock in the play Hammered managed to vigorously distinguish himself from the rest of the cast. With a step full of swagger, Snipe strutted across the stage masterfully, capturing the burly essence and arrogance of Thor in one fell swoop. Snipe's performance was emotional when the story called for it, while also remaining humorous throughout. The comedic timing Snipe used was sublime, causing the audience to burst into laughter several times throughout the show. All in all, Snipe's portrayal of Thor stayed true to the canon established through movies while also remaining original.

While the actors took the spotlight, behind the scenes there was plenty of hard work that was invisible to the audience. One of the most distinctive features of Lightridge's show was the sound effects and music, which were done entirely by the students. The lead sound designer, Liam Gilmore, worked with his team (Jaden Barger and Lana Francisco) to compose the thrilling music that played throughout the show. Together, the team designed and produced the sound that truly made the show come together.

Charming and hysterical, Lightridge High School's production works as a reminder that theatre can and should be fun for everyone and that no one is too old for a dance battle. Regardless of whether or not someone is a fan of Marvel, they are sure to enjoy this lighthearted group of plays about beloved Marvel characters.

Zoe Korff
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Black and white comic strips and well-known characters were revitalized by a colorful cast of characters in Lightridge High School's Marvel Spotlight Productions.

First performed at the International Thespian Festival in 2019 and written in a collaboration between Samuel French of Concord Theatricals and Marvel entertainment, Marvel Spotlight Plays showcased three different stories of ordinary adolescents with extraordinary powers. The first story was that of Squirrel Girl in "Squirrel Girl Goes to College" by Karen Zacarias. It followed a college freshman with a secret identity as the crime fighting Squirrel Girl (Kat Bixler), who was tested when she faced both the hardships of keeping a secret identity from her new friends (Toni Ikhile, Jude Cabral) and the dangers of a supervillain computer, Modoc (Chloe Ebert). This tale was followed by that of Kamala Khan (Lily Selvaraj) in "Mirror of Most Value" by Masi Asare. Similarly to Squirrel Girl, Kamala must also navigate the waters of crime fighting with varied success and the horrors of high school: mean girls, former friends, and science fairs. Finally, in a chuckle worthy show, "Hammered" by Christian Borle explored the lesser told stories of Thor (Tayori Snipe) and his brother, Loki (Athan Agostinho).

In "Squirrel Girl Goes to College", Kat Bixler portrayed the titular role of Squirrel Girl. Displaying delightful exuberance and animated mannerisms, Bixler's performance brought believability to the strange hero's story.

A truly dynamic duo, Tayori Snipe's Thor and Athan Agostinho's Loki brought both chuckles and charm as they depicted the highs and lows of sibling rivalry and love. They both managed to toe the line between replicating the superheroes we know and love on the screen and creating new takes on well-known characters. They commanded the stage individually, but even more impressive was the chemistry between the two, leaving the audience with a sense of compassion and bittersweet, brotherly love.

Behind the scenes, Liam Gilmore led a valiant effort on designing and creating entirely original sound effects. Through recording peers playing guitar, composing music, and using everyday objects to make sound effects, Lightridge High School proved that students were capable of independently designing sound.

Meanwhile, the performers were adorned in simple, yet effective costumes. Led by Bailey Mitchell, Izzy Curico, and Shelley Carter, the outfits kept up with an extensive cast and provided fun differentiation between the multitude of characters. In addition to supplying the entire show with wardrobe, they also created clever solutions to some of the problems which arose when translating fantastical characters to the stage, such as providing a backpack to conceal Squirrel Girl's tail.

Overall, Lightridge's first ever Cappies production, Marvel Spotlight Plays, successfully carried the show's message that superheroes are more human than one may think. All three stories wove an endearing message of perseverance, comradery, and fun-loving heroes. With a super cast of multi-faceted actors and marvelous technical work, Lightridge put on a commendable production.

Alexander Footen
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Every year, the popularity of Marvel Comics and its properties seemingly grow larger. With their movies dominating the box office, their games selling millions of copies, and their comics landing in the hands of thousands of geeks worldwide, it only made sense to have it grow in more directions, including the stage. Back in 2019, that's exactly what Marvel did, creating three one-act plays written for high schoolers to perform. The three spotlights were "Squirrel Girl Goes to College," written by Karen Zacarias, "Hammered," written by Christian Borle, and "Mirror of Most Value," written by Masi Asare. Lightridge High School presented all three plays, artistically directed by Brandon Kalbaugh and technically directed by Bryan Buford. With the might of Thor, the heroism of Ms. Marvel, and the candidness of Squirrel Girl, Lightridge High School was able to give a superb performance to marvel.

The first spotlight, "Squirrel Girl Goes to College," was a heartfelt piece about being who you are instead of who you think others want you to be. Squirrel Girl, played by Kat Bixler, portrayed Doreen Green's essence as if she was straight out of the comic books. Bixler represented all that was good in superheroes with a comedic campiness and the perfect peppiness as she went through her journey in being her true self. And what would a hero be without their counterpart? Modoc, a traditionally very out-of-this-world character, was brought to life wonderfully on stage by both their actor and their costume. Played by Chloe Ebert, Modoc who typically worked for an evil arms dealer company, was translated on stage as something different. Modoc was a substitute computer science teacher, the villain of all college students. This comedic shock was only enhanced by the actor as each line delivered embodied the cartoonishly evil character of the comics. And the train of comic-book accurate actors didn't end there as the other one-acts also brought the wonders of the cartoons to life.

Within the second spotlight, "Mirror of Most Value," several actors shined bright, including Kenzy Ibrahim, who played Nakia Bahadir. There was a particular aspect of confidence behind her delivery. Each line was delivered with such energy and emotion that it helped immerse the audience into the story even more. And in the final spotlight, "Hammered," how could you forget about the dynamic duo of Loki and Thor. Thor, played by Tayori Snipe, and Loki, played by Athan Agostinho, both played the characters as if we were watching it on the big screen. Each accurately portrayed their comic book and movie counterparts by blending the two representations. Each had a beautiful presence and accents that helped put the audience within Asgard. There was a sliminess to Agostinho's portrayal that played into the mischief, and booming confidence in Snipe that only a crowned prince could have. Each actor felt as if they were ripped from the pages and placed on the stage.

And lastly, there was a creative element that tied it all together, originality. With the show itself being relatively new, it's always interesting to see how different performances portray different aspects. And when it came to sound and projections, there was a factor that no other version could copy. The production team created every sound effect, projection, and music track. The projections made by Christopher Duong and Aiden Ortiz enhanced the set by digitally putting us in new locations. And the sound effects and score created by Liam Gilmore, Jaden Barger, and Lana Francisco were fresh and complemented the comic-book nature of each play.

From acting portrayals to marvelous technical elements, Lightridge High School truly gave us a super-spectacle.

Malani Fenner-Smith
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

Woosh! Pow! Bang!

While tackling the subjects of originality, trust, and truth, Lightridge put on a "marvelous" production of "Marvel Spotlight Plays". Inspired by the Marvel Comics, the plays were written by Karen Zacarias, Christian Borle, and Masi Asare. The production featured three immersive and unique acts, accentuating superheroes within modern-day times.

Commencing with "Squirrel Girl Goes to College", the optimistic and chipper Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl (Kat Bixler), navigated through a new era of self-discovery and friendship as she battled against the fear of rejection because of her mutant traits. With the help of her friends, Tomàs Lara-Perez (Jude Cabral) and Nancy Whitehead (Toni Ikhile), she learned to make deep connections and chose to defy her doubts in order to slay villains and protect those close to her heart. Following the next segment, in the "Mirror of Most Value", Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel (Lily Selvaraj), a visionary fanfiction writer, tried to write her masked superhero identity in an effective light in hopes to gain more views and recognition. However, as her determination for her writing's success succumbed to an obsession, she began to lose the importance of her life around her, as well as staying true to herself. Finally, the last act, "Hammered", featured the brotherhood between the mighty Thor (Tayori Snipe) and the mischievous Loki (Athan Agostinho), both different in ways that made them grow to despise one another. However, as their combative tactics began to collide, they discovered that they might've admired each other more than they thought.

With the performance serving as Lightridge's first Cappies show, the cast and crew put in an exceptional and evident amount of work, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere. Whether it was the perfectly timed sound effects (Liam Gilmore, Jaden Barger, and Lana Francisco) to signal the end of an insightful school day, or Thor (Tayori Snipe) tipsily attempting to fight the graceful warrior Sif (Isabella Schumacher), each scene was executed with wondrous creative decisions.

An actor that commanded the stage with booming presence and impressive vocal acting was Tayori Snipe (Thor/Jock/Doctor Doom). Snipe's gestures, physicality, and interactions with other cast members were effortless and amusing, especially alongside Athan Agostinho (Loki/Comic Book Geek/Gabe Hillman). The comedic duo flowed through lines as if it were thoughtless and easygoing conversation outside the stage, no matter the role. Agostinho, in particular, showed the magic behind multi character casting, exemplifying transitions between roles that were so smooth, it was hard to recognize it was the same actor for each character played.

To aid the empowering Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl (Kat Bixler), the Squirrel Chorus (Diana Couey, Lily Cascio, Isabella Schumacher, Lily Selvaraj, Callie Stapleton, Prisha Woodcock) upraised the storytelling with their unanimous outbursts and interpretations of flashbacks to represent the past of others' personas. Each member made themselves prominent with their emotes and "nutty" personalities.

Additionally, the fantastical realms were made real with the added costumes (Bailey Mitchell, Izzy Curico, Shelley Carter). With incredible attention to detail and noticeable consideration, each costume very vividly paired with its dweller. The characterization was enhanced and allowed the performers to be made distinct amongst each other. Along with the costumes, the special choice of having projections (Christopher Duong and Aiden Ortiz) to model a scene presented significant imagery and served as an authentic technical element.

With demonstrations of character commitment, teamwork, and notable design, Lightridge's production of "Marvel Spotlight Plays" gave "light" to positive thematics and comical shine.

Tyler Cowher
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

An agile blur dashes across the stage… Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's Squirrel Girl, one of the many popular comic book characters showcased in Lightridge High School's production of "Marvel Spotlight Plays".

Premiering at the International Thespian Festival in 2019, "Marvel Spotlight Plays", a collection of three narratives told over the course of three separate acts, features Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, Thor, and Loki as they grapple with themes of friendship, originality, and brotherhood, respectively. Act one, featuring Squirrel Girl, exhibited socially inept Doreen Green and her insecurities with her mutant ability as she explored the cautionary halls of Empire State University. Ms. Marvel had audiences marveling in Act two while struggling to find originality in her superhero persona. In fact, many of her prominent character features were seemingly inspired by other beloved Marvel characters such as Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and Mister Fantastic. Ms. Marvel battled her imitative habits while striving to create the perfect fan fiction. Finally, Thor and Loki displayed an accurate depiction of a brotherly love-hate relationship full of mischief, paternal intervention, and trickery.

Lightridge High School's production of "Marvel Spotlight Plays" contains unparalleled chemistry between actors with performances of pristine realism, keeping audiences entertained throughout the two and a half hour run time. The technical elements of the production were "engaged, innovative, and dynamic" in nature; their presence enhanced the animated tone the show consistently provided.

The character "Squirrel Girl" was often paradoxical, her introverted tendencies clash with her commanding, authoritative presence on stage. Actor Kat Bixler approached this difficulty with remarkable tenacity and fulfilled Squirrel Girl's awkward personality flawlessly. The Squirrel Chorus (Diana Couey, Lily Cascio, Isabella Schumacher, Lily Selvaraj, Callie Stapleton, and Prisha Woodcock) performed in conjunction with Squirrel Girl as they bantered and quipped with her effortlessly.

In Act 3, Athan Agostinho (Loki/Comic Book Geek) exhibited a brilliant understanding of both of his characters, no matter the size of the role. Moreover, Agostinho's unique characterization of Loki, complete with sly mannerisms and an authentic accent, reflected the intention and drive of the popular trickster.

Faced with the ever-moving and colorful design of the Marvel universe, Lightridge High School remained true to the core of the superhero-filled environment with the use of comic-accurate costumes (Bailey Mitchell, Izzy Curico, and Shelley Carter). The original sound design (Liam Gilmore, Jaden Barger, and Lana Francisco) was created entirely from scratch. The creative use of lightning strikes and guitar solos reflected a higher level of professionalism on the sound designers.

Lightridge High School threatens any notion of doom or evil genius with its witty, comical production of "Marvel Spotlight Plays".

Leila Mohajer
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

"A mirror has the most value when broken." Ammi's advice to her daughter, Kamala Khan, in "Mirror of Most Value," serves as the main theme in all three stories that comprise "Marvel Spotlight." "Marvel Spotlight" is a collection of plays from the Marvel Universe that engages the audience and reminds them of the true importance of staying true to yourself. The plays, each written by different writers, take the audience through three separate storylines that center around coming-of-age and developing meaningful relationships with those around you.

"Squirrel Girl Goes to College," written by Karen Zacarias, tells the action-packed story of Doreen Green and the double-life she is living in being both Doreen and Squirrel Girl. Portraying Squirrel Girl was Kat Bixler. Bixler had a creatively unique way of acting animatedly in her character to captivate the audience as she took them through Doreen's journey of moving into college whilst hiding her "other self." The audience was able to truly empathize with Bixler's portrayal of Doreen as she struggled between two options: tell her friends the truth about Squirrel Girl while potentially putting them at risk of danger or continue lying to those closest to her and remaining "ordinary." With the encouragement of her best friend, Tippy Toe (Sofia Moscosco), Doreen decided to come clean to her friends and discovered they were more than accepting of her secret identity. Moscosco did an amazing job at portraying this young, playful character while also serving as leader of the Squirrel Chorus, the comical narrators of the story.

The next play, "Mirror of Most Value," written by Masi Asare, tells the tale of part-time high schooler/part-time super vigilante, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, as she fights crime in Jersey City. Kamala faces similar challenges to Doreen in remaining her true self, as she writes over-exaggerated fanfictions about Ms. Marvel's fights. Kamala was portrayed by Lily Selvaraj, who with a witty, humorous acting style, emphasized the struggles of being an everyday high school student along with living a secret life. Another notable performance was Kamala's best friend, Nakia, portrayed by Kenzy Ibrahim. Ibrahim had a hysterical way of expressing Nakia's frustration with Kamala whenever she could tell her best friend wasn't being truthful.

Lastly, we have, "Hammered," written by famous Broadway actor Christian Borle, which centered around the not-so-brotherly relationship of Thor (Tayori Snipe) and Loki (Athan Agostinho). Thor, god of thunder, is the "good child," while Loki, god of mischief, is - you guessed it - the "bad child." Snipe and Agostinho's chemistry, as these two well-known brothers, was hard to miss. The actors also did an amazing job at portraying Thor and Loki as they are in the comics and movies as well. Their dedication to the roles was apparent. Another notable feature performance was by Isabella Schumacher portraying Sif, Thor's best friend. Schumacher's feminist presence made for a very amusing fighting scene between Sif and Thor.

"Marvel Spotlight" was Lightridge Theater's first-ever Cappies show since opening, however, no audience member would've been able to guess it. There was clearly a lot of thought and effort placed into the production of this collection of plays. The Lighting and Sound teams, led by Bryan Buford and Liam Gilmore, really brought the show together. The creative thought placed into the costume design, led by Bailey Mitchell, was extremely notable as well.