Reviews: Amadeus at Meridian High School
Written by Murphy Santoyo of Thomas A. Edison High School
Hauntingly, a faceless figure stares into the window, holding up a hand. Day by day, the fingers show one less than the day before until there are no more. This is the dream that poisons Mozart in Meridian High School's production of Amadeus.
Amadeus is a play by Peter Shaffer, it revolves around the fictitious rivalry between the composers Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Set in the 18th century, Court Composer of the Austrian Emperor, Salieri meets the young prodigy, Mozart. Over time, accounts of Mozart as told by Salieri fuel a spiraling obsession until there is nothing left but a self-loathing composer and a requiem mass.
Meridian High School's production of Amadeus as a whole balanced a range of different levels of comedy while staying in touch with moments of despair or rage. Physical choices across the cast heightened the stakes, tying neatly into the story. The contrast between Act One and Act Two was essential to display the themes of pride and self destruction.
Mia Schatz encapsulated Salieri's moral corruption through diverse delivery of volume and depth. Schatz handled dense monologues with fluidity as one followed another while maintaining dynamic body language to express Salieri's thoughts in a natural manner. During outlandish humorous scenes, Schatz utilizes silent comedic responses to add a subtle characterization of Salieri while maintaining a balance between the focus of the scene. Often seen beside Salieri are an ensemble of two, Dante De Sio and Marshall Vogel-Rogers as The Venticelli. An in-sync duo, bouncing off each other's lines, body language, and reactions. These elements emphasized the rumors spreading in Vienna.
Passion, love, depression, madness, fear, and acceptance. These emotions were all part of Will Albaugh's Mozart throughout Meridian High School's production of Amadeus. Albaugh showed appropriate timing of switching between feelings as Mozart experiences harsh reality growing from a young prodigy to a borderline beggar. Albaugh had dynamic relationships with many cast members through Mozart which embodied Mozart's attitude toward those who showed disapproval and those who showed kindness. Ella Stearns portrayed the increasing strain of Constanze and Mozart's marriage through gradual progression of irritation at their accumulating debts until Constanze snapped. Stearns committed strongly to Constanze's breaking point. Impressively, Albaugh and Stern maximized immersion together by staying in character during large comedic moments that established the childish affection for one another.
Sound by Dylan Bryan and Kris Pokryfka had one main objective that was given great dedication to; eliminating feedback from microphones, a common struggle across many theatres. The goal was met successfully, removing audible interruptions gave the production a professional touch. Additionally, Hair and Makeup by Lauren Lewin and Tabby Hermann provided over 25 different wigs for the cast and the orchestra. The wigs were essential for the 18th century setting but details were taken into consideration by utilizing wigs to establish personality traits and indicate different Mozart's operas occurring throughout the production. For example, the nobles who held stricter guidelines had prim and proper wigs, not a hair strayed. In contrast, Mozart's rambunctious personality was complimented by a slightly wilder wig.
Salieri may or may not have poisoned Mozart but laughter is the best medicine! In short, Meridian High School's production of Amadeus blends physical comedy with strong beats of tragedy, making the play a harmonious mix of humor and heart.
Written by Elsa Harlor of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
When you're gone, who in your generation will immortalize you? This fundamental existential postulate lies at the heart of Meridian High School's ostentatious and delightfully bawdy production of Amadeus.
This celebrated 1979 play by Peter Shaffer, inspired by Alexander Pushkin's 1830 play Mozart and Salieri, fictionalizes a biting rivalry between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri against the backdrop of the music scene in 18th century Vienna. This comprehensive, feverish memory play tracks Mozart's sweeping ascension and downfall and implicates Salieri as the cunning, omnipresent orchestrator, while exploring themes of jealousy, ambition, and the enigmatic nature of divinity.
As Salieri, Mia Schatz competently brought this self-flagellating narrator to life with precision and stoic pragmatism. Schatz's delivery effortlessly switched between the vengeful narrator and the facade of the responsible, conscientious court composer, which intensified the character's emotional dissonance. Schatz fully embodied the all-consuming jealousy towards Salieri's effortlessly genius rival Mozart, played by Will Albaugh. Albaugh transfixed the audience from the first moment his hands graced the piano, masterfully acting as an artistic conduit for Mozart's complex compositions. Albaugh's giddy vulgarity lended itself to a Mozart's sense of arrested development, which further enhanced the nuanced contrast in maturity between the two rival composers. Concurrently, Albaugh managed to personify the grief and desperation that came with Mozart's hardships, allowing for an intricate, complex characterization.
Providing heart, depth, and comedy was Ella Stearns as Mozart's wife Constanze. Stearns' earnest portrayal showcased an impressive range from almost ditzy girlishness to a deeply devoted, sacrificial woman. Bringing the characters of Mozart's operas to the stage were Gavin Jones, Meera Sharma, Aila Balsano, and Aubrey Marrow. These actors appeared dauntless when performing Mozart's intimidating scores, with Marrow especially exhibiting her vocal agility with some highly demanding coloratura passages.
The Meridian Technical Theater Class provided an immersive experience through the transformation of the stage into an 18th century European opera house. This set team, with an emphasis on safety and structural integrity, created functional box seats and a raised platform for moments of the show that included operatic performances, which created a dynamic, interactive atmosphere. Committed research into architecture of the period resulted in a convincing experience, which was doubly enhanced by clever historical details, such as the ornate detailing on the box seats. The costume team (Fiona Gillapsy, Anna Goldenberg, Ruth Hale Thom, and Nishka Ghosh) rose to the challenge of the production's historical costuming, with thorough research and an eye for detail. The team's commitment to historical accuracy was well-perceived, with details from structured dresses, tailored coats, hoop skirts, and corsets illustrating the ostentatious style of the era while period-accurate undergarments enriched the audience's sense of absorption into the era.
Overall, Meridian High School impressively embraced the heightened, dramatic world of Amadeus, drawing the audience into a version of Vienna fraught with competition, and leaving them to evaluate the immortal nature of artistic genius.