Reviews: Crazy for You at Hayfield SS
Written by Julian Hassi of McLean High School
If you're looking for something to amaze you, head to Deadrock, Nevada, and say "Howdy!" to the residents who would be happy to welcome you. To get there, take the nearest train to Hayfield Secondary School, where they encapsulated the town of Deadrock on their stage during their production of Crazy For You. This Tony Award-winning musical follows Bobby, a banker with dreams of Broadway. He travels to a small town in Nevada to foreclose on the local theater, but finds himself entranced by the owner's daughter, Polly. Bobby hatches a plan to save the theater and win over Polly. Full of pep, Crazy For You is worth the hour long walk from the train station.
The enthusiastic Bobby was played by Aquilles Ailus, who dominated the stage with goofy mannerisms. His ability to swap between personas was highly amusing as he tried to keep up with himself. Ailus's voice was deeply compelling, and range was demonstrated from numbers such as "Shall We Dance?" to "They Can't Take That Away From Me" as Ailus tapped away onstage. Ailus's counterpart, Josie Sinniger as the assertive Polly, was beautifully mesmerizing. "But Not For Me" portrayed tenderness, while "Embraceable You" displayed a build-up of excitement. Overall, Sinniger was an oasis of femininity in a desert of grungy cowboys.
Sunya Supanklang was hilarious as Bela Zangler. As Bobby impersonated Zangler, Supanklang and Ailus were indistinguishable. They flawlessly worked together as they matched every word and movement, even hilariously synchronizing their laughs.
Irene was portrayed by Tsenat Zenebe, who, each moment onstage, was enthralling. Zenebe was graceful yet commanding as she bewitched the audience. Zenebe's impeccably cool tone was maintained, even throughout more risque numbers like "Naughty Baby". Zenebe's chemistry with Aaron Guerrero as Lank built up steadily, and they contrasted like ice to a flame.
You may find Nico Velasco-Kent as Moose strumming a bass somewhere onstage, smiling from ear to ear. His enthusiastic movements filled the space with a contagious, joyous energy.
The Follies' demonstrated impressive stamina as they tapped and twirled across the stage, all while keeping a consistent smile. Their perky movements were polished and perfectly in sync. The Follies jaunty act was a charming contrast to the comically dopey cowboys, whose gruff actions reflected the spirit of the West. The entire cast brought immense energy during "Slap That Bass". The dancers eloquently weaved together with expert timing, and the vocals were spirited and strong, demonstrating the profound endurance of the cast.
The orchestra, also known as All We Do Is Gershwin Win Win, masterfully synced every note, beat, and rest to what was happening onstage. The sound they produced powerfully and precisely filled the entire space, especially during the Overture. Thanks to Sebastian DeSimone-Shabrack, Jack Pettit, and the Dramahawks Sound Team, the sound quality was smooth and consistent. The lofty set, constructed by Charlie Fink, Allyson Pikul, Iris Nijbroek, Allison Rigsbee, and the Dramahawks Set Crew, felt like a town with its clutter. It functioned with separate rooms and sections, all moved by the Dramahawks Run Crew, who were all dressed like cowboys to match the theme.
A grand, truly jovial show, Hayfield Secondary School's Crazy For You will leave you crazy for them.
Written by Ellen Lawton of Herndon High School
Any actor worth their salt can assure you that no matter what happens, the show must go on—even when the director seems to have cloned himself and the chorus is made up of half-drunk cowboys. But that's show business for you! So come saddle up and settle down for a wild, wonderful time at Hayfield Secondary School's production of Crazy For You.
Taking its music from the classic catalog of George and Ira Gershwin, with a story also based on the duo's 1930 musical Girl Crazy, Crazy for You was written by Ken Ludwig and premiered in 1992, winning the Tony for Best Musical. It's a roaring, rollicking hoot of a show, telling the story of amateur actor Bobby Child and his best attempts to save a rundown theater in middle-of-nowhere Nevada. When love at first sight starts to complicate things, Bobby makes the obvious choice: ditching his own identity and impersonating his Broadway idol. Could it be the key to getting the girl and saving the show in one fell swoop?
Hayfield's production brought plenty of pluck and pizzazz to the stage, with new surprises up its sleeve every minute. In just seconds, a whole town could seem to pop up from the ground, or a car could zoom onstage with headlights blaring. And is that someone tap dancing on its roof? The endless energy and spirit of the show was truly spearheaded, of course, by the theatre's savior- the one and only Bobby Child.
Played by Aquilles Ailus, Bobby proved a true star, even when he was just performing in a saloon. With arms spread wide, a dazzling smile, and the uncanny ability to tap dance on any surface- tables, chairs, and automobiles alike- Ailus charmed in every scene. When impersonating the famous Mr. Zangler, Ailus easily flipped into a Hungarian accent, taking on the trademark laugh and hand movements of the real man (Sunya Supanklang). And when the two Zanglers finally came face-to-face in "What Causes That?", both showed off their impressive dance skills, leaping and tumbling all around the stage. Josie Sinniger as Polly Baker gave an endearing performance to match, with a sweetly sassy Southern accent and stunning high notes in songs like "I Got Rhythm."
Livening up every corner, the Follies dancers step-touched and sashayed their way through the highs and lows of Bobby's journey, never failing to make the rest of the town smile. Led by the aforementioned Supanklang, the troupe burst with humor and hundreds of little details. Ava Taylor, as Patsy, was a particular standout. Taylor's shrill, cartoonish accent and irrepressible energy made even little moments, like the cowboys being taught to dance, abundantly entertaining. And Supanklang's slightly wacky energy, in true show-director style, helped make the real (very confused) Mr. Zangler a lovable caricature.
Such a jazzy, jolly show couldn't have succeeded without the extraordinary effort of the student choreographers (Ava Taylor, Josie Sinniger, Karen Board). Their incredibly inventive choices, pulling in props like ropes and plates for sound effects and having all kinds of dramatic lifts and spins in numbers like "Slap That Bass," were only more impressive in context: the majority of the cast had never tap danced before. The set (Charlie Fink, Allyson Pikul, Iris Nijbroek, Aillison Rigsbee, Crew) was just as clever- spinning around like a dollhouse to reveal the interiors of stages and saloons.
At Hayfield's production of Crazy For You, it's a thrill just to be along for the ride. They've got humor, they've got heart, they've most certainly got rhythm- "and who could ask for anything more?"