Reviews: Men on Boats at McLean High School
Written by Tanya Vundela of Independence High School
"I name this place Dunn's Canyon!" Just as William Dunn marked his territory on the expedition, the cast and crew of McLean High School's production of Men on Boats claimed the stage as their own.
The satirical play was written by Jaclyn Backhouse, and although it hasn't debuted on Broadway, the piece has made waves in audiences nationwide for its bold reimagining of American history. Following an expedition across the Colorado River in 1869, the play highlights John Powell and his crew as they attempt to navigate the uncharted western territory. They encounter everything from capsized boats to rippling friendships as their story is told with a modern humor that you probably won't find in your textbook.
Anchoring the crew amidst the turbulent river, Lily Kales brought stern leadership as John Powell. Her steady physicality reeled the audience in as she found herself in precarious situations as a leader and a friend. Aashna Kapur as William Dunn provided a humorous break from the expedition's tension. Kapur's facial expressions complemented her body language as she communicated Dunn's stubborn personality. Kapur and Kales highlighted the tension between their characters by showing a clear shift in their mindsets as the play progressed. At the beginning of their voyage, their well-timed banter made them feel like best mates as they chanted and acted in unison. As their dangerous encounters increased, their tensions came to a head one night, where Kapur and Kales' volume filled the space and they chose a silence that further juxtaposed their opposing views.
The men aboard the boats Emma Dean, No Name, and Robert J. all brought individual characterization to their roles, even as they worked as a team. Their persistent energy filled the room as they chanted alongside each other. The boat men brought the inherently hyper-masculine themes to the audience with witty humor as they continued their journey along the river. Their in-sync dialogue was especially notable during their whiskey chanting and campfire snake scenes, where their collective efforts made the moments feel full of camaraderie. Despite the many men, their individual voices were easy to pick out in the crowd. This was evident as Reese Lowe, playing William Hawkins, delivered her lines with clear diction, even as she was head-to-head with a snake; and as Emma Howell, playing George Bradley, represented her naivety with animated gestures and rapidly paced dialogue.
The black box transferred into a canyon as the audience entered the space. Jamie DeMartino and Garrett Hodder as lead set designers used 3D modeling with Tinkercad before using 1800 full sheets of newspaper to paper-mache three walls to mimic the rocky setting. The walls also had various pouches built into them for easy access to certain props like the fish, which enabled smooth scene transitions, as the characters rarely left the scenes entirely. The lighting head, Alex Elders, and the crew designed lights to highlight solemn moments among the chaotic scenes. The flashes of blue during the waterfall scene instilled panic while the orange hues brought forth a grounded calmness when they were safely on land. The publicity crew of Alex Valencic and Micah Chlan celebrated gaining a total of 68.7k views on Instagram, where they promoted their show through a spirit week, a play trailer, and various short-form content that contributed to selling out the first show within 24 hours.
McLean High School's production of Men on Boats embodies the spirit of adventure and will leave you remembering this version of history.
Written by Amelia Johnson of South County High School
Written by Jaclyn Backhouse, Men on Boats follows the 1869 expedition of John Wesley Powell down the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon during the era of Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion. Featuring a cast primarily composed of female performers portraying the male characters, the play provides a unique historical perspective on the journey of the ten explorers in Powell's party. McLean High School's black box production of Men on Boats was an intimate adaptation filled with camaraderie, suffering, and humor.
An immediate stand-out performance was Aashna Kapur in the role of William Dunn. Kapur's portrayal was commanding in both comedic and dramatic moments, serving as the thematic heart of survivalism and raising the stakes when food supplies ran low. Kapur utilized an impressive vocal energy throughout the show, inciting tensions between her character and that of John Wesley Powell in a tussle for power and superiority. Kapur seemed to truly be aware of her character's internal conflicts and motivations, creating a believable performance that instantly made her an audience favorite.
Another particularly impactful performance was Emma Howell in the role of George Young Bradley. Howell's enactment provided a youthful, more naive character that contrasted well with the more brute "manliness" embodied by the rest of the cast. Howell's clear projection and enunciation allowed her character to be fully understood in Bradley's more nuanced relationships with the rest of the crew. Howell's portrayal contained an earnest and hopeful air, enhanced by her spry physical choices; choosing to utilize a more straight-backed and yet loose posture.
The true stand-out of McLean's production, however, was its technical prowess. Upon stepping into the black box, the set created by Jamie DeMartino, Garrett Hodder, Ellery Lee, and Emerson Thiebert instantaneously took effect. The set, a series of cliffs and natural elements, takes up nearly the entire black box, immersing the audience in the world of the show. The set team used nearly 1500 feet of chicken wire, countless newspapers, and over seven gallons of paint to create the astounding scenery, which took over 140 hours to assemble. This rare dedication to scenery, particularly in that of a black box show, allowed for the play's setting to be fully realized, capturing both the wonder and danger encompassed within the stakes of the production.
Another impressive element of technical prowess in McLean's production was the stage management by Katherine Dailey. While in a tiny box on the edge of the theatre, Dailey called 700 cues for both lighting and sound, all while remaining incredibly quiet. The cues were perfectly synchronized with the actions of the cast onstage, and this feat was amplified by the fact that the lighting board was not even located in the black box theatre, requiring the technicians to fully rely on Dailey for the timing of cues. Dailey, in addition to the normal responsibilities of a stage manager, also frequently checked in with all other technical crews involved in the production, providing her help whenever necessary�a true mark of a dedicated stage manager.
All in all, Men on Boats at McLean High School was a show filled with heart, bravery, and reflections on life. The small cast displayed impressive endurance, remaining on stage for almost the entirety of the production whilst keeping energy and stakes high throughout. The teamwork displayed by the cast and crew, particularly in moments of synchronization, served as an expert example of the collaborative nature of theatre.