Thomas Jefferson High School Stage Door

By Cappies • May 3rd, 2012 • Category: Cappies, Virginia

You are a struggling actress living in New York City in the 1930s. You share in a boarding house with three beds to a room. Will you ever get a speaking role? Will there be enough money to pay your rent? And, worst of all, will you have to sell out to Hollywood to ever “make it?” These are the questions that plagued the cast of characters in Thomas Jefferson High School’s production of Stage Door.

Stage Door was written in 1936 by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. It follows the stories of a group of young actresses staying in a boarding house together in New York City in the 1930s, specifically the story of Terry Randall. They discuss the tumultuous controversy of performing in theatre or the movies.

The large, mostly ensemble cast was led by Kate Sanders as Terry, who played the role with spot on facial expressions and vocal performance. Opposite her was Daniel Sainati as Keith Burgess, who played the angry playwright turned screenwriter with all the emotion the role required. Other stand outs were Rishi Malhotra as David Kingsley, whose presence commanded the stage, and Sarah Stites as Mrs. Orcutt, whose colorful performance played very well with her character. Jordan Goodson’s Judith Canfield lightened the sometimes heavy material of the play with her good comedic timing. The all-around committed cast used the stage well.

Sound cues, directed by Peter Town and Ceci Vollbrecht, came through loud and clear, adding to the scenes. Lights done by Anastassia Kornilova and Andrew Martin were fittingly simple despite some dark spots. All props, set, costumes, and makeup were time period-appropriate and created the atmosphere and feel of the boarding house in a distinct way. Intricate hairstyles were done beautifully.

Overall, Thomas Jefferson High School’s production of Stage Door had energy and bounce, yet the message was very well received: to quote Terry Randall herself, “It isn’t just a career, it’s a feeling. The theatre is something that’s gone on for hundreds of years. It’s — I don’t know — it’s part of civilization.”

by Anna Barr of Robinson Secondary School