One hallowed high school tradition that is one of the strongest at Falls Church High School is the fall musical. Last year’s Shrek musical was a success, with Carson Hopkins (12) headlining the eponymous character.
This year’s musical is Into the Woods, a musical written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The plot is a synthesis and interweaving of many historical and traditional tales or fables. This means that it reads like a who’s who of fairytales and stories.
The characters range from Cinderella, played by Samaria Dellorso (10), to Little Red Riding Hood played by Sarah Mack (10), all the way to the Wolf, portrayed by Jack Child (9).
The Falls Church Drama Department is headed up by our very own Ms. Elizabeth DeMarco, FC’s speech and drama teacher. The drama department has continued to grow underMs. DeMarco, with very positive reviews of Shrek, our only Cappie-eligible performance last year.
This included glowing remarks like those made by Celia Richardson of Albert Einstein High School, who concluded, “A combination of heartfelt numbers, a strong cast, and impressive technical accomplishments, Falls Church High School’s fantastic production of Shrek the Musical is worth seeing whether you are already a Shrek lover or have yet to become a fan.”
The Jagwire spoke with last year’s lead, Carson, about how the play is coming along, and what makes it so special. He explained, “With so many different leads and characters, this show showcases our program’s actors and actresses as individuals, and allows people to see all the talent we have here.” Then, when asked about how it compares to Shrek he mentioned that the real similarities between the two musicals are the fact that “this show [Into the Woods] molds us into a big family by the time the final bow comes around.”