Fairfax County Public Schools students are talented actors, musicians, and visual artists. Many FCPS high schools participate in the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Critics and Awards Program for High School Theatre, otherwise known as the Cappies.

The Cappies is a program through which high school theater and journalism students are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools, write reviews, and publish those reviews in local newspapers. There are fifteen Cappies chapters across the United States and Canada. 

Editor's Note: This review of Langley High School's production of Alice in Wonderland is written by Stella Samereie of James Madison High School.

From the moment one entered the lobby of the Saxon Stage, Langley High School delighted its audiences with its whimsical and visually pleasing rendition of the classic Alice in Wonderland.

Based on the novel by Lewis Carroll, the play follows a young and curious Alice after she tumbles down a rabbit hole and into the odd world of Wonderland. While trying to find her way back home, Alice encounters many of Wonderland's strange residents, such as a grinning cat, a clumsy hatter, and a short-tempered queen. As her journey through the new land continues, Alice realizes that friends in Wonderland are awfully hard to come by, compelling her to grow from her naive, youthful mind frame to that of an independent and brave young lady. 

The lively production was well complemented by vibrant actors. Ava Carter, portraying the titular role, embodied Alice's sweet, child-like persona with excellent consistency. Scarlett Spano made the audience "lose their heads" over her commanding performance as the Queen of Hearts. Just as entertaining was the Mad Hatter, who Brady Kastner honorably served with "mad" talent. While starring as the Cook, Sophia Christiano delivered many laughs (and sneezes from all the pepper) throughout her performance. Of most notable mention is Daniel Qiu, who garnered many chuckles and applause through his comically dramatic portrayal of the Mock Turtle. 

Just as iconic as their roles, Josi Friedrich and Cai Freedlander were a marvelous duo as (respectively) Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Their child-like banter and animated actions never gave the audience a moment's pause from all the laughter.  

Langley's various crew teams must be credited for putting the "wonder" in Wonderland. The set crew, headed by Killian Korchnak, outdid themselves with a large turning set piece that functioned as the queen's court, a duchess' house, the Hatter's tea party, and the mushroom fields, each set being artfully painted by Yasmine Said and her Scenic Painting Crew. The characters' costumes, designed and hand-made by Leo Rose and a terrific Costume Crew, respected the styles of both the Disney classic and the Victorian-era novel. Vishwa Surabhi, who digitally composed the music for every scene, enchanted the audience with whimsical and theatrical background tunes. 

Langley High School's production of Alice in Wonderland, a visual marvel and entertaining experience, passionately honored its iconic source material, bringing its audiences back to the nostalgic realm of Wonderland. 

Fan of High School Theater?

Be sure to check out the Fine and Performing Arts Calendar on the FCPS website. Individual listings for many middle and high school theater events are featured. Users can subscribe to the calendar to be notified of upcoming performances, and each event can be added to a calendar or shared on social media.