A Very Real Look at 9-11, Ocoee Presents With Their Eyes

by Jennifer Barkenhagen, Freedom High School

To describe the mood in the auditorium during the new Ocoee High School’s production of ‘With Their Eyes’ would be impossible. The entire show was like having a conversation with someone; you could close your eyes and pretend they were talking directly to you. It was that real.

The story, recorded by the students of Stuyvesant High School and edited by Annie Thoms, is about the time following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Interviewing people in and around their school, they transcribed them into a book, and later a script. They covered all the bases, including monologues from their teachers, a Muslim student, a janitor. These created an amazing flow of words that were interconnected through feelings and disaster.

Through almost all of the characters, you could actually feel the pain, anger, and fear. Megan Sorley’s portrayal of a teacher at the school was excellent, as was Danielle Johnson’s. Megan was convincing in her emotion and almost brought me to tears several times, while Danielle was very motherly. I could imagine her being one of my teachers and going to her for support. Daniel Boisrond’s anger in the second act was just amazing. It radiated from him in a way that didn’t feel like acting. I found Evan Martinez to be very real, as if I could step into a school in Manhattan and actually find him there. In the second act there was a drop in energy, but the cast did a great job with their characters and the ending helped pick the show back up.

In the first act the entire stage is black with one spot lighting each actor as they speak. The severity of the light paralleled what was happening--those feelings right after the attack. In the second act the accounts are maybe a few months later and everyone is much calmer. Here the lights change colors, making a warmer effect. This lighting was not as effective. The entire stage was brighter and changed the mood in the house. The ending was very well done, and all of the light cues were right on time. The minimalistic set helped the audience concentrate on the actors. It was different levels, adding interest to the stage. Overall, the tech work was impressive and really a key element in the show.

The emotional content of this piece is difficult to master, and the cast did a great job. I wouldn’t have guessed this drama program was brand new was from the caliber of performance. Great job, Ocoee, your first show was a success!

Originally published in The Backstage Noise, Fall, 2005