Exceptional Cast Headlines NOISES OFF at Lake Minneola High School

Are you anticipating a crazy roller coaster filled with comedy, humility, and many many doors? Well, that's exactly what Lake Minneola High School is offering as they perform Noises Off a play within a play filled with many twists and turns that captivate the audience and keep them on the edge of their seats. Noises Off is a 1982 comedic play and was written by Michael Frayn. The story revolves around the fact that the cast is actually a completely other cast in a play known as Nothing On. The cast takes on two character roles the Noises Off character and the Nothing On character which can make things hard to follow at times but Lake Minneola definitely pulled it off. Overall Lake Minneola kicked off the year with a huge bang! The energy and commitment of the cast truly shined on stage. The cast all worked well together and complimented each other perfectly. Besides that the overall projection and other aspects were very well done and, even though diction was a problem in certain areas, the overall production was fantastic. This show was led by two very talented individuals Jeanne Ley (Dotty/Mrs. Clackett) and Jonathan Melendez (Gary/Rodger) who brought their characters to life and commanded the stage. The emotion these two brought made it very easy to understand and connect the audience to their characters and made it easy to understand when they were on stage in the play and when off stage as their other character. There projection and movement were never without purpose and their comedic timing kept the audience laughing and wanting more. The supporting cast was also outstanding and never left the audience with a dull moment. The entire supporting cast, Trevor Colt (Llyod Dallas), Jennifer Santiago (Brooke/Vicki), Alyssa Smith (Poppy Norton-Taylor), Caleb Russel (Frederick/Phillip), Mariah Morton (Belinda/Flavia), Angelia Vang (Tim Allgood), and Nathanael Tria (Selsdon/Burglar), did a phenomenal job of performing this very difficult production. They not only showed great acting abilities but also great dedication as we watched a few of them fall down stairs and watched them use a variety of different but necessary props that all added to the overall effect of the show. On the technical aspects Lake Minneola brought their set two life by having a two story house with multiple doors all perfectly created and sturdy. Lighting and sound also was done exceptionally (Marrisa Fontes, Ashling Richard, Joseph Mercer) never leaving the cast without a voice or in the dark. Overall, Lake Minneola has outdone themselves this year with their production of Noises Off. Bringing this difficult play to life with their exceptional cast makes the audience eager for their next performance to hear another line and to share another joke at Lake Minneola. by Dalton Kersey of South Lake High School

Dracula at Winter Springs A KILLER HIT

In the midst of Transylvania, where the wolves howl and shadows lurk, lives one blood thirsty creature who stands above the rest. Waiting for her prey. Winter Springs High School delivered “Dracula”, a tale so unnerving, nothing will save you. “Dracula” is a stage play that was adapted by Hamilton Deane from Bram Stoker’s famous novel. Since 1924, the show has undergone a plethora adaptations. In this version, the story follows Lucy and her friend Mina as well as their companions, Jonathan and John as they are tormented by the Count and search for clues that will assist them in her defeat. With the aid of Abraham Van Helsing, the company realizes exactly what Dracula is and make a desperate attempt to put an end to her madness. The show opens with a monologue from Gannon Kolzielski (Renfield), in which he displays his use of crisp and precise diction accompanied by ample amounts of projection. However, what really made him so memorable was his impeccable physicality. He covered both ends of the spectrum, being both poised in once scene, and a complete lunatic in the next. He made use of the stage and well as his own body by crouching and contorting, crawling and cringing. Kolzielski acted from head to toe, giving his character depth and significance and deserves the upmost of praise. His parallel, Amari O’Neill (Lucy), delivered an unforgettable performance as well. Her character’s humility in the beginning came off as genuine and natural, allowing the audience to believe in the story she was telling. Her lines were never lost, and her piercing shrieks frightened the audience as intended to, shivers down their spines. Jordyn Coleman (Dracula) herself was a spectacle to be seen. Her seductive Transylvanian accent was consistent and easy to follow. Coleman too had sharp physicality. From the way she walked to how she would bite necks, her performance seemed authentic. Also, Nate Elliot (Abraham Van Helsing) spoke with such equanimity that it was hard to believe he was a high school student. The ensemble strongly contributed to the “spook” factor of the show. The asylum patients added layers to the story, each keeping a consistent character throughout long periods of time which is difficult to do. However, it was done successfully. The cast as a whole acted wonderfully together. Connections were made and believed though their intimacy, nothing seemed fabricated. The technical aspects of this show really raised the standard. Reed Truslow did a remarkable job with lighting. He crafted it in a way to direct attention to where it needed to be and would set the mood through different washes and intensities of light. Costumes were impressive as well. The entire cast donned a specific color palate that was appropriate to the show as well as to the progression of the story. Winter Springs High brought the world of Transylvania to their stage as if it was a page ripped out of Bram Stoker’s novel, and it was a killer hit. In the midst of Transylvania, where the wolves howl and shadows lurk, lives one blood thirsty creature who stands above the rest. Waiting for her prey. Winter Springs High School delivered “Dracula”, a tale so unnerving, nothing will save you. “Dracula” is a stage play that was adapted by Hamilton Deane from Bram Stoker’s famous novel. Since 1924, the show has undergone a plethora adaptations. In this version, the story follows Lucy and her friend Mina as well as their companions, Jonathan and John as they are tormented by the Count and search for clues that will assist them in her defeat. With the aid of Abraham Van Helsing, the company realizes exactly what Dracula is and make a desperate attempt to put an end to her madness. The show opens with a monologue from Gannon Kolzielski (Renfield), in which he displays his use of crisp and precise diction accompanied by ample amounts of projection. However, what really made him so memorable was his impeccable physicality. He covered both ends of the spectrum, being both poised in once scene, and a complete lunatic in the next. He made use of the stage and well as his own body by crouching and contorting, crawling and cringing. Kolzielski acted from head to toe, giving his character depth and significance and deserves the upmost of praise. His parallel, Amari O’Neill (Lucy), delivered an unforgettable performance as well. Her character’s humility in the beginning came off as genuine and natural, allowing the audience to believe in the story she was telling. Her lines were never lost, and her piercing shrieks frightened the audience as intended to, shivers down their spines. Jordyn Coleman (Dracula) herself was a spectacle to be seen. Her seductive Transylvanian accent was consistent and easy to follow. Coleman too had sharp physicality. From the way she walked to how she would bite necks, her performance seemed authentic. Also, Nate Elliot (Abraham Van Helsing) spoke with such equanimity that it was hard to believe he was a high school student. The ensemble strongly contributed to the “spook” factor of the show. The asylum patients added layers to the story, each keeping a consistent character throughout long periods of time which is difficult to do. However, it was done successfully. The cast as a whole acted wonderfully together. Connections were made and believed though their intimacy, nothing seemed fabricated. The technical aspects of this show really raised the standard. Reed Truslow did a remarkable job with lighting. He crafted it in a way to direct attention to where it needed to be and would set the mood through different washes and intensities of light. Costumes were impressive as well. The entire cast donned a specific color palate that was appropriate to the show as well as to the progression of the story. by Desiree Rodriguez, Cypress Creek High School Winter Springs High brought the world of Transylvania to their stage as if it was a page ripped out of Bram Stoker’s novel, and it was a killer hit. In the midst of Transylvania, where the wolves howl and shadows lurk, lives one blood thirsty creature who stands above the rest. Waiting for her prey. Winter Springs High School delivered “Dracula”, a tale so unnerving, nothing will save you. “Dracula” is a stage play that was adapted by Hamilton Deane from Bram Stoker’s famous novel. Since 1924, the show has undergone a plethora adaptations. In this version, the story follows Lucy and her friend Mina as well as their companions, Jonathan and John as they are tormented by the Count and search for clues that will assist them in her defeat. With the aid of Abraham Van Helsing, the company realizes exactly what Dracula is and make a desperate attempt to put an end to her madness. The show opens with a monologue from Gannon Kolzielski (Renfield), in which he displays his use of crisp and precise diction accompanied by ample amounts of projection. However, what really made him so memorable was his impeccable physicality. He covered both ends of the spectrum, being both poised in once scene, and a complete lunatic in the next. He made use of the stage and well as his own body by crouching and contorting, crawling and cringing. Kolzielski acted from head to toe, giving his character depth and significance and deserves the upmost of praise. His parallel, Amari O’Neill (Lucy), delivered an unforgettable performance as well. Her character’s humility in the beginning came off as genuine and natural, allowing the audience to believe in the story she was telling. Her lines were never lost, and her piercing shrieks frightened the audience as intended to, shivers down their spines. Jordyn Coleman (Dracula) herself was a spectacle to be seen. Her seductive Transylvanian accent was consistent and easy to follow. Coleman too had sharp physicality. From the way she walked to how she would bite necks, her performance seemed authentic. Also, Nate Elliot (Abraham Van Helsing) spoke with such equanimity that it was hard to believe he was a high school student. The ensemble strongly contributed to the “spook” factor of the show. The asylum patients added layers to the story, each keeping a consistent character throughout long periods of time which is difficult to do. However, it was done successfully. The cast as a whole acted wonderfully together. Connections were made and believed though their intimacy, nothing seemed fabricated. The technical aspects of this show really raised the standard. Reed Truslow did a remarkable job with lighting. He crafted it in a way to direct attention to where it needed to be and would set the mood through different washes and intensities of light. Costumes were impressive as well. The entire cast donned a specific color palate that was appropriate to the show as well as to the progression of the story. Winter Springs High brought the world of Transylvania to their stage as if it was a page ripped out of Bram Stoker’s novel, and it was a killer hit.