Performing Arts

Cappies review: Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World

Cappies, a national program sponsored by the Capitol Steps theater group of Washington, sends high school student-critics to review high school productions. Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World performed by J.J. Pearce in the Richardson school district, was reviewed on April 11.

Memories are a funny thing. They show us the best and worst moments of our lives without discrimination, and are simultaneously cherished and reviled for their emotional potency. Even when someone has faded out of our lives forever, their memory still remains, so it's almost as if they're there with us for the rest of our lives, laughing and smiling within our hearts.

It's this universal idea of memory that makes the play Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World so unforgettable. With the emotional depth the actors at J.J. Pearce High School have, it's no wonder they chose such a deeply moving play to showcase their exceptional talents.

To emphasize the personal nature of the play, the drama department at Pearce performed it in their black box theater, using a simple set that consisted of a bed and a small platform to the side. This minimalist air really emphasized the personal nature of the play, bringing the audience even closer to the cast, literally as well as figuratively.

This draws a lot of attention to the cast's acting abilities, and requires a number of strong performers in order to pull it off. Luckily, the entire cast of "Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World" was able to carry their weight very well, resulting in an exceptionally moving production.

They expertly portrayed a wide variety of characters, fluidly transitioning from one to the other. Every character seemed believable and every relationship felt strikingly genuine, especially the bond between childhood friends Dennis Wright and Scooter Thomas, played by John Redlinger and Brett Thiele. Their interactions were heart-warming, heart-breaking, and everything in-between.

A note should also be made concerning the cast's professionalism: Though a few lines were stumbled upon here or there, a rather significant scene in the play was still carried out flawlessly in spite of the incessant ringing of an audience member's cell phone; the actor delivering his lines – who happened to be shouting at the time – didn't even pause in his tirade, but continued on as if he really were in another world separate from our own.

In addition to the excellent acting, Pearce's production also featured some very beautifully done lighting, which really helped to set and maintain the mood throughout the play. Though it seemed slightly unnecessary in parts, a soundtrack was also present throughout moments in the play, ranging from wordless background music to a few Beach Boys songs Dennis Wright was listening to on his radio.

Overall, Pearce's production was a beautiful, professional, and moving show, the kind that is as liable to induce laughter as it is tears, and that, if nothing else, will leave audience members pensive as they exit the theater, re-examining their own lives and the people in it.

For information on Cappies, log on to www.cappies.com. To join locally, contact Lynn Shaw, the area director, at 972-980-1140 or e-mail www.lynn.shaw@Cappies.com.