Left to right: Caleb Delap, Nasyr Mathis Chamnbers, Jack Von Kerczek, and Zesun Hossain. Photo by Cedric Leon, a student at Albert Einstein High School.
Picture 1954 as your favorite year, a year of swing fashion, technological brilliance, and the legendary genre that is Rock ‘n’ Roll. But, in a matter of seconds, Hollywood star Alan Swann shatters this fantasy with a drinking problem and a seemingly determined mission to get you fired. Is this still your favorite year? Albert Einstein High School’s production of “My Favorite Year” somehow ensured so.
Originating as a 1982 film, “My Favorite Year” was adapted into a musical and released in 1992 by writer, Joseph Dougherty, and songwriters, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. The coming-of-age tale centers on Benjy Stone, an eager writer who works for the famous TV show, “King Kaiser’s Comedy Cavalcade.” Being Alan Swann’s biggest fan turns out to be the biggest (unintended) joke of the century when Stone realizes the struggle of bringing the messed-up Swann as a celebrity guest on the show. As an attempt to save his job, Stone has to keep Swann stable, and during the process, learns a thing or two about the importance of relationships and courage.
Just like Alan Swann, the leads seem as if they walked out of Hollywood. Benjy Stone’s (Seger Ott-Rudolph) professionalism was a truly notable quality. With smooth transitions from head to chest voice and effective breath patterns, Ott-Rudolph could play with Stone’s emotions and harmonize realistic tones for each scene. Sharing in the success of such singing was his acting. Whether bellowing out beautiful waves of music or articulating spoken words, Ott-Rudolph amplified each performance with consistent chemistry and mannerisms that highlighted a passionate, impressionable kid on a voyage of discovery. Complementary to Ott-Rudolph, Alan Swann (Tony Rivera) pushed the boundaries of excellence by displaying range in emotion and vocal technique. Especially in the song, “If the World Were Like the Movies,” Rivera demonstrated guilt over having abandoned his daughter through stillness and a tender singing approach that suffocated the audience’s ability to talk. To balance this, he added inebriated swaying and slurred speech for levity. Together, Ott-Rudolph and Rivera achieved irony when what was intended to be a certain father-and-son relationship turned out to be the reverse, with Ott-Rudolph possessing maturity as a naive son and Rivera omitting fatherly tendencies as an insecure father.
Despite a brief time on stage, Rookie Carroca (Zain Qureshi) made the most with his on-going joke of “Carrrrroca!” Qureshi’s hysterical presence on stage provided comic relief by voicing frustration over the pronunciation of his last name, each time in a distinct manner. This build-up contrasted beautifully at the finale with an emotional exchange between son and stepfather. After Ott-Rudolph correctly pronounced “Carroca,” Qureshi exchanged a glance of approval, evoking a foreign feeling of intimacy.
If the 1950s were known for innovation, so was Albert Einstein High School! With over 200 pieces, the Costumes department (Lorilee Soderstrum, Einstein Costumes Team) incorporated the 1950s style with chic extravagance and a diverse color palette such as the dancing coffee cups that featured stripe patterns with derby hats. In parallel, the Hair & Makeup department (Ava Beard, Saiyan Livelsberger, Einstein Hair/Makeup Team) cemented a mark on stage by embracing the over-the-top cosmetic field of the 50s. Each design was done uniquely, such as Eleo Aposporos’ design that featured a curly side-part endorsed by rosy cheeks, which not only captured the period of the musical but the juvenility of her character.
After seeing Albert Einstein High School’s performance of “My Favorite Year,” audience members can now understand what it means to have a favorite year. Thanks to an incredibly talented cast and crew, we can confidently agree with Benjy that this is our favorite year.
The performance reviewed was presented on Friday, Saturday, March 11, 2023.
Review submitted by Matillda Awad of Fairfax High School.
