Ashburn PERMIT #86 Attention Postmaster: Time Sensitive Material

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Martinsburg, WV Ashburn PERMIT #86 Attention Postmaster: Time sensitive material. Requested in home 04-09-09 Brambleton ❖ Broadlands ❖ Lansdowne The Hard Work Of Make Believe On Stage, page 2 Preparing for the night’s Classifieds, page 13 Classifieds, production of ❖ “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at Briar Woods High School, Jordyn Newsome helps Sports, page 12 Brad Kimball ❖ with his make- up for his role as an Oompa- Loompa. BriarWoods will next present “Footloose,” on May 1, 2, 8 Real Estate, page 11 Real Estate, and 9. ❖ Calendar, page 8 Governor’s Race Spartans Wanting Comes to To Make Their Northern Virginia News, page 6 Own History Sports, page 12 Photo By Robbie hammer/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comApril 8-14, 2009 ❖ Volume VI, Number 8 online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLoudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2009 ❖ 1 On Stage Photos by Photos Robbie Hammer /The Connection Jesse Bhamrah, played the role of Willy Wonka, during Broad Run High School drama students perform their traditional ritual before their the Briar Woods High School production of “Charlie and production of “The Fantasticks” on March 29. the Chocolate Factory” on March 27. It’s Hard Work To Make Believe As they learn lines, students also learn about themselves. By Aaron Stern The Connection n one year Jessie Bhamrah made the transition from stoic cowboy to ren- Iegade chocolate tycoon. It was a lot of work. “You have no idea,” said Bhamrah as he broke from rehearsal last week at Briar Woods High School. A junior, Bhamrah took up acting last year. His first part was a small role as a cowboy in by Photo High School “Crazy for You,” but Theatre now, just a year later, Bhamrah played Willy Louise Krafft Wonka himself in the Briar Woods performance of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” earlier this month. Last year he had to memorize seven lines. This year he had over 100. /Connection “Learning lines was a killer,” he said. Bhamrah’s rapid ascension from an after- thought character to a lead role is atypical in high school theater, where students typi- cally rise from minor roles as freshmen to lead roles as juniors and seniors, putting in The entire Stone Bridge High School cast rehearsing the scene after the witch dies in “The Wiz.” hundreds of hours rehearsing, memorizing and performing along the way. ten rehearse the intricate dance steps in attest to that. Martinez has run track and a solo song. It is difficult for those not involved in the- their bedrooms, and those who are truly played basketball through her four years but “Every single little thing — just like in a ater to appreciate the amount of work that committed to acting become students of in this, her final semester of high school, sport — affects every second of a show,” students put into a show, said Dominion human nature and avid people watchers. Martinez gave up track to focus on theater. Martinez said. In fact, in some ways the- drama director Amy Young. In addition to “Its hours of work that they put into it,” She had only taken part in one show be- ater is harder, she said. Instead of relying two-plus hour rehearsals each day after said Potomac Falls drama director Renee fore — last year’s production of “Arabian on four teammates on the basketball court school, there is the work of memorizing Haynes. “It’s every bit as much work as a Nights” — and had never had a lead role or at a time, the entire cast and crew — 30 lines that must be done at home, which is sport is.” performed in a musical before. This year the same place that the student actors of- Stone Bridge senior Vicky Martinez can she has a major role as Auntie Em and has See Learning, Page 15 2 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Loudoun Connection Editor Steven Mauren On Stage 703-917-6431 or [email protected] Looking Ahead Practicing ‘The Wiz’ STONE BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Stone Bridge High School’s upcoming spring Multi-Hat musical has Dorothy, Auntie Em, and the Wicked Witch, but it’s not exactly the “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” “The Wiz” reimagines the classic tale of Dorothy’s trip through an alternate world, but puts a 1970s urban spin on the story. Wizardry “I like how it’s crazier than the ‘Wizard of Oz,’ crazier and funkier,” said senior Vicky Martinez, who plays Auntie Em. Dorothy will be played by Abi York, the Wicked Witch by Austen Willis, Drama directors and Erik DeLong will play the Wiz. The show runs at Stone Bridge High School master multi-tasking, April 16, 17, and 18 starting at 7:30 p.m. long hours, and the ‘Music Man’ personal growth of Stone Bridge drama director Glenn Hochkeppel works with senior Vicky DOMINION HIGH SCHOOL Martinez to perfect the opening musical number to “The Wiz.” As a sleazy salesman and con man bent on their students. making a profit at the expense of the poor in leading a cast and crew of 30-some high Photos by Aaron Stern/The Connection inhabitants of River City, Harold Hill doesn’t By Aaron Stern start “Music Man” as a sympathetic or very school students who are themselves still likeable character. Over the course of the show, The Connection growing up while juggling busy academic, though, Hill begins to embrace moral responsi- extracurricular and social lives. Conse- bility, prompted in part by his love for River City untie Em loves her niece, but tak- quently, drama directors alternate between resident Marion, and the town comes to benefit from Hill’s con scheme. ing care of her wasn’t her first coach, cheerleader, confidante and whip Director Amy Young said the show’s message choice of ways to devote her life. cracker. of unity and support for children during hard A economic times is particularly poignant these Conveying such sentiment in “You wear every hat in the book,” said song is no easy task, and two weeks before Dominion High School drama director Amy days, particularly as school systems consider cutting arts programs to save money. opening night Stone Bridge Woods. “Strong families still need kids to be involved drama director Glen Then, of course, there is the [in] constructive activities and the arts,” said Hochkeppel was trying to help “You wear show itself to direct. Directors Young. senior Vicky Martinez, who is choose shows based on the stu- The show runs April 30, May 1, 2, and 3. The every hat in Thursday, Friday, Saturday shows start at 7:30 playing Auntie Em in the dents they have, while consid- p.m. and the Sunday, May 3 show starts at 3:30. school’s upcoming perfor- ering the themes of recent Tickets are $7 for students, $10 for adults. mance of “The Wiz,” find her the book.” shows and what will appeal to inspiration. — Dominion High the audience. ‘The Pajama Game’ “It’s kind of a hard thing to School drama “The way I look at theater… hear, it’s like ‘Yeah, I love you, director Amy Woods is you have to be responsive to PARK VIEW HIGH SCHOOL but not a million,’” the community,” said Marilyn A standoff between a union and corporate Hochkeppel told Martinez. Gilligan, who is in her third executives at a pajama factory may be an unlikely setting for a love story, but that’s what Then he quickly walked through the paces year as the director at Briar Woods. “You happens in Park View High School’s upcoming he wanted to see from Martinez while giv- want the public to come out and if our spring musical “The Pajama Game.” ing his stage directions in a grave musical neighborhood is created of little kids on up, The show has lots of catchy tunes and a singsong — “It’s kind I want to do pieces where someone’s little mixture of adult humor and good clean laughs for youngsters, making it a good show for the of like ‘ah da da da, brother can come see it.” whole family, said Park View junior and stage you’re running away, To get the most out of students who are manager Joy Urban. The audience should now take it down- still developing emotionally and forming especially look forward to the show’s signature stage.’” their own identities while learning how to musical number “Steam Heat.” “The Pajama Game” runs at Park View High Hochkeppel spent act onstage, Potomac Falls director Renee School from April 30 through May 2. For ticket much of rehearsal Haynes often prompts her students with A 13-year veteran of the Capitol and showtime information, call 571-434-4500. that day in the Stone questions. Steps comedy troupe, Amy Young Bridge drama room “You find your courage here — where do is in her first year as the drama ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ with Martinez and you find that?” she might ask, or other times director at Dominion High Abi York, who will she will be less direct, simply asking “What School. POTOMAC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL play Dorothy, and is that about?” about a character’s habits, In the classic Broadway musical “Fiddler on Renee Haynes much of that time he for instance. there isn’t anything better than combining the Roof,” Tevye is a character with a lot on his plate. As he struggles with raising five daughters has been the had his four-year-old Broad Run director Tim Willmot said that a love of storytelling with the full-bodied and must reconcile with their increasingly drama director daughter Mimi while some directors are open to a lot of thrill of being onstage and teaching students untraditional choices for husbands, he must also at Potomac perched atop his student involvement in the overall direction how to act, said Hochkeppel.

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