The Cappies is a writing and awards program that trains high school theatre and journalism students to be expert writers, critical thinkers, and leaders. Student critics vie to be published in local media outlets by attending productions at other schools and writing critical reviews. Any references to show dates and times should be considered as past tense.
By Elliott Stewart of Oak Park High School
Lee’s Summit High School Serves Up A Treat With “Mystic Pizza!”
Dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and campy 1980s pop hits. All of these things are important ingredients in Lee’s Summit High School’s “Mystic Pizza,” showing November 14th-15th and 21st-22nd!
Based on the 1988 movie of the same name, “Mystic Pizza” follows three Portuguese-American employees at the pizza shop Mystic Pizza, which is a real place in the harbor town of Mystic, Connecticut. The three girls face hardships in their lives– Daisy Arujo, who is viewed as a dumb girl only interested in boys, begins a relationship with ex-law student Charlie Gordon Windsor Jr., who convinces her to go to law school; her sister Kathertine “Kat” Arujo, a studious astronomy major at Yale, falls in love with a married man; and their friend Josephine “Jojo” Barboza gets cold feet at the thought of marrying her longtime boyfriend Bill. Meanwhile, Mystic Pizza owner Leona Silvia struggles to keep the shop afloat and has to decide between continuing to struggle, or closing the shop she has carefully tended to for years.
Lee’s Summit High School has a brilliant cast of actors, all of whom play their characters very well. Georgia Graves, who plays Daisy, does a wonderful job at showing the pain her character goes through as a young woman living a trapped life she doesn’t think she’ll ever escape from. The same can be said of her counterpart Ella Jeffries, who effortlessly portrays the ingenue Kat. Anna Burnett’s comedic timing as the bubbly JoJo is impeccable. Zoey Chuba’s stage presence is enormous as pizza shop owner Leona. Alex Finch, who plays Tim, Kat’s love interest, does a very convincing job at portraying an intelligent, confident man, which, when coupled with his striking tenor vocals, creates a very vivid character. Likewise, both of the other male leads, Charlie Windsor (Quinn Sewchok) and Bill Montijo (Kellan Marrs) understand their characters well.
Of course, no show is complete without technical elements, and this show is not short of them by any means. The technical elements in the show are impressive. Props, managed by Natalie Lona, are very realistic; notable props include real (or at least very realistic) pizzas and a working 1980s television. Hair and makeup is very period-and-location-accurate, with many female characters sporting scrunchies and high ponytails, and the male ensemble sporting smudgy, dirty appearances from their jobs at the pier. Overall, the show is very strong.
Overall, Lee’s Summit High School’s “Mystic Pizza” is a wonderful show; surely a saucy sight to see. Get your tickets today!
