Albert Einstein High's 'Transcendent' Production Of 'My Favorite Year'

By Yahney Marie Sangare/Alexandria City High School
Cappies Review

In the early 1990s, "My Favorite Year" lasted a mere month on Broadway. It had neutrally dismissive reviews at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre and was generally left as another Broadway has-been. The decision to do this musical, which requires 200-something costumes, an almost perilous amount of set changes and the vocal prowess of Heaven is daring. Albert Einstein High School, situated a good three-and-a-half hours and 69 years away from 1954 Manhattan, chose it. And they absolutely killed it.

"My Favorite Year," written by Joseph Dougherty with lyrics by Stephen Flaherty, follows a few exhilarating days in 1954. It's a helplessly indulgent decade full of tension, change, and momentum. Benjy Stone (Seger Ott-Rudolph), a young man with a thousand faces and a thousand names, has scored his dream job as a writer at King Kaiser's Comedy Show, the hit of the hour headlined by its self-absorbed (and slightly neurotic) namesake (Langston Muller). When Stone finds out that their upcoming show will feature movie star Alan Swann, (Tony Rivera) Stone's personal childhood hero, he is committed to crafting the script. When Swann arrives, swaying with inebriation, Stone learns what it's like to really meet your heroes.

"My Favorite Year" was intelligently designed and marvelously executed. The acting was exquisite. As Benjy, Ott-Rudolph's voice was powerful, consistent, and emotional. Ott-Rudolph, a sophomore, superbly created Stone as a protagonist, a dreamer, and a man. Each choice he made, from the subtlety of his timing while speaking to K.C. (Eleo Aposporos) to the slow, tactical shift in fencing style as he spoke to Swann, was purposeful yet seamless. His excellent dynamics with other characters and keen knowledge of when to take the spotlight were uniquely trained for a high school show. When he first stood in front of the curtains, alight in the spotlight and casting the audience to the tides of the 1950s, Ott-Rudolph, instantly proved himself a dynamic, careful actor and set the tone of the show.

Other impeccable performances were abundant. Rivera's Swann, from his suave transatlantic accent to his soundless stage faints, was a powerhouse. He indeed had the quality of the Indiana-Jones-esque protagonists of our childhood, and the raw humanity and superb epicness of the character, combined with Rivera's beautiful, commanding voice, made Swann seem everything and nothing that Stone believed him to be. Amelia Beard's Alice Miller was hilarious, bold, and skillful. Every moment she was onstage, she was unabashedly committed to the story. Langston Muller's King Kaiser was smart, striking, and charming. Arwen Hager's Belle Mae Steinberg Carroca was sweet, unapologetic, and brave; Hager's ability to keep an accent while singing, and singing incredibly well, was commendable. Aposporos' performance as K.C. Miller was exacting and fun, complete with poised, graceful dance.

The ensemble, tech, and crew knew their show was excellent, and they added to it the harmony and symbiosis that kept it alive. From Rookie Carroca (Zain Qureshi) to the Floor Manager (Leila Sibayan-Goldfarb), no one was left forgotten. 1954 will, in the audience's minds, forever hold the joy and depth of Benjamin Steinberg's favorite year, a show that transcends all expectations and grasps the stars.