By Christina A. Samuels
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 4, 2001; Page T01

NEW YORK--The kids all agreed: In their final performance on the high school stage, they really hit it.

All the weeks of writing and rewriting, all the hours of rehearsal, all the missed sleep, all the skipped homework finally paid off for the cast of "Stopscandal.com," the original musical that premiered at Osbourn Park High School in January.

Then, as cast members were taking their bows, as the applauding crowd was still on its feet, the musician for the show started playing "New York, New York." The students were about to receive an amazing opportunity: a chance to take "Stopscandal.com" on the road to New York. It was a surprise that the writer of the musical, William Strauss, kept for the last minute.

"I just can't even describe it," said cast member Valerie Sprague, 18. "It was just such a moment of elation."

The moment of elation gave way to extra rehearsals, adjustments for a smaller stage, hours in a bus and a whole new level of stage fright. And no one knew what to expect when they arrived in the city, fortified with doughnut holes and stoked by watching "Clue" and "Little Shop of Horrors" videos during the four-hour bus ride.

The previously chatty riders grew quieter as they traveled through the Lincoln Tunnel toward Chelsea, site of the 140-seat off-Broadway Maverick Theater. The stage, they had been warned, is one-third the size of Osbourn Park's auditorium, which seats 1,000-plus. There would be no curtain. No microphones. No special effects.

When they arrived at the clean, cozy Maverick, Sprague's relief was palpable.

"We worried right up until we walked into the room. I mean, it could have been disgusting, water dripping from the ceiling," Sprague said later. She played a venal TV reporter, Scoop Jones.

"We were all so relieved. It was our theater. It was our stage," Sprague said.

And for months, "Stopscandal.com" has been their show. It was written by Strauss, a co-founder and director of the political satire group Capitol Steps, who gave the Osbourn Park students an opportunity to "workshop" the musical, still a work in progress.

The workshop process is markedly different from most high school productions, where students work with a finished product. Strauss and the songwriters, Bo Ayars and Steven Rosenhaus, played with arrangements. Students added their own flavor to the show, updating it with contemporary slang, playing with some lines to make them more realistic.

"Stopscandal.com" is loosely based on the Jimmy Stewart classic "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." In the movie, innocent Sen. Jefferson Smith from Jackson City takes on government corruption, ultimately staging an hours-long filibuster until a crooked land deal is exposed.

In the new musical, teenager Jackson Smith travels to Washington to receive a songwriting award and, with his friends Molly and Brandon, stumbles across evidence of political corruption. The teenagers set up a Web site to try to oust a senator from office but learn that in Washington, life is more complicated than black and white.

The script changed, and changed, and changed again over weeks of development. Rehearsals with drama teacher Robert Wilson and chorale teacher Betsy Hermann were intense.

"The last week before the show, we had rehearsal probably 40 hours," said Bekah Bayles, 16, who played Conny, a campy conservative lobbyist. "We were coming to rehearsal not knowing whether you're going to have the same script or have a new one. . . . It was terribly stressful."

In addition, the creators didn't know how the students would pull off the musical.

"I didn't know anything about the school. I didn't know if it was a magnet school for drama or anything like that," said Rosenhaus, a professor in the music and performing arts department at New York University.

But after he met the students, "I did one of those mental brow wipes, you know? I thought, we'll be all right with this," he said.

Even before the trip to New York last weekend, Strauss, Rosenhaus and Ayars came up with a few more changes. They had written two more songs and wanted to move some scenes. The students vetoed most of those changes because they felt they didn't have enough time.

They lost even more time when last month's snow knocked out two potential rehearsal days before the trip. The Friday before they left, the students gathered on their own for nearly four hours to run through the script.

"They want to do well. And that's the great thing about working with them, besides the obvious talent," Rosenhaus said.

The commitment from the students left some parents bemused.

"I didn't even know he could sing until two years ago," said Karren Reda, who traveled with her son Michael, a 16-year-old junior who played Brandon, a congressional page. A year ago, Michael was in a production of "My Fair Lady" at Osbourn Park, playing Freddie.

"I looked at that and said, 'Okay, that's where he belongs,' " Reda said. "He was so natural on the stage. So completely natural."

Gail D'Aversa said her 18-year-old daughter, Meredith, who played Molly, got her first taste of the stage when she was 11 and part of the ensemble cast of "Jesus Christ Superstar."

"She made 31 of 32 performances," D'Aversa said. From then on, acting was Meredith's goal. "That's all she ever wanted to be."

Some of the students surprised themselves. Travis Tucker, 18, said he had no thoughts about going into the performing arts until he was a sophomore. Now, he's applying to New York University. The turning point came when he played Nicely-Nicely in Osbourn Park's presentation of "Guys and Dolls."

"During 'Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat,' you really have to schmooze the crowd. Every move you make, you see their eyes following you. That was one of the best feelings," Tucker said.

On Feb. 24, the day of the first performance in New York, the students spend nine hours in the theater from rehearsal to final bows. Most of that time was spent blocking on the unfamiliar stage. Instead of entering and exiting in the wings, the low stage required students to exit and enter through the aisles. They had to get used to moving their own props on the stage. There was griping and a few sharp words.

Jeff Mundt, 18, who played Sen. Fred Klunk, said he tried to stay above the squabbling. Originally looking for a small role in the show, he ended up being one of the stars.

"I realize that [Strauss] and Mr. Wilson have to be annoying to get things done. It'll come together. It always does."

By 8 p.m., every seat in the Maverick Theater was filled. The entrances and exits, the songs, the dance routines were pulled off as if the students had played on that stage for weeks.

"What they did in three hours, a professional cast would have had about six hours to do, and without a show the same day," Strauss said.

Chrysten Peddie, a New York University sophomore who played Molly in one of the early stage readings of the "Stopscandal.com" script, said she noticed the professionalism of the cast.

"I've never heard of anything like this, actually," said Peddie, adding that when she was in high school, the repertoire was limited to "Guys and Dolls" and similar often-performed musicals.

"This must be thrilling for them. This is how it happens. 'Rent' started off in a workshop production," Peddie said, referring to the Tony Award-winning musical.

The students were not so sure that they had aced the first New York performance. Post-show analysis brought up a number of songs they wanted to rehearse again to make sure they had them down before their Sunday show.

"We put too much pressure on ourselves. I mean, we are in New York," said Sara Tomko, an 18-year-senior who played another lobbyist, Libby. "That's why I can't get over when we mess up one line, even though no one else knows."

The second performance was stronger, the cast agreed. And then, they bundled up for dinner at Mars 2112, a science-fiction-theme restaurant in Manhattan, slept, and made their way back home to Manassas.

Sprague said she's still not sure what to make of the whirlwind trip, though she's looking forward to Osbourn Park's next musical, "South Pacific."

"I do like it when I get asked what I did this weekend. I say: 'Oh, I went to New York and performed off-Broadway. What did you do?' "

By Christina A. Samuels
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 7, 2001; Page T01

Take a group of earnest teenagers, voracious media, powerful politicians and a whiff of corruption, and you have "StopScandal.com," a musical that will premiere Friday at Osbourn Park High School.

"StopScandal.com" is a new take on the "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" brand of corruption fighter, with teenagers taking on a congressman. It was written by William Strauss, a co-founder of the Capitol Steps, the comedy troupe whose stock in trade is cataloguing the hilarities of life in Washington. Strauss is married to Jane K. Strauss, a Fairfax County School Board member representing the Dranesville District.

Unlike most other musicals performed by high schools -- tried-and-true scripts where every song and every character is familiar -- this performance will be the first anywhere of the new musical. The Osbourn Park students "workshopped" the script, contributing to its creation, dropping in up-to-the-minute slang and changing lines to fit teenage banter.

Over cupcakes and pizza, the students have spent hours since October honing the play and memorizing their lines, which sometimes changed from rehearsal to rehearsal. They spent a day and a half recording a CD of the show's original music, which will be on sale at the performances.

Although exciting, the process has been nerve-racking for the performers.

"I had already marked a script and then I had to get a new one; there were that many changes," said senior Valerie Sprague, 17, who plays TV reporter Scoop Jones. "It's a really interactive process."

The process will be interactive for the audience as well. During the show, the cameraman character will be using a live camera, which will broadcast images to monitors visible to the audience, in a technological turnaround.

"I think it's going to be a play that expresses a really strong viewpoint on Washington, D.C.," Sprague said. "It's going to be more about the adults than the kids in the audience."

Junior Mike Reda, 16, who plays Brandon, a Capitol page, said one number changed from a song to a rap, because the rhythm changes turned out to be so complicated. "Now, it's just me tapping a pencil," he said.

Mike said going through the script was occasionally contentious.

"Some of the rehearsals we were sitting down at a table saying, 'This works, this doesn't work,' " he said. "Sometimes we'd feel bad, because [Strauss] would be so excited. But it's definitely turning out better than when it started."

Robert Wilson, a drama teacher at Osbourn Park, said he leapt at the chance to have his students do the musical, although he knew it would be hard for some of them. He met Strauss during a meeting on the Critics and Awards Program, or "Cappies," which gives recognition to high school actors and productions.

"It's been a little frustrating for the kids, because they're not used to the workshop process," Wilson said. "If they were actors in New York, they'd be used to getting a script with changes in it the day before they go on."

In contrast, Wilson said, high school performers are accustomed to getting a script to, say, "Our Town" or "Grease" and performing the exact lines or songs three months later.

"It becomes a little bit more difficult for them, but they're doing a professional job with it," Wilson said.

Betsy Herman, the school music and choral director, is taking the students through the songs, which have a variety of musical styles, including country, rap and traditional show tunes. Two Osbourn Park parents, Robert and Robin Sturm, are teaching the choreography. Their daughter Samantha, a 15-year-old freshman, also has a role in the musical.

The eclectic mix plays well to the talents of the performers, said senior Travis Tucker, 17. Much of the action revolves around his character, Jackson Smith.

"I don't think any other school could have pulled it off," he said. "We have such a variety of different styles."

Strauss, who has written other works for young performers, said he wants to create pieces that are relevant to modern teenagers.

"I want to not have any one character hugely dominant, and I want to have a lot of great girls' roles. A lot of the plays have not a lot of great girls' roles, and they tend to be very stereotyped," Strauss said. "This isn't a 1950s musical; it's a musical about now."

Matt Berger
(The Washington Post, Wednesday, January 17, 2001; Page T07)

More powerful than the president, more political than the Senate and more fun than a barrel full of chads.

Mix it together and you have Osbourn Park High School's quick-paced and vivacious production of a new musical, "StopScandal.com," by political satirist and High School Critics and Awards Program founder William Strauss. His latest dramatic work, focusing on a high school senior's quest to tame the bureaucratic circus of Capitol Hill, includes all the elements of a promising show -- a wide range of songs (by composers Bo Ayars and Steven Rosenhaus), memorable characters and an entertaining plot, while still leaving room for a few potshots at the youth culture's obsession with the word "like" and a joke or two about that mess down in Florida (really, how could they resist?).

Spearheading the Prince William school's acting ensemble is senior Travis Tucker as Jackson Smith, an ambitious and patriotic teen who wins a trip to Washington, D.C. With his energetic performance, Tucker steals the stage with his vibrant moves and smooth voice.

Mike Reda, as a Capitol page and Smith's hacker friend Brandon, provides one-half of a great one-two pairing with Tucker, the two wowing the audience with their eye-catching antics, unique chemistry and remarkable break-dancing.

Aimee Bayles is Lisa Suarez, Smith's civics teacher and biggest supporter; her moving and powerful performance of "I Teach a Child" leaves nary a dry eye in the house. And Oz Hinton-Lee plays the sly political consultant Silkworm with flair and cunning humor.

Rounding out the musical talent are Sara Tomko (the liberal Libby) and Rebekah Bayles (conservative Conny), whose sarcastic, witty chemistry peaks during the show-stopping number "I'm Goin' Negative on You."

Two technical aspects of the show merit special notice. Giant on-stage screens that frequently project the image of Scoop Jones, a profiteering and blackmailing television reporter played by Valerie Sprague, add an immediate energy rush. Also, the choreography is animated and fits the songs well, whether it's a pop, jazz, rap or soul number.

Osbourn Park's over-the-top, energetic interpretation of "StopScandal.com" goes hand in hand with the pleasantly fresh script to deliver an exceptional production. From the first powerful note to the last quick-paced dance number, this one keeps the audience entertained and laughing.

It's, like, really cool.

By Christina A. Samuels
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 31, 2001; Page PW03

The Osbourn Park High School students who just staged a new musical written by a founder of the Capitol Steps are taking the show to New York.

The Maverick Theater, an off-Broadway performance space, will present "StopScandal.com" Feb. 24 and 25, said Robert Wilson, the Osbourn Park drama teacher and director of the musical. Before they leave, however, the students likely will perform the show locally again to help raise the estimated $7,000 needed to make the trip.

"What would be the ultimate opportunity a high school drama teacher could provide his students?" Wilson asked. "This is the ultimate opportunity. The stage doesn't get any bigger than Broadway."

"StopScandal.com," which brings together in its plot earnest teenagers, corrupt politicians and scandal-hungry media, was written by William Strauss. Strauss is founder of the comedy troupe that satirizes Washington life.

Strauss asked his contacts in New York to secure a performance space for the young actors, then told the students about it on the day of their last performance.

"I knew these were capable kids from the beginning, when I started to hear them work on it," said Strauss, who attended all of the Osbourn Park performances. "All across the board, an extremely capable group of kids."

The process of producing "StopScandal.com" differed from standard high school musicals. The students "workshopped" the script, offering comments and suggestions about songs and lines. The script changed several times before the show was actually produced, and Strauss is still adjusting lines, he said. One song that doesn't work will be removed; another song will be added.

"You don't get to see your show up that much, and when you do, you really want to study it," Strauss said.

Strauss has focused on producing musicals for high school students that are relevant to the young generation. "There really aren't any musicals about teenagers that postdate the '50s," he said, referring to tried-and-true shows such as "Grease" and "Bye Bye, Birdie." He also said he wanted to write shows that have strong female characters.

The audience in New York will include New York University faculty and some producers and directors as well as parents and friends, Wilson said. For some of the students who plan to apply to NYU, "it'll be like an extra audition," Wilson said.

The show will be scaled down to fit the Maverick Theater. The Osbourn Park High stage is 40 by 60 feet, and holds 1,100. The Maverick Theater is 18 by 24 feet, and holds 140.

"It's a huge decrease," Wilson said, adding that there are some positive aspects. "It really focuses everything down on the acting."

The next step is to focus on the fundraising, Wilson said. In addition to extra performances to raise money, the school is selling compact discs of the soundtrack and T-shirts for $10 each.

"They did a really splendid job with the show," Strauss said. "It's just incredibly good, what they put together."