Filled with catchy songs, vivid lights, and hilarious jokes, the spring musical was certainly a showstopper. Directed by Mr. Thompson, Ms.
Schoonmaker, and Ms. Cameron, 13 follows Evan Goldman (played by Jabari King ‘26), a Jewish boy who has just moved from New York to Appleton, Indiana — or to quote Patrice (played by Josephine Andonellis ‘26), “the lamest place in the world.” What follows a stunning opening number is ninety minutes of wry humor, plotting, and “the tongue,” as the audience watches Evan attempt to navigate an entirely new social circle filled with classic middle-school archetypes.
Aside from the near-disturbingly frank nature of the performance, one of the things that makes it truly unique is the way all of the characters are obviously thirteen. The actors did an amazing job portraying every bit of the awkward, pubescent nightmare I’m sure nobody misses, and the cutthroat nature of jealousy, as exemplified by Kendra (Sophia Kosover ’29) and Lucy (Anny Qian ‘27). The dialogue is every bit as sharp and witty as one would expect from a middle schooler, and each delivery by the actors drew loud applause and hooting laughter from the audience — or, in the case where Archie (Isaac Obeng ‘26) and Brett (Daniel Kaminju ‘26) accidentally kissed, straight screaming.
The tech crew, led by stage manager Nailla Thompson ‘26, created a beautiful set to go along with the performance. The set design was filled with little Easter eggs th
at allowed the entire experience to become immersive, drawing the audience in and sparking excitement. Nailla worked alongside three other seniors: Melissa Maselli (in charge of costume design), Ava Burrows, and Yolanda Wei. Thanks to the hard work of both the actors and the tech crew, the show ran smoothly for three nights, even with the added pressure of alumni attending.
Taft’s performance of 13 is yet another well-crafted and executed musical to be remembered. With the production’s end, the curtain has closed for the final time for three other seniors on the Bingham stage: Liam Schereschewsky, Ruby Dawson, and Farren Camp. And, let’s not forget Eden Thompson ‘26 playing keyboard in the pit, working tirelessly in theater tech. The passion and commitment of these long-time theater participants, both actors and techs, will not be forgotten. While Taft will miss them, we can’t wait to see what they accomplish!
Photo courtesy of The Taft School
