May Issue of The Blue & Gold

Review: The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Photo by Lynn Crow: http://lynncrowphotography.com

by Alex Bragan

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the last work of the great Charles Dickens, is a work that has been thoroughly analyzed and studied since its serialized publication in 1870. The novelty of the story comes from the fact that it was never completed; Dickens died halfway through writing. Being that it is in fact a mystery, the outcome and solution of the book was never revealed, leaving room for much speculation.

Photo by Lynn Crow: http://lynncrowphotography.com

The musical of the same name is largely similar, but with much welcome, added flair. The production is truly a play within a play, as the plot centers around a theater company performing The Mystery of Edwin Drood. This leads to a quirky mixture of audience inclusion and destruction of the fourth wall. The most interesting bit, at least in this author’s opinion, is that, due to a lack of a concrete resolution, the outcome of the play is voted on by the audience, leading to a markedly organic viewing experience.

Chamblee’s rendition of the work was as humorous as any musical this writer has ever seen. Ripe with risqué jokes that were just safe enough for school and puns that were followed by a trademark drum line, the musical was an overwhelming success.

Photo by Lynn Crow: http://lynncrowphotography.com

The show begins with the cast dispersed throughout the audience, mingling with the viewers, when all of sudden, a master of ceremonies, played by senior Marc Laroussini, begins to sing a song of welcome. The whole cast, still interspersed, joins in, and the mood of inclusion is set.

The minimal usage of props created an intimate setting, which, paired with the small size of the “Chamblee Black Box Theater,” proved a cozy and inviting venue.

Photo by Lynn Crow: http://lynncrowphotography.com

Students gave universally stellar performances. Edwin Drood, played by junior Mary Connor Thompson, full of energy and spunk. Sophomore Caleb Wikle brought life to John Jasper, Edwin’s uncle, whom Wikle gave a creepy, yet welcome, air. Rosa Bud, the fiancée of young Drood, was played by junior Kaitlyn Jordan, whose beautiful solo efforts were sincere and unique.

The rest of the cast, including senior Joe Crow as Reverend Crisparkle, junior Sophia Steele as Princess Puffer, sophomore Caleb Craig as Neville Landless, freshman Jessica Walker as Helena Landless, senior Chaz Delgado as Durdles, and junior Nathalie Uzee as Bazzard, all delivered five star performances.

Photo by Lynn Crow: http://lynncrowphotography.com

Adding to the authenticity of the production was the live orchestra, conducted by Brandon Smith. Not a note was missed, and the live acoustics paired well with the voices of the cast.

Overall, the musical earned (in the Blue and Gold’s humble opinion) two thumbs up!

Teacher "Prom" Court King and Queen Revealed

Congratulations to Leila Warren and Brian Ely, the first annual Blue & Gold "Teacher Prom Court" king and queen!

A Brief Note: What's New(s) on the Blue & Gold Webpage

Welcome to (or welcome back to) the home of the Blue & Gold, the official student newspaper of CCHS.

As the staff of the Blue & Gold embarks on the second half of the school year and our second semester experimenting with the sphere of online-journalism, we hope that you will not only test our newest features as they are added, but that you will also share your feedback with us.

We ask you to look out for the following additions to the website:

-Briefs: Look for the word "Brief" before any News or Feature article to indicate a story that is 150 words or less. These are pieces which can give you a taste of what is happening in and around CCHS-- even if you are on the go. Once we have captured your interest though, we hope you will stay and explore the site.

-Past Issues: Check out the "Past Issues" tab above to view all of the full print issues from this school year.

     --While perusing our last issues, be sure to look for our new recurring columns on sports (by Maddy Wetterhall) and car tips (by Kobi Warner) as well.

-"Speaking Of" and "Half-Childish": Under the Viewpoints page, you can now reach the home-pages for the "Half-Childish" podcast and "Speaking Of" satirical news update, both brought to you by Blue & Gold staff writers.

-Polls: Keep an eye out for polls which may be included in connection with online articles. This is a chance for you to interact with the Blue & Gold.

-Twitter: If you have not yet done so, please follow the Blue & Gold on Twitter at @bulldogspage1

We hope to continually improve this website to fit the needs of the CCHS student body and community. To do that, we need your input. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for us, please send them to chambleeblueandgoldnews@gmail.com

--The Blue & Gold Staff

CCHS Teacher "Prom" Court Nominees

by Sasha Holton

Learn more about the nominees here: http://blueandgoldnews-features.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-teachers-prom-court-profiles.html

Please note: An earlier version of this video was published which did not include nominees Engsberg, Georges, or Koeplin. We apologize for the mistake.