There’s nothing quite like the theater community and for high schoolers, it’s an outlet to find an identity and create magical memories for those supposedly best four years of their lives. This is certainly true when considering what’s going on in the documentary Most Valuable Players, which follows the competitive ceremony that awards Pennsylvanian students who participate in their school’s musicals. Enter: The Freddy Awards. Basically it’s like the Tony’s for teenagers in this one sports-ridden area that makes an Academy Awards-like deal out of their productions.
Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network was busy at work in 2010 following Emmaus High School, Parkland High School, and Freedom High School during their productions of Bye Bye Birdie and dueling versions of Les Miserables. The commitment of these students, their instructors, and those behind building The Freddy Awards, which airs on live television in the community, outshines anything we could possibly see on FOX’s small screen musical comedy Glee.
However, if you’re a Gleek, into NBC’s Smash, or are still holding on to the high school play memories, then this is the documentary for you. If you’re on the faculty side of a school right now and there’s an intense network of high school theater in your area, this documentary gives you a play-by-play of how to build a ceremony honoring the hard-working productions of these serious adolescent thespians.
It’s not all about the competition though. The central message that these groups of students uphold is that they’re putting on a great show for themselves and their families, working hard as a diverse team of personalities, and ultimately contributing to their school’s legacy. Once the productions are complete and nominations are announced, then all of their focus goes into rehearsals for the popular, televised ceremony.
Most Valuable Players captures the heart behind being young and passionate about the arts. Whether you’re stage, working hard behind the scenes, or follow the various interpretations of such classic musicals like Anything Goes, Pippin, or Guys & Dolls, there’s a whole lot of star power at work. Some of us may never make it to Broadway, but to spotlight the talents of these young actors and actresses is really quite a special experience to witness, even if it is just on DVD.
This documentary is available now on DVD from Virgil Films & Entertainment and OWN, and considering this weekend’s Oscars, perhaps more of us will celebrate the arts in our local areas because that’s where so many of our favorite stars today got their start.
My rating: Go see it and get your jazz hands ready! (8/10)
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