Sandite of the Week: Josh Eddington

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This week has been the toughest in our history to decide on a single Sandite of the Week. From softball and baseball players hitting multiple home runs in a single game, to pitching shutouts, to golf tournament champions, outstanding debate performances, and more, we had more nominees than ever before. That said, after hard and careful consideration, we decided on Charles Page High School student Joshua Eddington as our Sandite of the Week for his incredible performance as Man in Chair in the High School production of "The Drowsy Chaperone."

I have been to many CPHS productions over the years, and this was undoubtedly the best I've ever seen. From the set design to the choreography, the acting to the singing, the costumes and makeup and everything in between; I wouldn't expect better from any school in the state, regardless of funding and resources. The whole cast and crew was spectacular, but Eddington set the tone for the entire event.

The story is a parody of American musical comedy of the 1920s, as told by the nameless narrator, the Man in Chair. Eddington was inseparable from his role, delivering the mousy bitterness of the lonely theater lover perfectly. The man seeks comfort in an old record of "The Drowsy Chaperone," a fictitious play that tells of actress Janet Van De Graff (portrayed by Lizzi Tate) preparing to be married and retire from the theater.

Her decision is met with much opposition by producer Feldzeig (Cameron Mays), who is being threatened by gangsters whose boss invested heavily in "Feldzeig's Follies," the production which De Graff is a part of. Feldzeig undergoes an effort to get the wedding called off and enlists the self-proclaimed famous Latin lover Adolpho (Blake Simpson) to seduce the bride. Instead, he mistakenly seduces the Chaperone (Zoey Hughes) and all sorts of shenanigans break loose. 

Photos from the event are available at https://sanditepride.smugmug.com/Community-Events/4516-The-Drowsy-Chaperone/