DVD Review: Most Valuable Players


Release Date: February 21, 2012
Rating: NR
Running Time: 95 minutes

Across the USA, high school sports are regularly lavished with funding, publicity, and scholarships, while theater departments struggle to put on the school musical hoping for some recognition of their own. Helping to settle the score are the “Freddy Awards,” a live television event that celebrates excellence in high school musical theater. Illustrating that arts education encourages the same teamwork, camaraderie and confidence as sports, MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS follows three theater troupes on their creative journeys to the elaborate award ceremony – the “Super Bowl” of high school musical theater.

Before jumping into Most Valuable Players, viewers get an introduction from Oprah Winfrey and Rosie O’Donnell… and then the fun begins! This documentary takes us to the beautiful State Theater in Lehigh Valley, PA where the Freddy Awarda take place live on television each year. Learning the origin of the Freddy Awards and putting faces to those behind the scenes, really bringing it all together and making it happen meant so much. What an informative piece. Teachers in general do not get enough credit for what they do so to watch teachers/music directors doing their thing, words cannot express how grateful all of us musical theater fans are for this documentary. As a whole, Most Valuable Players is a beautiful documentation of life in high school when musical theater is present and the people responsible for making it such a joy to be a part of.

But it’s not just about the people off stage. We learn firsthand from the student actors about certain rivalries. The battle of two high schools doing the same musical (Les Misérables) on the same weekend was brought to light. You can’t have drama without a rivalry. It just doesn’t add up. So it was only a matter of time and was entertaining to see everyone’s opinion on this trivial matter. Along with such matters comes… the stereotypes of male musical theater actors being gay and controversy over the costume category as one school wins after renting their costumes while the other schools made their own…stuff like that. The way that these topics were briefly touched upon was smooth. There was just enough coverage to give us something to think about before switching the topic and showing rehearsals, nominations, and so forth. Great editing.

So many aspects go into putting on a production and for those not as familiar with the world of musical theater and putting on a high school production, Most Valuable Players is a very valuable source of information. There’s planning musicals around local sports events to think about, fundraising to put the musical on to think about, scholarship awards to gain as a result of the Freddys, and so much more. So much hard work and passion is put into all of the performances and the bar continues to be raised, so for these young thespians to be acknowledged and get their well deserved recognition… it really means more than so many people will ever know, so thankfully it has all been captured on film for all to see!

Step aside Glee and High School Musical… Emmaus High School, Parkland High School, and Freedom High School are the real deal. Competitive as it may be, the theater community is one of the most supportive communities out there as a whole, from within and that’s what is at the heart of this documentary. It’s no wonder why Most Valuable Playersis one of the most captivating musical documentaries of the year. Theater geeks of all ages unite! What a fabulous documentary Most Valuable Players is, a love letter that anyone who appreciates the arts, local arts especially should have in their collection.

Bonus Features:
ON STAGE WITH MVP – This feature is a reunion with the main students and directors featured in the film, staged at the State Theatre on August 26, 2011 (three years after the film was shot). Students and best friends, Katie Wexler and Ali Mosser who stole the show in the film stole the show here as well. Amanda Kostalis was also a standout in the film and while not pursuing musical theater, today, is leaving the option open. We wouldn’t see it any other way. Overall, this was a wonderful panel about competition, the musical theater pursuit, the benefits of fundraising, and more. It’s a brief reunion but definitely worth watching.

STATE THEATRE HISTORY – This feature is a very insightful look into the history of State Theatre that is a must see.

NAZARETH REFUSES – This feature is quite an entertaining look into the participating Freddy schools’ opinion on why Nazareth High chooses not to participate in the awards show. I know they must be pissed with this special feature.

COMMENTARY – The commentary is conducted by filmmakers, Matthew Kalis & Christopher Lockhart and if you enjoyed the documentary on its own, you will absolutely love the commentary which dives even deeper into not only this world but what it took to make the film. This is a must see. You will not be disappointed.

* SISTER MARY THERESA
* HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
* A PRAYER FOR THE FILM
* OUTTAKE REEL
* SUNDANCE INTERVIEW (Must Watch!)

Deleted Scenes
* FRANK VS. RITA
* VIC’S INTERVIEW
* VIC COPES
* ZACH’S (BIRTHDAY) PARTY

Own Most Valuable Players on Blu-Ray and DVD today.