The polls are in, and while we’re on the subject of socks, the Ida B. Wells community just had theirs knocked off. 

The musicality, creativity, and talent that was showcased in the production of “On the Subject of Socks” was overwhelming. Composed by Ida B. Wells High School alumni, Nico Vilches, and written by Teen West liaison Matthew B. Zrebski, the musical takes a satirical angle on the downfalls of performative activism, complete with exciting dance numbers, loveable characters, and witty jokes. 

Led by artistic director and producer, Jamie Miller, Southwest Stageworks sold out an impressive six out of eight shows. This musical theater production doubled as both a social commentary and coming of age piece, and acknowledges our generation’s experiences with political polarization, performance and cancel culture. Through the Cause and Corrections committee’s (civil) debates on pressing issues regarding socks, there is important messaging surrounding privilege and adolescent struggles with social pressures and autonomy. 

The musical stars Elias Kaplan as Kirk, Sylvie Kressel as Madison, Cass Beleele as Emma, and Adin Joseph as Grant. Each of their characters as well as the supporting roles serve the purpose of showing different reactions people have to dealing with social justice issues. We truly can’t get enough of these guys! 

Kaplan describes Kirk’s character as “patriarchal leader of the council of cause and corrections, he’s very aggressive, and self important, and needs everything to go as he wants it.”

Kressel uses the script’s description of Madison’s character which reads as “a genuine and curious disruptor, who refuses to succumb to groupthink, and believes in thorough attention to detail and seeks to fully understand the issues at hand.” 

Beleele describes Emma’s character as “an authentic and compassionate committee member, with a funky secret that is revealed throughout the play that helps us get to know her and empathize with her experiences.” 

Joseph says “Grant is a complicated character, struggling to pick between the two opposing sides in the show. He’s in love with one character, but agrees with the values of the character of the opposing side.” 

To access the complete cast list, follow this link 

The production and performance of “On the Subject of Socks” was not without challenges. Miller noted numerous obstacles that had to be overcome for the production of Socks including covid restrictions during the 2021-2022 school year – causing a one year delay of the production. Additionally, just weeks before opening night, the original music director, Robert Fishel, passed away, leading to a search for a new one just months before the production began. On top of that, show week coincidentally aligned with the season’s hottest weather, which degraded IBW’s mic systems. Despite all this, everyone involved persevered and came together to execute eight high-quality performances, Miller says he is “overcome with pride” regarding SW²’s “sense of resilience, sacrifice, commitment, and kindness.” 

Considering all that goes into the creation of an original musical, Vilches is able to capture complex and high quality musicality. He provides a variety of catchy tunes and unexpected harmonies, paired with important messaging. Vilches credits his skills to his musical background at IBW, saying “There is no way I would have had the opportunity to compose for this show without IBW! I was very lucky to have a lot of performance opportunities and leadership roles in theater and music and the lessons I learned from those experiences gave me many valuable tools.” While audience members were never to pick up the phone during the production, both cast and audience members stated they wished that Vilches’s compositions were available as a soundtrack on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. 

As the main prop in the show, the red phone at center stage represents teenagers’ need for adult input at the same time as they are figuring out individual and group autonomy. Throughout the production, there is some drama surrounding whether or not the committee uses the phone, and we are told that nobody in the history of the convention has ever used the phone, which puts pressure on the committee to figure out solutions without the support of adults. I won’t spoil the ending for those of you hoping to see it on another stage soon, but I will say that the final scene plays an important role in emphasizing this challenge and its impact on teens today. The final scene is followed by the final musical number, a powerful wake up call for audience members about how we view ourselves through the lens of other people’s thoughts and opinions. 

The musical’s final number, “Inform or Perform,” was not only a favorite among the audience, but the cast and crew as well. Actor Adin Joseph explains Vilches’s idea behind the song, saying “Instead of making who we are a performance, we should use our power as students and as people to empower others with knowledge.”

As this show was the class of 2023’s last performance, a clear message across the class was that “On the Subject of Socks” was a “perfect send off” according to graduating senior and co-star Cass Beleele. “This has been my favorite show so far. There have been a lot of ups and downs but I’m thrilled that we were able to come together and give life to this incredible musical.” Actress Ella Higgins (chorus member) highlighted the “meaningful messaging” included in the show, and actress Marissa Margolin, (Nora) shared this sentiment, saying “This was a really good show to be my last show with the seniors because it’s so close to all of our hearts. We’ve all grown so much together through this process, and I really believe it showcased the best of what we can achieve together as a community.” 

After subsets and paragraphs, cast and crew are hopeful that Zrebski and Vilches’s “On the Subject of Socks” goes beyond the stage of Ida B. Wells High School and were “I’m biased, but I hope it moves forward, and it’s an incredible musical with extremely important and relevant messaging” said lead Elias Kaplan. Actor Addison Feld-Gore (chorus member) shared that “being a part of this show was the experience of a lifetime” and said he “can’t wait to see the musical go far.” 

An ally for Southwest Stageworks? Visit their website to keep up with all the theater happenings here

The phone is always there, will you pick it up?