Most Valuable Players is one of the most joyful documentaries I have ever seen. Without a doubt, there were some amazing docs at this year's Docuweek (LA), but it was MVP that really stood out for me. Although Docuweek is not by their own admission a film festival and no awards are given, in my opinion this film takes top prize.
The film opens accessing support for the arts in sports crazy Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. And it doesn't look good. A newspaper editor states that more column inches are devoted to sports than any thing else in his newspaper, and millions are spent to maintain sports facilities, with little to nothing being spent on the arts. But as we learn from this entertaining doc, high school theater is also a team sport.
The film follows three high schools: Freedom, Emmaus and Parkland, and their talented students leading up to the Super Bowl of local musical theater, the Freddy Awards. The brainchild of State Theater CEO Shelly Brown, the annual Freddy's bring together 27 area high schools, as they compete for Tony like honors. All of which, including the nominations, is broadcast live on TV and streamed on the Internet to huge audiences.
Freedom High soccer standout and drama geek, John Andreadis, illustrates that there is no conflict between sports and the arts, when adults step aside and let the kids find their way. His parents are supremely understanding and supportive once they realize that the two disciplines are compatible. His drama teacher Jennifer Wesco makes sure that every one of her drama students understands that they do theater for themselves first and foremost, not for trophies and accolades. Parkland High director, Mark Stutz and Emmaus director Jill Kuebler are wonderfully honest and open cheerleaders for their students, as their two schools battle it out at the Freddy's, each with 16 nominations for their competing Les Mis productions.
It's the kids that profoundly demonstrate that their love for theater transcends all when they join together at what is truly their theater all-star game, The Freddy's.
Director Matthew D. Kallis and his writer Christopher Lockhart have made a doc that really scores. For many of these students the Freddy's will be the pinnacle of their theater arts careers, but it's the high school programs that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
