The Kelly Critics is a joint program of the Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh CLO in which students of high schools entered in this year's Gene Kelly Awards review other school's musicals.

Life is a carousel. Sometimes it takes us up and down, sometimes it spins too fast and seems uncontrollable, but no matter what, it flows around in a perfect circle. In Pine Richland's mesmerizing take on Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," the audience has an opportunity to witness firsthand the trials and errors of humans and their ultimate redemption.

In the lobby, I was met with a frenzy of parents, relatives, small children, dark-clad stage crew members, and a seemingly endless line of anxious playgoers at the will-call table. Taking in the spectacle around me, it seemed as though the lobby was a sign of how my life was going at the moment: a frenzied cluster of things spinning out of control. Before I got too deep in thought, I was whisked into the play by a truly sweet woman.

By the time I sat down, the lights had dimmed and my hopes of snagging some pre-show Junior Mints were crushed. Dealing with this disappointment, I gazed in awe at the wonder that lay in front of me. The stage was adorned with what seemed a sea-side city, wood buildings towering over our heads and fading off into the distance. At stage right was the centerpiece, a beautiful carousel with dark horses and mirrors that reflected what little light was left in the room. The faintest music began to drift up from the orchestra pit, and with it came a small ensemble of female dancers that gracefully waltzed across the stage.

As the "Carousel" ensemble softly glided, the orchestra picked up louder and louder, and the on-stage carousel lit up and began moving. Out came the entire cast, dressed impeccably in vibrant attire that perfectly fit the 1940's setting. Carnival barker Billy Bigelow appeared next, a lanky man who towered over the gaggle of girls swooning at his feet.

As the music faded out, the town went off to their daily business and the audience got its first chance to meet some of these intriguing characters. First, we've got Billy Bigelow, carnival barker extraordinaire and major flirt, played by Cody Hoellerman, CLO Best Actor winner last year. He's kept on a tight leash by Mrs. Mullen (Katie Hall), the seductive carnival owner. It seems as though Billy is destined to this rather lavish lifestyle, when a beautiful young woman by the name of Julie Jordan (Lauren Gigliotti) comes and catches Billy's eye. He quickly falls in love with her, and although weary at first, she gives in to his playful flirting. Time passes, and things turn for the worse.

The downfall of this play is its confusing plot. It jumps from time period to time period without much acknowledgement, there are confusing afterlife sequences and lovable Billy Bigelow kills himself in the second act after a robbery gone awry.

For the uninitiated playgoer, this could prove to be fatal. However, Pine Richland pulled the play off and enticed the audience into flurries of applause. Carried on the acting strength of Hoellerman and Gigliotti, Pine Richland's "Carousel" was truly a winner. Senior Francisco Salpietro added flourishes of comedy with his nerd-like portrayal of Enoch Snow, and Arielle Katcher brought her singing prowess to Carrie Pipperidge, Enoch's wife.

Add to this the undeniable talent of the entire ensemble, who did quite a few stunning numbers such as "June Is Bustin' Out All Over" and "A Real Nice Clambake," the immaculate stage design with its rotating carousel and other neat effects and the mellifluous sounds of the live orchestra that drifted in and out in dramatic crescendos, and Pine Richland delivered a truly mesmerizing piece of theater.

In today's world, where we rush around place to place and sometimes get caught up in the whirlwind, heading up to Pine Richland to see this play was an excellent get away. Billy Bigelow's story of sin and redemption mirrors our own lives, and as the show-stopping number sung by Julie Jordan and Cousin Nettie proclaims, you learn "you'll never walk alone."