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Annie by San Diego Junior Theatre 
It’s a Hard Knock Life being an orphan, especially during
the Great Depression. But if anyone can get the country out of their
Hoovervilles and strolling down Easy Street by Tomorrow, Maybe it’s the
infectiously optimistic Annie!
This family favorite is a fun one with a rags-to-riches story featuring the plucky heroine, the billionaire Daddy Warbucks, the wicked Miss Hannigan, her even wickeder brother Rooster, and a gaggle of charming orphans. And San Diego Junior Theatre is offering an amusing production of it at the Casa Del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park. Anna Strickland stars in the title role, and knocks out the songs like the wistful Maybe and the hopeful Tomorrow with strong, smooth vocals that delight everyone except Miss Hannigan. The latter is Annie’s drunken orphanage director who hates her job lording over her bunch of Little Girls, and only perks up when a man happens to come anywhere near her. Brigitte Beas is a hoot as the jaded, man-hungry, little-girl hater. The scheming Rooster (Cory Felder) and his gal Lily St. Regis (Jackee Bianchi) join forces with her in a memorable song-and-dance toward Easy Street as they plot to part Warbucks from some of his bankroll, using Annie as their pawn. Brian Polk is Warbucks, the unapologetically ruthless business tycoon who doesn’t realize there’s more to life than money and trash-talking Democrats until little orphan Annie enters his life. Brian is amusing as the tactless businessman and as he begins to take on the uncomfortable but desirable role of Annie’s daddy. Alyssa Schechter is Warbucks’s charming executive assistant Grace Farrell who is enchanted by Annie at the orphanage and makes sure she feels comfortable in her new, much more opulent, surroundings. 
The deep ensemble assures every scene is an
entertaining one with great performances from radio show host Bert Healy (Seth
Biberstein) and his harmonizing Boylan Sisters (Daryl Daley, Emily
Shackelford, and Stephanie Ward), Casey Gardner with a
fantastic FDR impersonation, and an older ensemble who have a few words for
their former president with their terrific staging of Hooverville. Molly
Ann Frances Finnegan has a cameo as Annie’s dog Sandy who got a case of
last-minute stage fright opening night and trotted off the stage, but who came
on strong later, saving herself a trip to the pound by coming to Annie
when she called her with the police looking on. And finally there’s an
absolutely marvelous group of young orphans grousing about their Hard-Knock Life
and mimicking the Boylan Sisters with their hilarious rendition of You’re
Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile – all nicely orchestrated by Director Will
Neblett and Choreographer Michael Anthony.
Performs through May 8, 2005.
~ Cast ~ Miss Hannigan: Brigitte Beas Molly: Olivia Lindsay Kate: Brittany Williams Tessie: Kimberly Marron July: Charlotte Wen Pepper: Maddy Bersin Duffy: Becca Jacobs Bundles/Ensemble: Anthony Kaneaster Grace Farrell: Alyssa Schechter Oliver Warbucks: Brian Polk Rooster Hannigan: Cory Felder Lily St. Regis/Ensemble: Jackee Bianchi FDR/Ensemble: Casey Gardner Drake/Ensemble: Michael Walker Bert Healy/Ensemble: Seth Biberstein Bonnie Boylan/Ensemble: Daryl Daley Connie Boylan/Ensemble: Emily Shackelford Ronnie Boylan/Ensemble: Stephanie Ward Orphans: McKenna Allard Maddie Baldwin Arielle Blumen Nicki Elledge Alana Fineman Ayanna Florence Lauren Green Chloe Hoffman Maude Hoffman Lauren Nelson Sydney Sarver Paige Solomon Jenelle Wen Helena Woods Ensemble: Courtney Alston Christine Czerniec Rebecca Diamond Rissa Dickey Ariana Dickey Alex Dunbar Jacob Fineman Alexandra Foxe-Rodriguez Josh Herren Andrew Hill Marina Inserra Casey Jaquez Alejandra Jimenez Trevor Johnson Zoe Katz Emily Mann Catie Marron Ian O'Brien Lizzy Palmer Clare Parme Victoria Tecca Pia Tushscher Alicia Wong Sandy: Molly Ann Frances Finnegan Dog Pound Dog: Hobbes Polk Director: Will Neblett Set Design: Heidi Atchison Lighting Design: Ginger Harris Costume Design: Shulamit Nelson |