By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
Since September, Eastern Middle School’s eighth grade Show Chorus Class has been working on a production of Annie The Musical.
It is showtime this week, as the curtains open on Thursday night in the school’s Lee Book Auditorium. The show will take place again on Friday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m., at Eastern Middle School. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 on Thursday, and $15 on Friday and Saturday.
The musical features 85 students in total and is directed by EMS music teacher, Matthew Tracey, along with assistant, Jennifer Badillo. Scott Sisbarro, of St. Saviour’s School of Dance, provides the choreography.
Tracey said he’s enjoyed directing this group of students, and that they’ve evolved since the beginning of the school year.
“The best part of putting this show together is watching the students’ confidence grow over the five months. The difference between their initial audition and the final performance is incredible, and to be a part of that journey with them is the best,” he said. “It’s a five-month commitment from the students, so the students really need to be dedicated to the team. They’re so supportive of each other and have grown to be close friends over the process.”
Abby White, Kate Marchetti and Grace Trager, 3 of the 12 orphans in the show, agreed that the musical has brought the eighth grade closer together.
“One of my favorite things about being in the show is just bonding with people,” White said. “We have such a big school, and being able to pull a good amount of the grade together just feels like it’s building more of a community than a bunch of separate groups.”
Trager said she likes playing a character who is different from herself in real life. “It’s fun to see what you can do when you have a character,” she said.
In order to prepare for the production, students in the Show Chorus Class completed a project about the 1930’s in order to learn about the time period in which the story of Annie takes place. The class also went on a field trip to see the Carole King musical, Beautiful, on Broadway. There, the students were able to speak with cast members and get insight into their work.
“It was a really good experience,” Marchetti said. “We got to meet the Swing who played Carole King. She taught us about what to do when we’re on stage and how not to freak out once the lights hit you.”
Ben Sheppard, who plays billionaire industrialist, Oliver Warbucks, said preparing for the show has been stressful, but it’s been fun to learn about theater.
“I really like playing Warbucks,” he added. “The character changes throughout the play.”
Molly Kriskey plays the role of Annie, and said her experience in community theater outside of EMS has helped her prepare for the big role. She said the biggest challenge was playing a young child.
“I wasn’t acting like a young kid enough [when we started], so that’s what I’ve really been working on,” she said.
All of the cast members were quick to praise Tracey and the production staff for being so supportive through a hectic process.
Tracey said that January is always the busiest time for the cast and crew because all of the moving parts finally come together before opening night.
“We have eight parent committees [who handle] sets, costumes, props, publicity, etc., and the ever-evolving schedules of 85 students with their extracurricular commitments and academic deadlines,” he said. “Juggling all of those, while trying to piece together all of the scenes and musical numbers that were staged can often be a challenge. That being said, though, it’s my favorite part of the process when it does. The joy that is painted on the faces of the children when we finish our first run-through is always the best part.”
Annie The Musical Synopsis (courtesy of EMS)
The Musical opens in 1933 with a fiery 11-year-old orphan girl, Annie (Kriskey), who must live in a miserable orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan (Clara Elia). Annie’s parents left her on the steps of the orphanage when she was a baby, with only a note and a locket.
Annie’s hopeless situation changes quickly when she is chosen to spend the Christmas holiday with billionaire industrialist, Oliver Warbucks (Sheppard). Warbucks’ assistant, Grace Farrell, (Catherine O’Brien) picks Annie to come back to the Warbucks Mansion, and the staff led by head valet Drake (Nicolas Vittoria) welcomes Annie with open arms.
Meanwhile back at the orphanage, Miss Hannigan’s shyster brother, Rooster, (Austin Janssen) and his girlfriend accomplice, Lily St. Regis, ( CJ Weigel) pay a visit. When they hear from Miss Hannigan that Annie is staying at a billionaire’s house, they begin to scheme about how they can use this situation to their advantage.
Back at the mansion, Annie quickly charms the entire household staff, Grace and even the seemingly cold and grumpy businessman Oliver Warbucks. They all vow to help Annie to find her long lost parents, and Warbucks offers the parents a reward if they come to him and prove their identity.
Annie then appears on a popular radio show by Bert Healy (Ines Araujo) where Warbucks announces that he is offering $50,000 to the couple who can prove they are Annie’s parents. Warbucks then brings Annie to Washington, D.C. to meet the president, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Jackson Dana). Roosevelt announces that people must be optimistic during tough times, and commands his Cabinet to sing “Tomorrow.”
Once back home in N.Y., Warbucks tells Annie that he loves her and since her parents haven’t shown up, that he would like to adopt her. They decide to throw a Christmas party and Annie wants to invite Miss Hannigan and the rest of the orphanage.
Judge Louis Brandeis shows up to begin the adoption proceedings, but is interrupted by Mr. and Mrs. Mudge (Rooster and Lily in disguise) who have come to pick up Annie. Grace and Warbucks are shocked because the Mudges seem to know about Annie’s note and locket, but Warbucks is not convinced that they are her real parents. He requests that Annie be allowed to stay one more night for the Christmas party before the Mudges take Annie to their supposed pig farm in New Jersey.
Warbucks then receives a surprise visit from FDR and his Secret Service who have been enlisted to help find Annie’s real parents.
With the help of FDR, the identity of Mr. and Mrs. Mudge is revealed, along with the plot to steal the $50,000. Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily are taken away. In the end, Annie is adopted by Warbucks and lives happily ever after.
