Annie
at Delaware County Christian School
Reviewed on February 21, 2009
| Name | School | Publication/Broadcasts |
Rebecca Saionz | Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy | Inquirer-1 |
Ryan Mazie | Eastern Regional High Schools | Inquirer-2 |
Julie Zeglen | Villa Maria/St. Joe's Prep | News of Delaware County |
Kim Trageser | Garnet Valley High School | Delaware County Daily Times |
Priyanka Chugh | Eastern Regional High Schools | Press Focus |
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Rebecca Saionz
Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-1
In an iconic moment of theatrical magic, an outstretched arm sweeps to the sky while a fervent young voice belts the promise of Tomorrow. Delaware County Christian School upheld this tradition in its animated production of Annie.
Annie is a simplistic story of hope, determination, and triumph of good over evil. Based on a comic strip first published in the 1920s, the show premiered on Broadway in 1977 and won seven Tony awards. Set in a New York suffering from the Great Depression, Annie (Sasha Dubyk) searches for her parents who abandoned her in an orphanage, then spends Christmas with the billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Bob Hegman).
Annie was an appropriate choice of a production, in a year where comparisons are constantly being made to the Depression-era and audiences still need cheering up.
Dubyks bright, toothy smile and contagious excitement suited her optimistic character. Her powerful voice soared in her renditions of Maybe and Tomorrow. Hegman was a surprise delight with a solid belt in the final bars of Why Should I Change a Thing? Elegant and well-mannered, Warbucks secretary Grace Ferrell (Rachel Milowicki) was exceptionally charming and had a natural stage presence.
Hannah Wilcox was humorously over-the-top as the sadistic drunk Miss Hannigan, bent at the waist, shoulders slumped, and voice croaking. Together with Hannigans scheming brother Rooster (Ethan Mitchell) and his bimbo girlfriend Lily (Sharon Limpert), the three made good use of the entire stage in the wistful Easy Street. Mitchell made an excellent recovery when his microphone fell off, not missing a beat of the song and remaining entirely audible throughout.
The playful orphans brought the stage to life at moments when energy was lacking. The actresses effectively captured their characters precociousness and childish mannerisms, without overacting.
A show of large musical numbers completely filling the small stage, the cast stayed organized, with fluid movement and natural blocking. Choreography by Julie Baratta and Heather Wise was lively, particularly the tap dance in NYC.
Impressive sets designed by Jo Kinney, Isaac Williams, James Comenzo, and Lori Johnson, included many elaborate pieces, with several staircases and a huge Christmas tree in the Warbucks mansion.
Makeup by Kristin Murphy, Soli Choi, Vicky Morra, and Kirsten Miller, artistically suggested economic class, using elegantly curled hair to imply wealth versus a general aura of scruffiness to suggest poverty.
In a sensitive and commendable performance, Delaware County Christian Schools passionate production of Annie reminded audiences that a perfect ending can happen.
Ryan Mazie
Eastern Regional High Schools
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-2
Delaware County Christian Schools production of Annie makes you wish that Tomorrow is a long ways away, leaving you entranced.
Little orphan Annie began her Broadway run in 1977 ending in 1983, becoming a pop cultural phenomenon. With a light plot, it dealt with the heavy topics of the Great Depression through song and dance for escapist fare. Delaware County keeps the same light touch for an evening full of music and laughs.
Annie begins with the titular eleven year-old, red-headed orphan (played with a spunky attitude by Sasha Dubyk) who dreams of escaping her ramshackle New York orphanage to find her birth parents. The Orphanage is run by the harried Miss. Hannigan (Hannah Wilcox) who displays her disdain on the orphans in the toe-tapping number, Little Girls.
Annie has a chance of escaping her conditions by Grace Ferrell (Rachel Milowicki), billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Bob Hegman) secretary, inviting Annie to spend Christmas with them. Warbucks and Annie touchingly bond and he offers a $50,000 award for Annies parents to step forward. However, Miss. Hannigan and her con artist brother, Rooster (Ethan Mitchell), along with his sleazy girlfriend Lily (Sharon Limpert), have plans to pose as Annies parents to get the money for themselves.
Delaware County has many elaborate sets from the graffiti-covered brick walls of NYCs Hooverville to Warbucks decadent mansion with an elegant chandelier and a grandiose staircase. The stage crew works as quickly as they can to change the sets while the sound and light crew juggle the many microphones and light cues successfully.
Dubyk shines as the caring Annie with a strong set of pipes that are prominently displayed in the show-stopping song Tomorrow. Hegman emotes a larger-than-life presence as the powerful Warbucks. Milowicki is graceful as Grace with a natural stage presence.
Wilcox shows her knack for slapstick; hilariously taking many falls and slips. Mitchell provides the bulk of the belly busters while Limpert is wide-eyed as the cockeyed Lily. All three show their vocals in the get-rich-quick-aspiration song, Easy Street.
The extensive ensemble cast of orphans, street people and servants are nicely placed to fill out the stage and move in unison for the well choreographed dance numbers. The dance and music number Hard-Knock Life, complete with buckets and towels is a stand-out.
Overall, Delaware County Christian Schools musical production of Annie has you forget about the real Hard-Knock Life for a couple of hours of musical entertainment.
Julie Zeglen
Villa Maria/St. Joe's Prep
Submitted for publication to News of Delaware County
It took an eleven-year-old girl to cheer up a nation in the throes of the Depression, and the same little redhead delighted and enthralled Saturday nights audience of Annie at Delaware Country Christian School.
Annie lives at an orphanage under the cruel dictatorship of Miss Hannigan. Her world is sad, but she perseveres with the optimism that her parents will one day come back to rescue her. Things start to look up for Annie when a generous billionaire invites her to stay at his home for the holidays; however, just as he is set to adopt her, two suspicious characters claiming to be her parents appear and threaten to ruin everything. Despite the would-be disheartening tone of the storyline, Annie remains upbeat with happy songs and dance numbers galore.
Sasha Dubyk as Annie captivated with her merry smile and star-quality vocals, which were perfect for hitting the difficult high notes of Tomorrow.
Daddy Warbucks, with his rough demeanor that shelters a softie of a man, was played well by Bob Hegman.
Annie featured a huge ensemble cast, but the stage never looked too crowded. Each member played multiple roles from an outcast in Hooverville to a servant of Warbucks to a singer on a radio program. But the most standout ensemble performance came from the eight girls of Annies orphanage. They set the bubbly pace of the show with an energetic Its a Hard-Knock Life and stole the second act with their rendition of Fully Dressed.
A hilarious surprise came in the form of a cameo performance of President Franklin Roosevelt by Jack Newman. Though wheel-chair ridden, he has a comedic presence that also assists in plot development. Perhaps the only flaw of his character is not enough stage time.
Magnificent sets created an authentic feel of the times. The shows simple opening scene of a few rickety beds with sparse padding immediately offered a glimpse into the orphans sad lives. A Hooverville street corner, complete with graffiti, featured a real dog as an inhabitant. Warbucks ornate mansion, complete with high columns and winding staircases, seemed almost professionally made.
Annie has been loved by audiences for years, and that of Saturday night was no exception. If we really are never fully dressed without a smile, than DCCS completed the outfits of everyone who attended.
Kim Trageser
Garnet Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Delaware County Daily Times
The story of Annie is essentially one of optimism. In the hard, grimy streets of New York City, during the Great Depression, one little girl dares to hope for tomorrow and the promise of the future. Traveling from the comics, to the radio, to Broadway, to film, and this weekend to Delaware County Christian School, Annie has been renowned and beloved by audiences for years.
The spunky orphan Annie dreams of finding her parents, who left her at an orphanage in New York City eleven years ago, but instead winds up with billionaire Oliver Warbucks. However, Annies happily ever after isnt quite as easy as that, for along the way, an interesting cast of characters attempts to ruin things for her.
Delaware County Christian Schools production was made a success by the high-energy performances of all, and the bright, shining stars throughout.
The title character in this performance was portrayed by Sasha Dubyk, whose infectious grin and powerful voice were enough to brighten up even the direst of situations, from the streets of Hooverville, to the office of Franklin Roosevelt. Her charm, accompanied by her strong, clear voice, helped launch the show to success. She and Daddy Warbucks, played by Bob Hegman, had great chemistry, and were truly believable as the father-adopted daughter pair. Hegmans portrayal of a billionaire softened by Annies light-hearted presence was convincing to the end, and his strong voice filled the entire room with handsome melody.
Meanwhile, Grace Ferrells (Rachel Milowicki) natural grace and stage presence helped her stand out from the crowd and gave the impression that she was born to play this role. The comic, scheming duo of Lilly (Sharon Limpert) and Rooster (Ethan Mitchell) portrayed the seedy side of New York, and kept the audience in stitches, every time they came on stage. And, from the opening number, Hard Knock Life, the orphans moving ensemble performance was highlighted by the strengths of each girl to create a fantastic mix of humor and harmony.
The look of the down-and-out people of Hooverville was appropriately completed with tattered period clothing, and dark, smudged make-up. The scene changes were rather lengthy, and somewhat awkward, but when completed, they revealed fantastic sets that transported the audience back to Depression era New York.
This performance of Annie taught all of us that the sun will come out tomorrow and that we should always hope for the best, which was certainly easy to do in a show of such high caliber.
Priyanka Chugh
Eastern Regional High Schools
Submitted for publication to Press Focus
Annie, an uplifting musical based on the 1920s comic strip Little Orphan Annie, was beautifully performed this past weekend by Delaware County Christian School. Filled with impressive sets and costumes, larger-than-life musical numbers, and great onstage chemistry, Delaware County Christian School gave this Tony winning musical a dose of personality and optimism.
Annie takes place in New York City in the 1930s. It is the story of an 11-year old girl living in an orphanage, run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie is selected to live with the billionaire, Oliver Warbucks in his home for Christmas. Oliver Warbucks is taken with Annie and hopes to adopt her, but Annie longs to find her birth parents. Mr. Warbucks and his entire staff all pull together to help find Annies parents, but unfortunately they fail to do so. In the end, Mr. Warbucks adopts Annie and becomes her very own Daddy Warbucks.
Delaware County Christian Schools production included a large amount of talent, versatility, creativity and humor. Due to a great cast and crew, all of these elements pulled together and blended to create a show that was truly entertaining.
Sasha Dubyk performed extremely well as the orphan Annie. With unending optimism on top of an impressive voice, Dubyk was charming and played her character well. Bob Hegman, as Oliver Warbucks, created a believable character that was easy to relate to. Rachel Milowicki, as Grace Ferrell, had great stage presence and portrayed her role very well and seemingly with ease.
The performances of the supporting actors and ensemble were exceptional. The Orphans had impressive vocals and dance skills on top of a high energy level. Miss Hannigan (Hannah Wilcox), Rooster (Ethan Mitchell) and Lily (Sharon Limpert) had fantastic comedic timing that added an important humorous element. Vocally, the entire ensemble sounded great with stand out vocalists such as Bert Healy (Randy Lyster). In terms of dance, the large group numbers were fairly simple but the small group work was extraordinary.
The technical aspects of the show were very impressive. The set was magnificent, and the sound/light crews never missed a beat. The costumes, sets, and lighting were very fitting for the 1930s time period and added to the production as a whole.
Overall, Delaware County Christian Schools Production of Annie was a success. Despite a few volume and pitch problems here and there, the cast pulled it together and performed wonderfully.
