“It’s a hard knock life for us …”
It really is. And that’s the plot of and the plight of the orphans in “Annie,” the Broadway musical that opened on Broadway in 1977.
It ran for nearly six years and has since been staged by professional and amateur theater companies around the world. Now it’s being brought to the boards at V.A. Bell Auditorium in Brookings High School by the Brookings Community Theatre troupe.
“Annie” is having two runs here: July 20-22 and July 27-29. Times are: Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors. Available at the Brookings Book Company, 321 Main Ave.; The Optical Shop, 112 22nd Ave. S.; and at the door one hour before the show. For additional information about ticket purchases, log on to www.brookingscommunitytheatre.org.
Inspired by the popular comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” (ran Aug. 6, 1924-June 13, 2010), the musical tells the story, much of it in song and dance, of Annie and her fellow orphans living in a New York City orphanage during the dark days of the Great Depression in the 1930s. They live “a hard knock life” under the care of orphanage owner Miss Hannigan, a not-so-nice lady who makes their lives as miserable as she possibly can.
But in the end, after multiple twists and turns, Annie is rescued by billionaire tycoon Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks and appears to be on her way to a fairytale happily-ever-after life.
Biggest cast yet
BCT veteran Bunny Christie is director. “Annie” marks her sixth or seventh time in that capacity, she said. Additionally, she’s acted in about seven BCT productions.
“’Annie’ has been one of my favorite shows, ever since I was a kid,” she said. She remembers Carol Burnett playing Miss Hannigan in the 1982 movie based on the play. Christie even sang the “Annie” songs growing up on the farm.
The cast of “Annie” numbers 83 (84 if you count Annie’s dog, Sandy), with 60 to 70 of them being children, ages 5 on up.
“Some of the kids are so cute they just have to be kids,” said a smiling Christie. She added that that the cast of “Annie” is the largest ever for a BCT production.
However, as a director, she’s comfortable with a big cast, having directed “Fiddler on the Roof,” which had a cast of about 60, during BCT’s 10th season, 2011-2012.
‘Only as good as your villain’
Annie is played by Jenna York, 13, an eighth-grader at Mickelson Middle School. She played one of the blind mice in the BCT’s 2015-2016 production of “Shrek! The Musical.” For the role of Annie, she brings impressive credentials as a vocalist: several years in honors choirs. In addition to her lines of dialogue, she sings some solos and joins in with the orphans in other songs.
Mike Thompson, a BCT veteran actor and director who has taken part in 11 BCT productions, plays bald billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, who rescues Annie and becomes her adoptive father.
“I shaved my head and wore a hat all the time so my wife wouldn’t see it,” he said.
“It’s a role I’ve always wanted to play.”
Annie’s nemesis, Miss Hannigan, is played by Hillari Foster. Now again a resident of Brookings, she has lived and worked in New York City and Scotland. She has three daughters in “Annie”: Two are in the Hooverville & New York Chorus; the oldest daughter plays a servant.
When they decided to try out, she joined them to “make it a family thing.”
“Miss Hannigan is my favorite part in the whole thing,” Foster added, of her role. “Your story is only as good as your villain.”
Playing Miss Hannigan’s just-as-villainous-as-she-is brother, Rooster Hannigan, is Brookings native Blake Erickson. He attended South Dakota State University, majoring in theatre with a dance minor. “Annie” is his fourth BCT production.
“He’s a most-fun character,” he said of Rooster. “I usually look at characters who have lots of interesting backgrounds. He’s a villain. I don’t play a lot of villains, so I stepped outside my comfort zone.”
Janell Davis plays Mrs. Pugh, who cooks for Daddy Warbucks. She was part of BCT early on and then dropped away before returning five years ago to “Nunsense.” She’s been in every summer production since.
For “Annie” she’s being joined by three daughters involved on stage or behind the scenes.
Annie’s dog Sandy is played by Tommy, a 10-year-old soft-coated Wheaten terrier owned by Mary Scarbrough. Tommy was rescued by her in 2010.
Jason Soren is assistant director; Kathy Winghart is music director; and Emily Kehrwald and Olivia Davis are choreographers.
Contact John Kubal at jkubal@brookingsregister.com.
Register photo: After sneaking off from the orphanage, Annie (Jenna York) has a happy moment when she meets Sandy (Tommy), a stray dog on the streets of New York City. He becomes her lasting friend and companion.
