MUSICAL NUMBER: Actors during their performance of the song It’s the Hard-Knock Life. The show started playing on Tuesday, March 11, with more shows planned for today, tomorrow and Saturday.
Now being performed, the production features a highly talented cast of actors who have proven their mettle in earlier productions.
The old actor’s law applies here: never act opposite children or animals. That’s because they frequently steal a scene — or in this case — your heart.
A talented group makes up the cast of Annie — a warm and winning musical that opened on Tuesday and runs until Saturday, March 15.
The setting involves a band of orphans living in the New York City Municipal Orphanage. The actors who play these characters are on the top of their game, from the opening bars of It’s the Hard-Knock Life.
The role of Annie is played by two actors —Hayley Binnekamp and Emilia Doe, both 12 years old from DESS.
So then, as the story goes, Annie, convinced her parents will one day return to reclaim her, tries to escape from the orphanage aided and abetted by a group of orphans. But this is just the start of the story, and to tell more will be to take away from the enjoyment of the action as it unfolds.
The performers will delight audiences with their dancing, ensemble acting and comic timing throughout the two acts.
Henry — who played Toto in The Wizard of OZ — has returned to join the cast as Sandy.
Brandon Ballara, as the billionaire Warbucks, has excellent chemistry with both Annie and Stephanie Gravell. Gravell plays the character of Grace Farrell, Warbucks’ warm-hearted aide who brings Annie into their home (after she escapes from the orphanage). Gravell has enchanted the audience before with her strong soprano voice in Oklahoma, where she played Laurie. Incidentally, she also serves as the vocal coach for this production.
Michele Hussey, who was Aunt Eller in Oklahoma, plays the burnt-out Miss Hannigan, who oversees — if that word can be used — the orphanage. She gives a memorable performance as the villain, scheming with her brother Rooster (played by Geoff Heney) and Lily St Regis (played by Lauren Durrant). Together, the three plan to take Annie away and swindle Warbucks out of $50,000.
This is the second teaming of Lauren and Geoff, who performed together on stage as Ali Hakem and Ado Annie in the production of Oklahoma last year. Geoff will also be remembered for his outstanding performance as the Engineer in Miss Saigon, also a production of Senter Stage Musicals.
The entire production is supported by a strong adult chorus, with great attention being paid to the costumes, and the singing and dancing routines. The small touches add a sparkle to the entire production, which will not go unnoticed by the audience. Angela Walton, the director, has used the talents of Farrange from Sri Lanka to do the set painting as well as to create a two-and-a-half-metre Statue of Liberty to be used in the NYC scene. Choreography has been done by Lauren Durrant and Kristina Cheffins and promises to get your feet tapping.
The show started playing on Tuesday, March 11, with more shows planned for today, tomorrow and Saturday. Today’s show is at 7:30pm, while there will also be matinee performance tomorrow and Saturday at 2:30pm.
The prices of the tickets are QR100 for the first four rows and QR75 for the tiered seating. Tickets are available from The One at both Villaggio and Landmark malls.