‘Annie’ – Book by Thomas Meehan. Music by Charles Strouse. Lyrics by Martin Charnin. Directed and Choreographed by Dan Sullivan; Musical Direction by Jenny Tsai; Lighting Design by Erik Fox; Costume Design by Dan Sullivan; Sound Design by Andrew Mulholland; Wardrobe by Judi Olson. Presented by Sullivan Rep, with all performances at the Windsor Club, 1601 Beacon Street, Waban, MA 02468, through December 21st.
By Judy Katzman
Don’t let the venue fool you. This production of ‘Annie’ is strong and very enjoyable despite the limitations of the performance space. There is a stage in the function room at the Windsor Club, but it was utilized by the orchestra, leaving the floor space to accommodate the performance area, the audience seating, and the backstage area. Nevertheless, the talented cast elevates this show to a level that makes it easy to forget that you’re not in a traditional theater.
The action takes place in the center of the room, with the audience sitting on two sides, facing one another. The cast continuously enters and exits the center performance space from four different directions, seamlessly rolling in and out the set pieces as they enter or exit. The set transitions felt perfectly timed and well-rehearsed. For the bigger numbers that involved the ensemble (“Hooverville” and “NYC,” for example), the choreography worked well within the small confines, as the cast often faced the audience and danced along the outside of the rectangular space, engaging both sides of the room. One limitation presented by the staging was the difficulty of seeing the action if it took place on the floor.
Set in New York City during the Depression, ‘Annie’ is the Tony award-winning story of a spunky eleven-year-old girl living in an orphanage run by the evil Miss Hannigan (Carly Evans). ‘Annie’ is a heartwarming rags-to-riches story that follows this resilient young orphan from the orphanage to a Hooverville shantytown and ultimately to the home of billionaire Oliver Warbucks. Charlotte Kuong, sporting a mop of unkempt red hair and appropriately ragged clothing, took on the titular role with confidence and was a joy to watch. She has a sweet voice when singing such well-known songs as “Maybe” and “Tomorrow” and shows both tenderness and toughness in her portrayal of Annie. Evans, as her nemesis, Miss Hannigan, the disgruntled and downtrodden orphanage caretaker, elicited many laughs, especially during her rendition of “Little Girls.” When she joined forces with Christhian Mancinas-Garcia (Rooster Hannigan) and Melissa Paz (Lily St. Regis) for “Easy Street,” – always a show-stopper – they did not disappoint.
Todd Yard is convincing as the wealthy and powerful workaholic, Oliver Warbucks, who finds himself swept up in Annie’s optimism and quickly becomes smitten with her. Yard gives a touching performance in “Something was Missing,” and the chemistry between him and Kuong was sweet to watch. Another crowd-pleaser was Temma Beaudreau, as Grace Farrell, Warbuck’s assistant. Beaudreau has a stunning voice and shined in all of her scenes.
Rounding out the talented cast were the adorable orphans (“Hard Knock Life” was very energetic and entertaining) and the adult ensemble that capably took on multiple roles and sounded perfect when singing together during the bigger numbers. In particular, ensemble member Anthony Rinaldi, who performed as Bert Healy and Justice Brandeis, had fantastic facial expressions and a good command of different dialects.
Annie is a musical that appeals to both children and adults, in part due to its resilient red-headed heroine, who refuses to let her circumstances thwart her optimism and determination. In the spirit of Annie herself, Sullivan Rep meets the challenges presented by the performance space head-on and, as a result, delivers a successful adaptation of this well-loved musical. For more information and tickets, go to: https://www.sullivanrep.com/tickets-1
