Gammage Goers

Gammage Goer Review: Annie

By Lynn Trimble

ASU Gammage was a sea of red for the opening night of Annie. The theater was swarming with children—in a good way. Little girls donned their party dresses and patent leather shoes. Little boys sported crisp shirts and sweater vests. Too often Arizona audiences take the Hawaiian shirt and flip flops approach, but Annie seems to have inspired a return to some of the glitz and glamour of theater-going at its best. 

The theater was abuzz with families enjoying a festive night of musical theater at its best. If you want to create a magical memory for a child, Annie is a sure thing. So few musicals revolve around the lives of children, and fewer still feature so many talented child performers. More than any other show, perhaps, Annie leaves young audience members thinking—and feeling—“I can do that!”

Madison Kerth, who performs the role of Annie, is a master of the heart-tug moment. The audience is spellbound as she opens the show with “Maybe,” a song steeped in the longings of an orphaned girl wishing for the return of her practically-perfect parents. But it isn’t long before Mackenzie Aladjem, the tiniest cast member, steals the spotlight. What’s not to love about a pigtailed pint-size orphan in tattered grey one piece pajamas?

Youngsters familiar with the music from Annie feel at home early on with favorites like “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” and “Tomorrow”—making it easier, I suspect, for them to sit patiently through lesser known numbers like “We’d Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover.” I’ve seen some productions of Annie that feel like disjointed journeys from one well-known song to another, with little musical meat in between. But that’s hardly the case for this production.

The Hooverville scene, which follows on the heels of “Tomorrow,” is one of the finest song and dance spectaculars of the whole evening. This Annie ensemble seems a true ensemble in the finest sense of the word. They aren’t placeholders between Annie numbers. They’re astute actors and powerful vocalists who really compel the audience to journey back with them to the days of the Great Depression.

It’s clear from earlier tirades with the orphans that Miss Hannigan is a meanie, but another side of the character holds sway as Lynn Andrews performs the song “Little Girls.” This Miss Hannigan isn’t just cranky. She’s a bit kooky too. Stern, but silly. Tyrannical, yet tipsy. It seemed a bit overplayed for my taste, but I suspect it was spot on for younger audience members who got a good giggle out of Andrews’ performance. It wasn’t my favorite portrayal of Miss Hannigan, but it is among the most memorable. 

When Annie finally arrives at the Warbuck’s mansion, I’m struck by the simple elegance of the set. Other productions of Annie that I’ve enjoyed through the years have had more sparkle and shine, but this set is far-and-away my favorite. I felt like I was strolling through an elegant art museum full of colors that are bold but never brash. This set works beautifully as a backdrop for the talents of the cast, rather than a showpiece needed to bolster their performances.

Act I draws to a close with a reprise of Annie’s “Maybe”—but not before the audience enjoys a tender rendition of “NYC” and a comical coup with “Easy Street.” Cheryl Hoffman (Lily St. Regis) and Zander Meisner (Rooster Hannigan) play perfectly to both children and grown-ups in the crowd—a balance it can be difficult to strike in musical theater. “Easy Street,” a song I often find more annoying than entertaining, was among my favorite numbers this time around.

As enchanted as I was with Act I, I felt most charmed by Act II— which opens with “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.” The singing Boylan Sisters (Liz Bachman, Margaret-Ellen Jeffreys and Katie Reid), in their parfait pink evening gowns, left me longing for a simpler time. Like Miss Hannigan, radio announcer Bert Healy (Ricky Pope) seemed a bit over the top—but the kids in the crowd loved it. So much the better, I suppose.

The funniest scene by far features Kenneth D’Elia as F.D.R. cabinet member Harold Ickes. President Roosevelt (Jeffrey B. Duncan) is joined by Oliver Warbucks (David Barton) and a handful of advisors who ponder possible solutions to the country’s economic woes. Annie chimes in with her own perspective, as Kerth performs a reprise of “Tomorrow”—complete with a “keep the ol’ chin up” arm gesture that’s dogged me since she used it early in Act I. D’Elia runs with it and the audience is in an uproar. You have to love a musical that so masterfully mocks its own muse.

The final scene opens with the curly-haired, red-headed Annie descending a staircase at Warbuck’s mansion in her signature red dress—gleefully offering a series of “Rockette” style kicks while Grace Farrell (Tracy Bair), Drake (Ricky Pope) and the rest of soon-to-be “Daddy” Warbucks’ staff hail her to the tune of “Annie.” By now, I’m surrounded by little girls leaning forward on the very edges of their seat. They’re captivated—as it should be.

The jig is up for the “Easy Street” trio, who’ve been attempting to collect a reward by posing as Annie’s long-lost parents, and the audience relishes watching them get their comeuppance. Annie is reunited with her orphan friends, who gather around a Christmas tree brimming with gifts like a giant orange tricycle and a red bouncing ball nearly as tall as the tiniest orphan. 

All is well as Annie, Warbucks, Grace and F.D.R.—along with orphans and staff—ring in “A New Deal for Christmas.” It’s another strong ensemble performance, one of so many that make the evening sing. The audience clearly appreciates the performances of each and every one, rising in an enthusiastic standing ovation as the ensemble takes their bows ahead of actors performing the lead roles. The conductor and musicians are lavished with generous applause as well, proving that “together” is every bit as glorious as “tomorrow.”