Drake the Butler (Price Ashe) adds surprising dance steps to his ever so serious demeanor.įDR's (Paul Trani) cameo appearance creates a caricature that is both spot-on and hilarious.

Fred Justice entertains us as the sound effects man during a radio show interview of Daddy Warbucks. Regis play off each other, providing many of the play's chuckles. Turner Oldham as Rooster Hannagan (brother of Miss), and Natalie Smith as Lily St. Sandy is a delight - barking, wiggling and rolling over on her back. My regret is that in the large production numbers such as Hard Knock Life, the larger girls often cover the smaller ones.Īnnie is friendly with the other orphan girls, but her best friend is Sandy (Corey Cox), the dog. The orphans, too numerous to identify by name, have strong singing voices and delightful faces. We know Miss Hannagan is a caricature, but Christoffel keeps her grounded in enough reality to convince us of her menace. Her exaggerated, over-the-top personality brings the comic strip quality of the play to its believable edge. Miss Hannagan (Leslie Christoffel) runs the orphanage where Annie is sequestered. The chemistry between the two is endearing. The hardened businessman softens with Annie in his house. Paul Shiro as Oliver Warbucks brings, literally, the largeness that this character requires. She instinctively gives various shades of emotion which engage us at a heart level. While some technical problems were evident, the warmth of the main characters and the orphans carry us willingly into an era where sentimentality and heart-felt emotions had not yet been eroded by cynicism.Īnnie (Elizabeth Thompson) possesses a stage presence and a singing voice that charms both the audience and gruff, tough Daddy Warbucks. A cast of 50, replete with children, on a small stage is both a challenge and a novelty for HLT. Put it all together, and you have the musical Annie, Jr., the current production of Hendersonville Little Theatre. The smiles and spontaneity that children possess. Adult characters bigger-than-life like their comic strip counterparts.

Annie jr play script