Children's Musical Theater, July 2012...Annie

On Tuesday morning, I attended the third and last children's theater production of the summer at the Troy Civic Theatre. Tuesday's play was much more informal than the major productions some summer children's theater groups offer. It was also much less expensive and took only a few weeks of summer vacation.

The students learn basics of acting and dancing and singing and have an opportunity to perform before an audience. They and their parents are responsible for finding their costumes. The actresses and actors change the sets as well as do the acting.

The Troy Recreation Department sponsors the activity. The Troy Civic Theatre group donates their theater and sometimes their costumes and props.


Since the total time involved is less than thirty hours, longer parts are divided among two or three students so none of them will have an excessive number of lines to memorize in a short time span. The story line is abridged which further cuts the number of lines.  If a student is cast in a small part, he or she is cast in one or two other parts, so there is plenty of opportunity to act on stage.

Here is a selection of photos from "Annie".

Annie No. 1 and the other orphans discuss their fate.

Miss Hannigan No.1 berates Annie for her behavior. The hamper beside them is Annie's eventually escape vehicle.

Out on the street after escaping, Annie meets the apple seller and the dog catcher who has captured Courtney, the corgi.

Annie No. 2 finds Sandy played by Presto, a 4-H trained dog, and is questioned by a policeman.

The homeless, jobless people of Hooverville give Annie food.

Miss Hannigan, No. 2, wants to know where Annie has gone. Later a policeman brings her back.

Miss Hannigan is angry that Grace, No.1, who is Daddy Warbucks' secretary, decides to have Annie spend the holidays at the mansion.

Daddy Warbucks, No. 1, and one of his servants, meet Annie.

Annie meets the other servants and enjoys her new coat.

Rooster, Miss Hannigan's ex-con relative, and his girl friend discuss how they would like to live on Easy Street and live in a mansion.

Lily, the girl friend, files her nails while Miss Hannigan and Rooster continue their discussion.

Daddy Warbucks, No.2 and Annie, No. 3 talk.

The servants are pleased that Annie will spend the holidays at the mansion.

Daddy Warbucks arranges to make a radio announcement hoping to find Annie's parents. In the foreground is the Sound Effects Man.

The radio personality, accompanied by his back up chorus and dancers, sings "Never Dressed Without a Smile".

The orphans hear the announcement about the search for Annie's parents and sing the smile song to entertain themselves.

Rooster hears the announcement also and comes up with a scheme to get the money being offered to Annie's parents.

Annie No.2 cheers up President Roosevelt's Cabinet by reminding them that tomorrow is only a day away.

Roosevelt, in center of the photo, has some ideas for the cabinet to consider.

Back at the mansion, Daddy Warbucks and Annie  No.3 dance.

The schemers pretend they are Annie's parents.

When the schemers and Miss Hannigan return the next day to pick up the check and Annie No. 1, they discover that Daddy Warbucks' agents have learned who they really are. Miss Hannigan insists she didn't know that Rooster and Lily were not Annie's parents.

Daddy Warbuck, No. 3 doesn't believe her. Grace No. 2 is beside him, ready to help him in any way she can.

Daddy Warbucks grabs Miss Hannigan and calls for the police to take her away.

The celebration begins.

The guests talk between dances.

The grand finale. Everyone except the schemers are happy.