Review: ANNIE at Theatre South Playhouse

“The sun'll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun…” If you are now belting out this tune in your living room, then you are not alone. The song, from the classic musical ANNIE, is one that has captured hearts ever since it was first heard when this uplifting show premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT (shout out to my friends at the Goodspeed – my favorite theatre from my days in Connecticut). Today, almost 50 years later, this musical still has the power to thrill, to excite, and yes, even to heal. And on stage at Theatre South Playhouse in Dr. Phillips, ANNIE feels fresh, fun, and fantastic – and demonstrates why this timeless tale of one little girl’s power to change the world with a little thing called hope is more relevant, today, than ever.

ANNIE, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and book by Thomas Meehan is based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. The musical follows the adventures of a fiery young orphan (Taylor Olson – Also played by Belle Acosta in other performances) determined to find her parents, who left her on the steps of an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Scottie McLaughlin). Set in New York City during the Great Depression, Annie's fortunes change when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the home of billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Sean Powell). With the help of Warbucks, his secretary Grace Farrell (Ashley Karolys), and even President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Pat Clark), Annie discovers the true meaning of family and home and teaches everyone in her orbit how, no matter how dark things may seem, the sun will come out tomorrow.

ANNIE was the first big musical I ever saw, at age 6, on tour at the Atlanta Civic Center and right then and there I knew that theatre was something that had to be part of my life in some way. As a kid I was enthralled by the lights, the music, the sets, the dog (!) and seeing kids just a little older than me having fun playing pretend on stage for thousands of people to thunderous applause. Today, almost 43 years later it hits different. Yes, the music is still catchy, and the production numbers just as thrilling, but as an adult, I can see the heart of the show – the optimism in a time of sorrow, the power of someone with absolutely nothing to change the world. And today, just hours before what is sure to be a dramatic and eventful election, that idea of hope and healing is just what the world needs.

From that first tour to today, I have had the privilege of sitting in the audience for many productions of ANNIE. And this latest offering from Theatre South Playhouse is the first time, maybe since sitting in that theatre in Atlanta, that I remember being overwhelmed with joy and electricity seeing a production of this classic. Everything works so well – starting with the nimble direction from Theatre South Playhouse’s Executive and Artistic Director, Hillary Brook and her co-director Mark Ferrera. Together Ms. Brook and Mr. Ferrara have staged a big, bold musical on TSP’s small black box stage. With such a small space, the timing of everything must be perfect, and the cast moves from scene to scene like clockwork, executing scene changes effortlessly and using every inch of the space with great success. They have also worked with this extremely talented cast to bring the emotion of every moment to the forefront. This, I would guess, is why it resonated so much with me – underneath the powerful singing, the exciting choreography, and the colorful costumes and set, there was real human emotion and struggles that felt authentic, raw, and urgent.

The cast is truly wonderful, down to the very last orphan. The adult ensemble gets to shine in numbers that I had previously considered forgettable (such as “We’d Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover”) and fills the stage as Warbucks’ jolly staff, denizens of the Hoovervilles, and members of FDR’s cabinet. The orphans are equally talented, thrilling the audience in their rousing numbers including everyone’s favorite “It’s The Hard Knock Life”. Taylor Olson lit up the stage in the title role, giving her Annie such a depth of feeling that it was hard not to get emotional watching her yearn for something better and cheer when she finally found a home and a family. Stern, but soft-hearted billionaire Oliver Warbucks is often portrayed as a two-dimensional, gruff caricature, but Sean Powell gives his Warbucks a real human quality, and shows off his beautiful voice in each of his musical numbers. As his trusted assistant Grace Farrell, Ashley Karolys is stalwart and steady but with a smile and a charm that is lovely to watch. Pat Clark does double duty, first as an Irish beat cop then as Franklin D. Roosevelt and portrays both with great skill (and well delivered accents!) As Bert Healy, the radio host, Danny Sanchez is so much fun to watch – adding a comic energy to the role. As the dastardly duo, Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis, Ben Gaetanos and Callie Shepherd are a thrill to watch – Mr. Gaetanos with a lithe and limber performance that was well executed and Ms. Shepherd bringing the ditzy blonde Lily to life on stage. Finally, as ANNIE’s comic villain, Miss Hannigan, Scottie McLaughlin was absolutely fantastic. TSP’s production was the first time I had ever seen the role played in drag and for a character like Miss Hannigan it works brilliantly. Mr. McLaughlin employs hilarious facial expressions and raises the roof with a standout performance of “Little Girls” and is just so much fun to watch on stage.

The creative elements of ANNIE work together perfectly to set the stage for this classic show. Cliff Price’s beautiful scenic design reinforces the comic strip origins of the story and adds pops of color and texture to every scene. Christopher Payen’s choreography infuses just the right amount of modern movement to make the dance numbers feel fresh, but still leans on classic staging from time to time to anchor the history of the show. Hillary Brook’s costumes work well to set the stage (and the period) and Valarie Paterson’s Lighting and Eric Jordan’s Sound designs fill out the stage well. Justin Smolik has done an equally solid job as Musical Director, surfacing some memorable vocal performances from many of the cast.

Overall, ANNIE at Theatre South Playhouse is not only a testament to the enduring appeal of this cherished musical, but a clear demonstration that in the right hands and with the right cast/creative vision, this show can feel fresh and new. And with an emotional core that truly resonates, not only will audiences be thoroughly entertained by this stellar production, but they’ll leave feeling a sense of hope and optimism that might even change the world.

ANNIE, presented by Theatre South Playhouse, runs through November 17th.  Performances take place at Theatre South Playhouse which is located in The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7601 Della Drive, Suite #15, Orlando, FL 32819. Tickets can be purchased by visiting https://teachtix.com/tsplayhouse. For more information about Theatre South Playhouse visit https://www.theatresouthplayhouse.org/

All Photos by Theatre South Playhouse

Headline Photo: Sean Powell, Taylor Olsen, Ashley Karolys and the cast of Annie.
Top Photo: The orphans of ANNIE
Mid-Photo 1: Sydney Carter (Molly) and Scottie McLaughlin (Miss Hannigan)
Mid-Photo 2: Taylor Olson as Annie
Mid-Photo 3: Danny Sanchez, Abigail Santiago, Tachel Humphrey, Eleina Santos
Mid-Photo 4: One of the Annies (Belle Acosta) and the orphans of Annie.
Bottom Photo: Scottie McLaughlin, Taylor Olson, Sean Powell and the Orphans

To post a comment, you must register and login.