Western School Theatre Club Presents Annie Junior

In February of last year, the newly-formed Theatre Club at Western School presented Ronald Dahl's Willy Wonka Kids to three sold-out audiences. Third grade teacher Ms. Stephanie Colella volunteered her time to direct the wonderful cast of over 60 enthusiastic Oompa Loompas and featured players.

Western's principal, Ms. Melissa D'Alessandro, appeared as a lovely Mrs. Teavee and the PTO picked up the tab for the show kit. Since Willy Wonka premiered before I began blogging here on Patch, I do not have a formal review I can link my readers to, but suffice it to say that the large group of co-workers and their children with whom I enjoyed this show were very impressed.

This year the students in the Theatre Club have been practicing for the classic Annie Jr. since September and they are now to the point where rehearsals involve running the entire show. I invited myself to a recent afterschool practice in the school's gym so that I could snap some photos and perhaps see and hear a few of the musical numbers before I attend the performance for which I managed to get tickets.

I was impressed at how quietly the ensemble waited in the hallway for their entrance as I passed through them to the performance site. This was not a dress rehearsal and the lighting was not quite complete, but I got to hear the featured players and the wonderful chorus of almost 60 Western students. Some of them sported their Annie t-shirts for this rehearsal and they sounded great singing with the taped accompaniment even without their microphones.

Hailey Russell, who was strong last year in the role of Veruca Salt, snagged the title role and she continues to shine. Last March at an event at the high school (and well before the choice of this year's show was announced,) I overheard Miss Russell talking to her aunt about Willy Wonka and she mentioned she hoped that Annie would be chosen for this year's production. At the time I had been told in confidence which show had been picked, so I simply smiled to myself thinking that she would be perfect for the part of little orphan Annie. And she got it! Her grandmother, former mayor Joan Taf, will proudly be attending one of the performances.

Social worker Carolyn Shay has a solo in NYC and has a lovely singing voice. The principal has returned for this year's production and she plays a most unexpected cameo role. The young man playing Oliver Warbucks adopts a very convincing accent and is excellent in the role of the tycoon. Rooster, the shady brother of Miss Hannigan is played to perfection by Christopher Damacena, who appeared as Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka.

In fact, many of the students who appeared in last year's show have returned to be in this show, as have many of the teachers volunteering their time to help out behind the scenes. Ms. Colella once again spearheads this production and clearly enjoys this afterschool activity. She explained to me that Annie Jr. is longer and more involved than Willy Wonka because it is a Junior version designed for older students. The actors have risen to the challenge and mastered the increased lines, dances and songs. During her director's notes at the end of the rehearsal, she told the assembled cast that at this point it "makes it feel real."

This year there will be four performances and there are literally two tickets left to be sold. Numbered tickets are $1 each and the show performances are on February 23, 24 and March 1, 2 at 6:30 p.m. There are 200 tickets per night available due to people allowed per fire code.

Readers can view a promo video for this show here and a video of Miss Russell singing Tomorrow here. Great photos of rehearsals as well as last year's production of Willy Wonka Junior can be viewed on the Western School website.