TEXARKANA, Texas -- The Texas High Theatre Company will be performing the timeless musical Annie this week at the John Thomas Theatre/Sullivan Performing Arts Center.
Show times for Annie are 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 p.m. Sunday, and 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets are available through the Box Office at ttcths.booktix.com online.
A double cast show, Alexis Mayo and Sadie Harp will portray Annie. The cast of 45 includes children of all ages who have really taken the show to heart over the last few months, according to a news release.
Senior Jeremy Creek, will take on the role of Oliver Warbucks, while Beth Dietze and Tyler Unger will play the con artists, Lily St. Regis and Rooster Hannigan. The role of Grace will be played by Mary Warren and Maddie Frost will take on the role of Miss HanniHan
Bonnie Flieder, director of the Tiger Theatre Company at Texas High, hopes this show will bring the community together for an enjoyable family friendly night of theatre. Flieder comes from Texas Middle School and Annie will be her first directing debut at the High School.
"Annie has always had a special place in my heart as it is the sound track to many memories with my grandmother. When it was announced that we would be doing Annie for the musical, I could not wait to bring the characters that I had loved so much growing up, come to life. To have this be my first show as a director has made it even better," Flieder said.
Flieder said the position as head of the department is always a challenging task, but she has had incredible support from all sides.
"One of the greatest things is that I get to direct students that I have taught before in the middle school program," she said. "Few teachers get the opportunity to grow with their students and to watch them come into their own."
On Broadway, "Annie" is legendary. In fact, before the movie hit theatres in 1982, it had already been established as one of the best musicals on Broadway. It opened in 1977 and has won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical for live theatre was written based on the comic strip by Harold Gray.
The play is set in 1933 during the Great Depression. Annie is a spunky red-haired orphan who believes her parents are still alive and will one day come to claim her. Meanwhile, Mr. Oliver Warbucks, a billionaire businessman wants to adopt Annie and take care of her.
Michael Folse, biology teacher at Texas High School, is the Theatre Department's administrative coordinator and also plays President Roosevelt in the stage production. Trent Hanna is the technical director for the drama department and he and his students have built the set.
Stacy Mayo, a graduate of Texas High and avid theater performer and event planner, has assisted in the production of the show as well.
"This has been such a fun experience getting to see my own daughter take the title role of Annie and work with the other amazing cast members to create a beloved show that all will enjoy," Mayo said.
Special Guest
A fun treat for the community is a special guest flying in from New York to see the musical on Friday night.
Shelley Bruce, opened the original Annie on Broadway, as Kate, one of the orphans and the understudy to Annie. A year later, she took over the title role of Annie when her best friend, Andrea McArdle, left to open the show in London.
Shelley began acting at age 6. Her first introduction to live theater was at the age of 8 in the off Broadway show, "The Children's Mass" which was directed by Sal Mineo. Bruce also appeared in numerous commercials and radio spots before she was chosen to create the role of Kate in the original Annie.
She performed as Annie on Broadway for 13 months before leaving the show in 1979. Sarah Jessica Parker took her place as little orphan Annie.
After a battle with leukemia in the early '80s, Shelley focused on music and building a family. She currently runs AmethystSoteria.com, her crochet, handmade items with a portion of the proceeds going to Sloane Kettering to honor their dedication to cancer research and the treatment that has allowed her to survive and thrive.
She also consults with theatre programs in the country and gives guidance to up and coming actors.
At 1 p.m. Friday, she will teach a Master Class to the theater students at Texas High. She will then be introduced on stage before the show Friday evening and be at a meet and greet in the lobby after the show for the cast and crew of "Annie" and their families.