The Sun is Out, The Stars Still Shine at Mill Mountain Theatre.
Currently, Mill Mountain Theatre is dark. But starting December 10th, the Trinkle Main Stage will shine with the light of dozens of talented young actors performing Annie Jr. Don’t let the name fool you. Annie Jr. is not about Annie’s offspring, but rather part of the Broadway Junior series which presents 70 minute versions of classic musicals with the stipulation that all parts must be played by actors between the ages of six and eighteen.
I asked Ginger Poole, the play’s director, about what it was like to work with such a diverse group of kids. “There’s no difference between the age groups. You don’t have to spring feed the little ones. They have all risen to the occasion.” This uniformity of purpose is easily observable in the actors. They are eager, but retain a professional composure. And they are confident: When I asked Mary Brothers, who plays Annie’s dog Sandy, what the hardest part of playing a canine is, she smiles and replies, “My knees.”
Nine days out, Annie Jr. seems ready for audiences. The energy is palpable. Cast member Nicole Chaney exclaims, “I love being with the friends I’ve made and watching the show come together. It’s amazing to see that kids can do this. I can do this.” This enthusiasm is abundantly clear as the cast belts out, “It’s a Hard Knocks Life.”
And the music will not just be confined to the stage. Annie Jr.’s Music Director, Susan Braden, conceived of having live music in the lobby every night before the performance. Church groups, school groups, even the Roanoke Chamber Brass section responded. Susan says, “It was easy to book people because everyone has been so generous and willing to donate their energy to Mill Mountain, which thrills me to no end.” She is also quick to praise the support she has gotten from parents: “Parents want to see their kids succeed here and be a part of the production.”
Parental support and the proliferation of the arts in Roanoke has enriched the pool of talent. Ginger explains, “These kids are not studying with one person, or even one discipline. They’re getting different styles, methods, and ideas, and it’s only making them better in the end.” The strength of this pool of talent presented challenges when it came time to cast the play. But Ginger and Susan found their Annie immediately. Kelly Devens was the first actor to audition. One hundred actors later, she was still their choice. Olivia Goodman, who plays Molly, turned six on the day she auditioned. Ginger observes, “That’s a pretty good way to celebrate your birthday and start your professional career.” Many of the children are also veterans of the many camps, classes, and workshops that Mill Mountain continues to offer. During the main stage’s hiatus, the vibrancy of the education arm of Mill Mountain has never dimmed.
Ginger sees a correlation between the efforts of the cast of Annie Jr. and Mill Mountain’s future. She says, “It’s nice to see them here, keeping the heart of this place beating. Mill Mountain is alive because of these kids. And I really believe that they’re the ones that are going to push these doors back open.“
So come bask in the warmth of Annie Jr. And let’s all keep our fingers crossed that this glow will spread and bring a better tomorrow to Mill Mountain.
Text Box: Annie Jr. runs from December 10-December 20
on the Trinkle Main Stage. Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or at Maggie Moo's on Franklin Rd. For more information call 342-5749.
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