SUDBURY—ANNIE, the musical, is having tremendous success in Sudbury. The Expositor had the opportunity to catch a weekday production when the theatre was filled to the brim with students in Grades 5 to 8 from the Sudbury area. It was a noisy, boisterous crowd, but when the lights dimmed, silence fell.
Well, of course, they’d quiet down, when mean Miss Hannigan, fiercely portrayed by Linda Kash, entered, stage right, glaring down upon them. Her wordless stroll across the stage set the tone. Should they laugh, or did they dare?
ANNIE is the beloved musical created by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin providing music and lyrics with the story by Thomas Meehan. It made its Broadway debut in 1977. Inspiration came from the 1924 comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” created by Harold Gray, who was inspired by the poem “Little Orphan Annie,” written by James Whitcomb Riley. The musical, following its debut, ran for nearly six years on Broadway, winning seven Tony awards and spawning countless productions in numerous countries. And now, it has come to the stage at the YES Theatre in Sudbury, with one of Wiikwemkoong’s own, Ogeequa Williston Osawabine playing the lead – Annie. Ogeequa shares the lead with Willow Ann Wilcock. “You’ll see an incredible performance no matter who’s playing the lead,” Ogeequa’s mother, Christine Williston said, “they’re both great,” which gives you an indication of the community spirit and family atmosphere at the YES Theatre
On Wednesday, December 10, before an audience of her peers, Ogeequa Williston Osawabine played Annie with the energy, spunk and fearlessness that is the character herself, belying the young actor’s 12 years. How many times has she sung ‘Tomorrow,’ and on that day, she belted it out as if it was a natural extension of herself, her voice clear, beautiful and strong.
All the performers in this production, from the very young – orphan Molly, played by 8-year-old Lilou Seelig Cash — to the seasoned adults with whom they shared the stage were professional in their acting, their singing and their choreography.
Linda Kash as Miss Hannigan, the cruel keeper of the orphanage, was a delight to watch. Her timing, her movements, her singing voice, was pure entertainment. Oliver Warbucks, played by veteran actor Jake Deeth, was equally entertaining, with a clear and strong singing voice. The minor characters of Grace, Rooster and Lily, played by Er Simbagoye, Haui and April Perrin, respectively, the young orphans and the ensemble performers were spot on with their timing, their voices strong, their movements sure.
The set design was simple and sparse but enough to tell the story. The scene with Franklin D. Roosevelt and his cabinet was inspired. And the final scene, when the FBI agents take the bad guys away was absolute genius. The orchestra throughout the production depicted the era perfectly and they were visible to the audience, above the stage, through the magic of technology.
There was an opportunity to speak with Ogeequa following the show and she was asked. “Were you nervous performing in front of an audience of kids your age?” “No,” she said, “I was at first, because I had a bad experience with a matinee where the audience did nothing, through the entire thing, didn’t do anything but clap, and I was afraid this would be a repeat of that, but it wasn’t, it was the exact opposite and it was the best thing ever.” In terms of this being her first major part in a major production she said, “It feels great” with a sigh. There’s no stopping Ogeequa Williston Osawabine now, acting is in her blood.
The actors came out for a Q & A with the kids in the audience at the end of the show. Clearly, there were many thespians in attendance, because most of the questions centered around theatre. “How do you get a part in one of these shows?” one student asked. Another asked about the music. And another wanted to know how long it took to rehearse the show. The answer was five weeks, which is truly remarkable, considering the number of cast members (and little ones at that), the number of musical pieces, the choreography, not to mention the blocking of scenes with spoken dialogue. A masterpiece put together in five weeks under the direction of the amazing Peter Hinton-Davis.
ANNIE is a must-see show for all ages, a perfect Christmas gift, as the show centers around the Christmas season, with a feel-good ending. Because of its great success, ANNIE has been extended an extra week, until December 28. Only nine shows remain, and tickets are selling fast, so better act now. You’ll be glad you did.
by Margery Frisch
