Eagle Valley High School to present ‘Annie’

GYPSYM — The sun really will come out tomorrow.

Eagle Valley High School’s theater and music departments are presenting the musical “Annie.” It opens Thursday and runs through Sunday.

The student crew wasn’t sure what play had been selected. They knew the title started with an “A” and some thought it was Aladdin. They did have that first letter correct.

They arrived at Annie as they continue to focus on family shows. It works for them at several levels.

“More kid-friendly shows attract families and also encourages kids to become involved in theater,” said Andrea Grewe, who is Annie to her very marrow. “Singing songs about hope really is wonderful.”

Hans Taagen is Daddy Warbucks from the top of his head to the spats on his shoes.

Warbucks debates taking her “under his wing” because he doesn’t know much about children. He quickly learns.

For Taagen it’s Daddy Warbucks’ paradigm shift from logical to emotional, from “New York City,” to “Something Was Missing.”

Grewe prepared tirelessly, from studying dozens of performances, to singing through “Tomorrow” until there was no tomorrow, to showing up for her audition dressed like Annie, right down to the hair. She looks and sounds like you think Annie should.

“If I want something I put my mind to it and go after it,” Grewe said.

Jazz hands, sparkle fingers

Eagle Valley students Tanner Essex and Caroline Dewell created the choreography, which was wonderful and challenging – but mostly wonderful.

“We have to make sure we’re completely clear,” Dewell said.

They both work with the Vail Academy of Dance and the Vail Performing Arts Academy, and applied what they learned to creating choreography for Annie.

They planned, they designed the choreography, they put in the work and it’s going to be great.

“Throw in some jazz hands and sparkle fingers, smile and sell it,” Dewell said.

Pat Sheehy’s music department provides live music with an orchestra.

About Annie

For those living in a parallel universe, Annie is a Broadway musical based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and book by Thomas Meehan.

The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Neil Simon Theatre. It launched numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical’s songs “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life” are among its most popular.

via:: Vail Daily