Four stars, plus one more for Sandy the dog!

The Lyric Theatre production of the stage musical, Annie, is playing at the Civic Hall.

Annie is based on the popular, 1924 comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, created by Harold Gray, and whose inspiration came from James Whitcomb Riley’s poem, Little Orphant Annie.

The original production opened on Broadway in 1977 and closed in 1983.

It won seven Tony Awards, including best musical. The book and score are by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse, and Martin Charnin.

The family, feel-good, much-loved musical has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Annie is an ensemble piece, and the cast of this production, directed by Nicole Burness, and choreographed by Sarah Hiller and Cassandra Pudney, bring it to the stage with enthusiasm and charm.

Good triumphs over evil, and the rousing finale sends you out of the auditorium with a bounce in your step.

As the irrepressible, optimistic, curly red-head, Anna Reynolds/Luka Bridges alternate in the role of Annie. Both girls are superb.

Luka Bridges is gifted an extraordinarily big voice. Her theatrical future can only be bright.

The role of the billionaire, Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks, is an actor’s gift. As the gentle curmudgeon, Jason Kiger hits the exactly right note.

Playing a dipsomaniac is not as easy as it might seem. It has been the downfall of many an actor.

The temptation to play for laughs is fatal. Carmel Morris is perfect. She mines the rich pickings of the humour and pathos to be found in the hapless Miss Hannigan – weaving and wandering her boozy path through a miserable life, plagued by an endless parade of mischievous children.

Bella Harper as Grace Farrell has an engaging quality on stage. She imbues the role with exactly the right sentiment.

As the comic relief ‘badies’, the duo of Rooster and Lily St. Regis, played by with much enjoyment by Timothy Gay and Cassandra Pudney, are a delight.

It is obvious, from the moment the dastardly couple appear they are headed for trouble. You cannot help but delight in their eventual and deserved demise. They are a treat to watch!

Matthew Kaess as President Roosevelt, and Grant Johnson as Drake, complete an excellent cast.

The production is supported by a team of talented creatives.

Under the direction of Sarah Warlow and Kristiana Withers, the show is musically sound.

The alternating orphans are played Abigail Morton/April Yearwood, Annabelle Lethlean/ Ashlyn Narracott, Josephine McGinniss/Maggie Brown, Arcadia Manton/Lily Retallick, Amilie van Raaphorst/Bronte Rodgers, and Quinn Manton/Scarlett Sheludko.

Annie is a big show with a large cast of children and an ensemble chorus which is crucial to the production. They double in myriad roles, and keep the show bouncing along.

They are the backbone of the piece; the supporting players sing, dance, and act their way through clever routines, and the string of chorus numbers, which makes Annie such a joy.

The musical collaborators created a cast of memorable characters, all of whom resonate with the audience, and for various reasons.

While the subject matter touches on contentious issues for a modern society, it is, at heart, a musical entertainment which serves its audience on every level.

A musical set in the great depression is exactly the tonic we need at this time. I urge you to buy a ticket to see Annie – even if it’s only for Sandy, the dog.

He is too beautiful for his own good!

I promise – you won’t regret the decision.

Annie is on at Civic Hall from Friday 1 March to Sunday 10 March with performances at 7.30pm and a Sunday matinee at 1.30pm

For bookings phone 5333 5888 or [email protected].