Annie as a Broadway musical is underrated. This may seem like a crazy thing to say given its classic status and many revivals but I feel like it is rarely brought up in discussions of the great musicals and it deserves such praise. The songs are so catchy and it has been the catalyst for inspiring many a young girl into a love of theatre. Over at OnStage Blog we did an episode of our podcast comparing Annie vs Matilda (I am sure you all know what side I was on) and it turned out pretty fun.

Anyway, I always jump for any chance I have to see Annie and the current production up at Ogden Musical Theatre was no exception. It’s a drive for me to get all the way up there from Draper where I live but well worth it for this outstanding night of family theatre. Annie at OMT is one of the best productions I’ve seen this year and definitely worthy of your time and money.

This production is directed by Jennifer Hughes and she brings together all the show elements together to fool audience members into thinking they are spending far more than the $23-$31 they’ve just spent. The sets by Daniel Simmons are particularly impressive with the orphanage platforms having 2 levels and the Daddy Warbucks house looking appropriately opulent. She also works with lighting director Daniel Garner to create a convincing New York skyline and a presidential seal for the FDR scenes.

I was also extremely impressed with the attention to detail on the costumes. Annie’s clothes are adorable particularly her finale red dress and her wig changes as she is at the Warbucks. It’s very cute! But even beyond that the attention to detail in period accurate hair clips, tuxedos, maid dresses and footwear did not go unnoticed (costumes by Shelly Burkhardt and wigs by Cynthia Johnson.)

I’ve seen a few productions at OMT and always enjoyed myself but the talent on display and the chemistry of the cast for Annie was exceptional- definitely the best show I’ve seen from them and one of my favorites of this year of community theatre. Elle Hirst is ideal as Annie. You couldn’t ask for more from a young performer and her chemistry with Addison Welch as Warbucks is endearing.

Micky Larson has just enough moxie to play Miss Hannigan giving the right amount of camp in her performance of “Little Girls” and then “Easy Street” with Eva Terranova and Michael Hernandez as Lily St Regis and Rooster respectively. Miss Hannigan is one of the more deliciously villainous characters of Broadway and it’s nice when an actor goes for it in her drunken disdain for the adorable children.

The kids are wonderful in songs like “Hard Knock Life” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” but the standout is Annie Durham as Molly. It’s a wonder Ms Farrell (Jillian Durham-who’s also great) could resist taking both Annie and Molly they are both so cute. It’s especially impressive how the kids all knew their choreography and projected their songs well in the large Perry’s Egyptian Theater. It’s no easy task!

After seeing this production of Annie, I left the theatre in Ogden thinking “what else could a community theatre do?” It was a marvelous night of theater and all involved should be proud of their accomplishments. I hope that all involved especially the young kids are inspired to do even more local theater. That is after all the greatest indicator of community theatre success in the end. Annie plays through August 9th and tickets can be purchased here.

Annie has music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin with a book by Thomas Meehan based on Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray (and radio show.)

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