[NEohioPAL]VINDICATOR REVIEW OF TNT'S ANNIE -- Sunday, September 12, 2004

Sun Sep 12 18:16:32 PDT 2004

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You won't leave 'ANNIE' without a smile

TNT's 'Annie' is filled with great music, singing and acting.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN, Vindicator Staff Writer

    NILES -- Trumbull New Theatre's delightful production of the feel-good 
musical "Annie" puts a smile on your face and in your heart.

    "Annie," which opened Friday night, has a large cast filled with cute and 
talented kids. It's led by the gifted 11-year-old singer and actress Emily 
Nader Schrader playing the orphan girl Annie, who, by the way, is also 11.

    Emily is on the money notewise, and her vibrant voice is easily heard and 
enjoyed throughout the theater.  Her ability to portray emotions, both happy 
and sad, are beyond her years. 

    Not to be upstaged by the children, the adult players are strong 
character actors and singers who bring flair and experience to their roles. 

    Leading the way are Lynda Gaug as the nasty Miss Hannigan, head of the 
orphanage, and Tom Gent as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks.

    Gent, a solid singer and actor, is convincing as Warbucks, the 
billionaire industrialist who invites Annie into his home for two weeks during the 
Christmas season and finds himself wanting to adopt the little girl. 

What it's about

    The story, set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, is about Annie's 
search for her parents, who left her at the orphanage shortly after her 
birth. Warbucks offers $50,000 to anyone who can prove they are Annie's parents.

    Gaug is hilarious as the booze-swilling, man-chasing orphanage director, 
who joins in a scheme with her con-man brother, Rooster Hannigan, and his 
ditzy girlfriend, Lily St. Regis, ably played by Timothy Burke and Laura Barba, to 
claim the $50,000.  Their rendition of "Easy Street" was one of the 
highlights of the show.

    Annie and the orphans of the New York Municipal Orphanage kick-start the 
play with "It's the Hard-Knock Life," and Emily nails the musical's best-known 
song, the optimistic "Tomorrow."

    Community theater is often a family affair, with parents and children 
participating together.

    Such is the case in TNT's "Annie," with Garry and Johnna Clark of 
Youngstown, and their three daughters, Susanna, Tabitha and Rebecca. Garry does a 
nice job in a a strong supporting role as Warbucks' butler, and Johnna plays one 
of Warbucks' household staff.

    Their daughters are members of the children's ensemble.

    The audience showed its appreciation and approval of the production with 
a standing ovation.

IF YOU GO
'Annie'

When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. next Sunday; 8 p.m. Sept. 24-25 and 
Oct. 1-2.

Where: Trumbull New Theatre, 5883 Youngstown Road, Niles.

Reservations: (330) 652-1103.

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<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f">
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D5>You won't leave 'ANNIE' without a smile</FO=
NT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=3D4></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=3D4>TNT's 'Annie' is filled with great music, singing an=
d acting.</FONT></EM></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>By WILLIAM K. </FONT></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=
=3D3>ALCORN, Vindicator Staff Writer</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    NILES -- Trumbull New Theatre's delig=
htful production of the feel-good musical "Annie" puts a smile on your face=20=
and in your heart.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    "Annie," which opened Friday night, h=
as a large cast filled with cute and talented kids. It's led by the gifted 1=
1-year-old singer and actress Emily Nader Schrader playing the orphan girl A=
nnie, who, by the way, is also 11.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    Emily is on the money notewise, and h=
er vibrant voice is easily heard and enjoyed throughout the theater.  H=
er ability to portray emotions, both happy and sad, are beyond her years. </=
FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    Not to be upstaged by the children, t=
he adult players are strong character actors and singers who bring flair and=
 experience to their roles. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    Leading the way are Lynda Gaug as the=
 nasty Miss Hannigan, head of the orphanage, and Tom Gent as Oliver "Daddy"=20=
Warbucks.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>    Gent, a solid singer and actor, is co=
nvincing as Warbucks, the billionaire industrialist who invites Annie into h=
is home for two weeks during the Christmas season and finds himself wanting=20=
to adopt the little girl. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>What it's about</FONT></STRONG></=
DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><STRONG><FONT size=3D3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    The story, set in the 19=
30s during the Great Depression, is about Annie's search for her parents, wh=
o left her at the orphanage shortly after her birth. Warbucks offers $50,000=
 to anyone who can prove they are Annie's parents.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    Gaug is hilarious as the=
 booze-swilling, man-chasing orphanage director, who joins in a scheme with=20=
her con-man brother, Rooster Hannigan, and his ditzy girlfriend, Lily St. Re=
gis, ably played by Timothy Burke and Laura Barba, to claim the $50,000.&nbs=
p; Their rendition of "Easy Street" was one of the highlights of the show.</=
FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    Annie and the orphans of=
 the New York Municipal Orphanage kick-start the play with "It's the Hard-Kn=
ock Life," and Emily nails the musical's best-known song, the optimistic "To=
morrow."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    Community theater is oft=
en a family affair, with parents and children participating together.</FONT>=
</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    Such is the case in TNT'=
s "Annie," with Garry and Johnna Clark of Youngstown, and their three daught=
ers, Susanna, Tabitha and Rebecca. Garry does a nice job in a a strong suppo=
rting role as Warbucks' butler, and Johnna plays one of Warbucks' household=20=
staff.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    Their daughters are memb=
ers of the children's ensemble.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>    The audience showed its=20=
appreciation and approval of the production with a standing ovation.</FONT><=
/DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D4><STRONG>IF YOU GO</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><EM><FONT size=3D4>'Annie'</FONT></EM></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><EM><FONT size=3D4></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>When: </STRONG>8 p.m. Friday and Sa=
turday; 3 p.m. next Sunday; 8 p.m. Sept. 24-25 and Oct. 1-2.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Where:</STRONG> Trumbull New Theatr=
e, 5883 Youngstown Road, Niles.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Reservations: </STRONG>(330) 652-11=
03.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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