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<DIV>Matt King successfully completed his first directorial when Annie
ended on Sunday, June 27. The story of Little Orphan Annie was greatly
received by the Greater Summit, Wayne and Stark County areas. Four nights,
four sellouts. </DIV>
<DIV>There is a great deal of Matt stamped on this show and his chemistry with a
four foot seven inch moppet named Kristina Currans made this an exceptional
play. Of course, what can I say about an eleven year old girl who is actually a
thirty one year old woman trapped in an eleven year old body. Kristina Currans
is an exceptional actress and singer. Her rendition of Maybe and Tomorrow
were show stoppers. In fact, I told Matt one night that I had never come across
an actress like her. <BR>I knew early in rehearsals when the twelve girls
started to rehearse that we had something special. Kaitlyn Zeitz as Molly was
perfect. She is a thirty one year old woman in a ten year old body. She may
be a little girl in so many ways but when it comes to rehearsing she is
unbelievable. No one crossed her and when I said again she was the first one to
respond. Kennidy Zentiska who played Pepper was also perfect. Where did she come
from? Tough and sensitive, Kennidy made things work and she never complained.
And how about Gracyn Loper as Duffy. Gracyn had charmed all of us last year when
she sang Tomorrow and Maybe at our annual fundraiser. Gracyn however told me in
February that it was going to be difficult to be Annie because she grew five
inches. So she became Duffy, the tall one. Hunter Rapp was an excellent July.
Debbie Liknes was great as Kate and she has learned her craft sitting hours at
rehearsals of our other plays watching not only her older sister rehearse but
the adults. She has been intense and we call her Siskel for her reviews of the
previous plays. She has learned a great deal looking and watching. And then
there is "Oh My Goodness" Adde Bair, who played Tessie. She smiles and the place
lights up. In "Fully Dressed" we almost did not have to turn the lights on. And
then the rest of the Orphans. Quiet Emma Canfield who really came out of her
shell in this production. She was a major energetic force in the dance numbers.
Also, Lauren Stover who will be playing Grace Ferrell in about fifteen years.
She was our cool head. When things were getting out of hand at rehearsal, guess
who was soothing things. Lauren. And Xavy Baker who played Wacky in the
radio scene. No one could do it better. She is an upcoming Tina Fey who will be
doing Saturday Night Live when she gets older. Lisa Gabel, our dancer, was the
one who constantly asked questions. Now, there are those movies where there is
the annoying kid who is constantly asking nonesensical questions. However, Lisa
asked intelligent questions some times so intelligent that I referred them to
Matt, who stood equally befuddled. And our little one, Lily Bair, who came to
the auditions with a huge cap on. When asked how many of those does she have,
she said thirty. I told her that she was to wear it at all times. She did and
boy did the audiences love it.<BR>On the adult side, what can be said about
Jackie Piatt who played Miss Hannigan. She was mean, she was a slime ball, she
was obnoxious, she was Miss Hannigan. She brought a menacing comic touch to the
part. She was also our music director and that cast was ready when we started
putting it all together. Olivia Durell was great as Grace and her voice led the
scenes at the mansion of Oliver Warbucks. No doubt she was the leader and the
others followed. Then there was Ben Currans as Drake and a host of other parts.
Ben is a rookie but you would never realize that. He gave it his all and it
worked. Maggie Leatherman as Sophie in the Hooverville scene, Perkins in the
Cabinet scene, and Mrs. Greer in the Mansion scenes, had you convinced that
there were three women out there playing. Yes, folks that was one actress. Duane
Acker was excellent as Bert Healy and the announcers. He had you believing that
he was the radio host similar to the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. Ray Olivera was our
Sandy the Dog. Instead of the real thing, we went with Ray because there is no
better improvisational actor that Ray. He had the whole audience rooting for
him. <BR>Amiee Jarzenski tied the record for most parts in a play- five. She was
in the Hooverville scene, The Star to Be in NYC, Tully, Roosevelt's Secretary in
the Cabinet, the Boylan Sister in the Radio and the French maid at the Mansion.
It was amazing that she could figure out which part was coming.<BR>Bryan Steffee
was perfect as Rooster, Hannigan's brother. Bryan had to play a slime ball and
he did it well. He was also very endearing to the audience as was his partner in
crime Stacey Pasternak who played Lily St. Regis. Stacey worked exceptionally
hard to play totally amoral Lily who saw nothing wrong with what she was doing.
<BR>John Steiner was great as FDR and he did some great gestures similar to the
32nd President of the United States. He showed comic flair throughout. Rachel
Farley and Heidi Knight were also very dexterious when doing parts. Rachel was
Mrs. Pugh, a member of the Hooverville Gang, and a Boylan sister. She was also
the movie theatre attendant voice. Heidi was in Hooverville and a French maid
who did not like maids who flirted with the groomsmen. That maid was played by
Jena Bair, mother to Adde and Lily, who believe it or not auditioned on a lark.
She also was part of the Hooverville gang. Rounding out the cast was Tyler
Brewer, Josh Rowe, Jarod Hare, and Mike Groom. Tyler, Jarod and Josh also were
part of the stage crew which was led by Ray Olivera. Mike was our Lieutenant
Ward who was menacing throughout.<BR>And Matt as Daddy Warbucks, well he was
great and the girls loved him. They also loved it when he had his head shaved.
In other words, this was a great play with a great cast. No wonder we sold out
all four nights.<BR>We also had a great pianist in Margie Metcalf and drummer in
Brad Palmer. Brad was also our sound person. Margie was a tireless pianist
and would work long hours. Anita Artzner did a tremendous job as our
choreographer. Her dedication to the dance was quite evident in the various
numbers. Many in the audience said "Wow". Lights were done by Gary Nelson
and George Dorer who made things work. As for programs and playbills, there were
Dianne Dillon and Jack Dillon. They made a great program. Also, there were two
mothers who worked the room which housed the orphans. What can be said about
Heather Loper and Shelly Stover who managed to keep the girls quiet, in the room
and in sync with the play. They were the unsung heroines in this play. Also
Belind Currans who somehow always had the dress change ready for Kristina who
would sprint everywhere. So were the numerous people who worked box office, the
dinner theatre, the parking lot, publicity, and concessions. <BR>I have been
criticized for being long winded. I plead guilty but when you have a cast, crew
and backstage staff as good as these you take your time and talk. If I missed
someone let me know. <BR>I once kidded a fine director by the name of Frank Motz
at an awards banquet. He had done an exceptional job directing Woody Allen's God
but we did not want him to get a swelled head. I said to my partner in crime,
Bob Parenti, from the lectern, "it's amazing what good acting does for bad
directing." In this particular case, the acting was exceptional and people will
come back because of the tireless efforts of thirty people who worked hard to
make it work. Kristina, you are our Annie and do not let anyone tell you
otherwise. </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>