This January, the Paramount Theatre is proud to present its annual Junior Musical, Annie Jr. Based on the popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie, Annie Jr., the show will feature local performers ages 8-18 and a production team comprised of some of the most treasured arts educators in Abilene.
Set in 1930s New York City in the wake of the Great Depression, Annie Jr. follows a precocious orphan as she sets on a quest to find the parents who gave her up for adoption years ago. Though her plans are threatened by the cruel and negligent headmistress, Miss Hannigan, a chance meeting with Grace Farrell, the personal secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks, turns Annie’s luck around. With Warbucks, Grace and her dog Sandy by her side, Annie finds the love and family she has always deserved in the most unlikely of places.
Annie Jr. is a 60-minute adaptation of the full musical, specifically created for students of varying ages; the original Broadway production of Annie won the 1977 Tony Award for Best Musical and ran until 1983. Annie was also adapted into a hit feature film in 1982, starring Aileen Quinn in the titular role alongside legends like Carol Burnett, Albert Finney and Bernadette Peters. Featuring a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin, Annie Jr. showcases timeless tunes like “Tomorrow,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”
This year’s Paramount Junior Musical features a cast of 42 students from Abilene and the surrounding area, some coming from as far away as Sweetwater. These students will be led by a creative team representing the best that the Abilene arts scene has to offer; Neena McLain, Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Theatre at McMurry University, will return as director of the production after last year’s run of The Addams Family Young@Part. McLain will be joined by returning Music Director, Lanie Westman, Executive Director of Abilene Performing Arts Company, and returning Choreographer, Teri Wilkerson, owner and Artistic Director of Dance Discovery Studios.
Paramount’s Director of Operations, Grayson Allred, will design lights and set. Allred’s most recent designs were seen at the Paramount in Legally Blonde and Pride and Prejudice. He also frequently designs lights for other community organizations, including Abilene Community Theatre. We also welcome a new addition to the Annie Jr. team with Mary Butler, who will design costumes for the production. Butler serves on the staff at Abilene Performing Arts Company and her designs have been featured on the Paramount stage in APAC’s Finding Nemo Jr. and Shrek Jr.
The production team is particularly excited to guide the students through this process.
“I am thrilled to work with the Paramount and some of Abilene’s extremely talented young actors,” McLain said. “To have the opportunity to laugh together and create a fun piece of theatre for our community makes this experience even more special. And remember, you’re never fully dressed without a smile!”
Annie Jr. runs Jan. 17-19. For tickets and additional information, please visit: www.paramountabilene.com.
Contributed By The Paramount Theatre
Leave a Reply