‘Annie’ brings sunshine to Sullivan West

Fierce winter weather supplanted by production’s warm glow

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—Winter’s wicked wiles may have forestalled the staging of “Annie” at Sullivan West by one day, but in the end the weather and the show proved once again that darkness gives way to light. The storm abated and the unflappable redheaded orphan, played charmingly by Jackie Ellmauer, sang out, “Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun.”

And so there was.

The show graced the stage on February 23 and twice more on February 24, featuring a fine cast of principal characters and a delightful group of orphans, including Deshjamber Stewart’s performance of Molly, which was entrancing.

The audience reveled in the revival of the Tony Award-winning show that won seven of Broadway’s coveted awards during its 1977 debut season.

The production, directed by vocal music teacher Kim Eschenberg, hit its stride with good acting, singing, gorgeous sets and costumes and, of course, its award-winning score. Ellmauer was joined by veterans Randall Grimm as wealthy industrialist Oliver Warbucks; Hannah Rettoun as Grace Farrell; and Mackenzie Roeder as the reprehensible Miss Hannigan.

All had roles in last year’s fine production of “The Wizard of Oz,” but all agreed this show was even more challenging. “The hardest thing for me,” said Ellmauer “was trying to act like an 11 year old.” With a new director and an entirely different vehicle to work with, the quartet overcame the rigors of many rehearsals to bring the show to its ready state.

“We’ve come a long way,” quipped Roeder. Grimm agreed, adding that this show was a lot more work than the “Wizard of Oz.” Rettoun chimed in. “We had to make this seem much more realistic,” said the sophomore stage phenom who played Dorothy in last year’s hit.

Other fine performances were turned in by Brendan Creegan as Rooster Hannigan and Alicia Baldwin as Hannigan’s partners in crime who try to swindle Warbucks out of the reward money he puts up in search of Annie’s long-lost parents.

In the end, Annie finds a loving home with Warbucks, and the orphans are delivered from the bleak “hard knock life” of the orphanage.

The show followed up a fine production of “Anne of Green Gables,” in the fall that starred Ellmauer as Anne and memorable performances by this show’s other principals as well.

Click here for an album of photos from parts of the show. To purchase a CD of those shots, send a check for $22 dollars payable to The River Reporter.