'Annie' at Hershey Theatre is a Summer Treat for the Whole Family

It's hard to go through life without some kind of exposure to the classic musical Annie. Many people are familiar with the Tony-winning musical from its original Broadway production back in 1977. Even non-theatre fans have probably heard of the little red-headed orphan who belts out the iconic tune "Tomorrow." And the 2014 movie version starring Jamie Foxx mainstreamed the song "It's the Hard Knock Life," bringing awareness of the musical to a younger generation.

The national tour of Annie opened at the Hershey Theatre on Tuesday, July 21, and plays there through Sunday, July 26. Like a refreshing ice cream cone on a hot day, Annie is a great summer treat that is perfect for the whole family.

The story follows 11-year-old orphan Annie, played by Issie Swickle, who has her hopes set on finding her birth mother and father. The mean head of the orphanage Miss Hannigan, played by Lynn Andrews, strongly dislikes Annie (well, really all kids in general), and is disgusted when wealthy businessman Oliver ("Daddy") Warbucks, played by Gilgamesh Taggett, takes Annie under his wing for the Christmas holiday.

Swickle exudes confidence on the stage, and she brings a nice freshness to the title role while still preserving the classic image. Andrews dominates her character, and plays a convincing antagonist. Taggett is also quick to impress as his character balances authoritative business with fatherly love.

Garrett Deagon and Lucy Werner make up the comic duo of Rooster and Lily, respectively, and are entertaining in their roles, particularly when they team with Andrews for their performance of "Easy Street." Ashley Edler is a breath of fresh air as Warbucks' assistant Grace Farrell, and her voice is as sweet as her character.

The kids who make up the rest of the orphans put on quite the show and are a joy to watch, each bringing their own unique character to life. And of course I can't leave out one of the main stars of the show, Sandy, who brings a smile to everyone's face every time she trots on stage wagging her tail.

In full disclosure, Annie has never been a favorite musical of mine; however, I really enjoyed this production. The show is filled with a surprising amount of chuckles, for both adults and kids. I found myself laughing more than I expected, and even my 7-year-old son, who is usually Mr. Serious, was smiling and giggling throughout the show. One word of caution for parents... While the show is mostly very family friendly, there is a bit of mild language used, including several uses of the "D" word and a few "shut up"s.

This production of Annie absolutely does justice to the original, and anyone hoping to relive the familiar tunes and story they remember from years ago should be pleased with the show. Those experiencing the show for the first time can expect to enjoy a classic feel-good musical with catchy tunes and plenty of talent.

Annie plays at the Hershey Theatre through Sunday, July 26, 2015. For more details and ticket information, please visit www.hersheytheatre.com.

Hershey Theatre to Welcome Annie

Hershey Theatre is proud to welcome the new U.S. National Tour of Annie to the stage from Tuesday, July 21 through Sunday, July 26. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin for the 19th time, this production of Annie will be a brand new physical incarnation of the iconic Tony Award®-winning original.

Tickets for this show are $25.00, $30.00, $48.00, $53.00, $63.00, $68.00 and $73.00 (tax and applicable fees apply) and are available at Hershey Theatre Box Office. They can be charged by phone at 717-534-3405 and online at www.HersheyEntertainment.com or www.TicketMaster.com.

The original production of Annie opened April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever.

The beloved score for Annie includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

This brand new production features a 25 member company: in the title role of Annie is Issie Swickle, a 9-year-old actress from Davie, FL, making her tour debut. Gilgamesh Taggett will star as Oliver Warbucks. In the role of Miss Hannigan is Lynn Andrews. Also starring in the tour are Ashley Edler as Grace, Garrett Deagon as Rooster, Lucy Werner as Lily and Allan Ray Baker as FDR. Sunny, a 4-year-old rescue terrier mix, stars as Sandy.

For more information, please visit www.AnnieTheMusical.com.

Little Theater of Mechanicsburg Brings a Board Game to Life in 'Clue: The Musical'

While much of the country is trying to solve the mystery of why there have been so many shark attacks in the Outer Banks this year, Little Theater of Mechanicsburg is busy trying to solve another mystery: Who killed Mr. Boddy?

LTM's production of Clue: The Musical brings the classic Parker Brothers board game to life, adding a unique twist where the audience can help figure out the who, what, and where to solve the mystery. The show is a combination of musical meets game, and the result is 90 minutes of lighthearted suspense, fun music, quality acting, and witty humor.

Upon being seated, audience members are given a clue sheet and pencil to keep track of clues throughout the performance. Early in the show, a pre-selected audience member goes on stage with Mr. Boddy to choose the three cards for that performance. The cards, which contain the solution to the mystery, are put in a large envelope marked confidential that stays on the stage for the duration of the performance, and the game begins.

The Who
Those familiar with the game will quickly recall the six characters: Mrs. Peacock (played by Stephanie Via), Professor Plum (played by Eric Mansilla), Miss Scarlet (played by Amber Zambrana), Mr. Green (played by Ryan Boyles), Mrs. White (played by Danny Sites), and Colonel Mustard (played by Ron Ross).

The What
"Wrench, candlestick, pipe, knife, revolver, rope." This phrase is repeatedly chanted throughout the performance, with the various characters using the weapons in different scenarios.

The Where
The kitchen, the billiard room, the ballroom, the lounge, the study, and the conservatory are depicted by six doors, which individually swing open when a room is in play.

Mr. Boddy (played by Matthew A. Robinson) acts as the host for the evening, presenting clues throughout the show to help solve the mystery. Following Mr. Boddy's murder, a detective (played by Roxanne Hennessy) also joins the scene. At the conclusion of the show, the envelope with the three cards is opened to reveal the murderer, weapon, and room, and audience members can compare their answers to the outcome of the performance. And there might just be a little twist at the end, too.

It's been a few years since I last visited Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, and I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get back! As the name implies, the theatre is small, creating a very intimate environment where audience members are just inches away from the action. It's the perfect setting for the interactive nature of Clue: The Musical, really making the audience a part of the game.

With six characters, six weapons, and six rooms in play, there are a total of 216 different ways the game could end, so each performance has a different outcome. I'd love to go back to see the show again and see how it ends at a different performance. However, if the rumors are true, the show is sold out for the remainder of its run through July 5. For more information, visit the LTM website at www.ltmonline.net.