KMPH FOX 26 | Central San Joaquin Valley News SourceDean Reviews "Annie"

Great Day's performing arts correspondent Dean Rhodus shares his review of Children's Musical Theaterworks' production of Annie.

You can catch the production at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium during the following dates and times:

Thursday: 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2 p.m.

For more information, call (559) 442-3140.

ANNIE AGAIN FINDS JOY

Children's Musical Theaterworks has presented "Annie" at the Memorial Theater and it runs through December 18^th. There are few places where young theatrical enthusiasts, both performer and audience, can go to have the experience satiated. CMTworks is the place. They blend seasoned performers and directors with those who are learning, and always give us theater worth seeing. "Annie" is no exception.

Director Leslie Mitts Martin has added a very sensitive, even paced perspective to this production. Her actors seem to be really listening to each other. Line readings are more honest. I heard lines that are often just rushed through which added a depth to this old war horse. She also accomplished this without the deadness that happens when young performers don't have enough energy in their delivery so that we, the audience, fall asleep; a very high wire to walk.

It helps that she has seasoned performers to hold everything together. For instance, our Miss Hannigan, Shannon Estep, has a very finely tuned sense of timing. Humor is based on several elements, the line itself, the reading of the line, body language and the proverbial element of timing. Ms. Estep exhibits an admirable skill in all of the above.

Daddy Warbucks, Eric Estep, was properly busy, distracted, aloof and clueless to what girls need. Well done Eric. Nice singing also.

Of course, there is our Annie. I saw a Sunday afternoon performance with the Liberty cast, which featured Emily Estep. She is truly a sympathetic Annie. She sings very sweetly, something I appreciate, having heard so many Annie's who only know how to scream. Scott Hancock's vocal coaching is here noted, not only for encouraging good singing, but also the ensemble articulation of words and harmonies. Keep up the good work.

Grace, in the person of Heather Sconce, was beautiful, graceful and generally fetching. Rooster, played by Daniel Hernandez, was oozy. I loved it. The choreography for "Easy Street" added to the feeling of sliminess and caught the mood of what today translates to what is now called the "street mentality". The singing AND dancing in "Streets of New York" was so engaging that my four year old grandson started singing. He doesn't even know the song. Only happens when there's magic up on that stage. Great!

Apropos of that, Ruth Griffin's choreography was clever and allowed the skilled and the less skilled to come off very polished. It happened in front of very nice sets. Really. And the costumes were quite nice. Money well spent. The lighting was correct. If I might make one suggestion, the sound often seems to be too hot. Could be the sound system itself, but too much treble over brightens the higher end and winds up causing dialog to be lost.

Moving right along, however, this production, especially for the children on both sides of the "lamps" is PWI!!