You know you’re on to something when you’ve taken your three young kiddos to see the classic “Annie” at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and you are home several days later and hear a little voice in another room say: “Alexa, play ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie.” And a dance party ensues.
Boys and I before the show.
Victory is mine!
As soon as I found out a production of “Annie” was coming to the Children’s Theatre this fall, I knew I wanted to take my sons. It’s one of those timeless stories, like “Mary Poppins” or “The Sound of Music,” that I have wanted my boys to know. When the show basically fell into my lap, right uptown, I knew we had to do it. Judging by the packed crowd at the McColl Family Theatre at ImaginOn for the 1 p.m. Sunday show, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
There was something so special about hearing familiar melodies, lyrics and lines. How can “Hard Knock Life” come back to me after um, should I even admit, 40 years? Seeing the performance of “Tomorrow” and knowing it was the very first time my sons were hearing it gave me chills. The show built up to such a crescendo that tears welled up in my eyes toward the end. I’m not even sure I can articulate why. Nostalgia, maybe?
The talented “Miss Hannigan.”
There was still plenty new to experience as well. Call me crazy, but as a mom to three pretty rambunctious boys, I could identify with the “villainous” orphanage head Miss Hannigan as she lamented the job of taking care a gaggle of “Little Girls.” Actress Casey Daniel Payne, who played Miss Hannigan, was fantastic, which probably added to it! (OMG I just went back and watched a video of Carol Burnett’s version of “Little Girls” in the 1982 movie version of Annie. Amazing.)
Another new experience for me was seeing an actress of color playing the role of Annie. (I missed seeing Quvenzhané Wallis in the movie remake in 2014.) Growing up a red-headed, freckle-faced, blue-eyed child, I always got a kick out of seeing my unique qualities celebrated in a precocious young Annie actress. I can only imagine what it must feel like for young girls of color watching Anaiah Jones now.
Jones acknowledged the significance of it, writing in her “bio” in the Playbill: “To you, Brown Girl. Believe you can and you will. I dedicate this show to you.” Cool.
Jones is a super-talented young actress and singer who lives here in Charlotte. You might recognize her from her role in the cast of “Shrek the Musical” this past spring. She is a student at the Children’s Theatre’s School of Theatre Training. As Annie, she will charm your socks off.
(The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte production features two young actresses who play Annie – both Anaiah Jones and Emma Griggs – and two youth ensemble casts, which is good when you think about how many shows they’re putting on in a short period of time! You can check the schedule to see which cast is performing when.)
The talented duo of Anaiah Jones and “Sandy!”
As for my boys, what made the biggest impression on them was seeing an actual dog on stage. “Sandy,” played by a four-legged “actor” named Bailey, was as impressive as he was cute and cuddly. The rescue dog from Louisiana is a poodle mix with a healthy list of acting credits, including a stint in the theatre version of “Finding Neverland” as well as time on the national tour of Peter Pan.
The Children’s Theatre bills “Annie” as a show appropriate for all ages. I’ll admit my younger boys got a little squirmy in moments. My oldest is 6, and my twin sons turned 5 just a few days after we saw “Annie.” But the intermission seemed to come at just the right time, and the pace of the second act carried us through. There always seemed to be plenty of movement to keep our attention, thanks to the eye-popping choreography and energetic music to match. That helps! As did the fruit chews I found in my purse to feed my boys during intermission. It’s not a long enough intermission to do much more than bathroom breaks, so throwing a little snack in your bag might not be a bad idea!
Walking out of the theatre that day, I felt like my boys had just experienced their first grown-up theatrical production – not one geared for super-young audiences that parents take in just so their kids can enjoy it. And we all – my mom included – had a great time.
Annie is running through Oct. 23, which means there are only two weekends left. Don’t put this one off until “Tomorrow!” Click here for showtimes and information and ENJOY!
