By Jarom Loch
Only a year old, Salem’s out-of-the-box theatre facility at Salem Hills Junior High sports all of the bells and whistles required for a top notch junior high production: a healthy assortment of lights, a few microphones, and plenty of room for an intended audience.
As I was soon to find out, the equipment isn’t the only thing worth bragging about– the talent pool is considerable as well. Charles Strouse’s Annie, currently undergoing a successful revival on Broadway, graced the junior high’s brand new stage in its Jr. form under the direction of Jana Stubbs. Unfamiliar with the play myself, I settled into a seat with program in hand devoid of expectations.
It took me all of half a second to find Annie thanks to her red hair as soon as the curtains opened to admit a very sorry looking group of orphans. Aspin Ruiz, portraying the fiery spirited little girl, quickly established herself as reigning presence throughout the following scene.
It isn’t long before Annie has escaped from the orphanage under the nose of the tyrannical Miss Hannigan, the iron-fisted warden. Out on the streets, she sings a catchy song to a passing dog (“Tomorrow”) and then is caught and consequently returned to the orphanage and Miss Hannigan. Soon after, she is rescued by a rich man looking for someone to spend Christmas with, a certain Oliver Warbucks, who comes to love her as his own. Following a search for Annie’s parents during which Miss Hannigan returns to the story with her thieving brother, Rooster, and his accompanying bimbo, Lily, Mr. Warbucks comes to give her a permanent home, ending her life as an orphan. The ending left my heart of stone quite melted and a healthy dose of sentiment in my imagination.
Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the show. The lighting, costuming, and set was tastefully done and the microphones didn’t give out once (a real achievement, believe me). The cast showcased a broad range of talent that I found quite impressive. The leads are listed here:
- Aspin Ruiz (Annie): The star of her very first show, Ruiz caught me with her voice enough to make me nudge my sister to ask for a pen to make a note in the margin of my program. Her strong-spirited character was laced with just the right hint of shy self-doubt when Annie suddenly realized was more than just an average eleven year-old orphan. Her confidence of character did infringe on the chemistry onstage, especially with Mr. Warbucks, but that was more due to the rest of the cast members than her.
Neurological concerns linked with erectile dysfunction comprises:- Alzheimer s disorders brain or spinal tumors multiple sclerosis stroke temporal lobe epilepsy Moreover, the men who ve had prostate gland operation may notice nerve smash up which is in a condition to improve your sperm and sperm volume, to strengthen your installations, etc. cheap viagra pfizer It is worth noting that Super Kamagra, while highly effective in addressing both types of sexual dysfunctions, should free levitra be consumed responsibly. Yet, many people convince themselves that this means learning to say “no” to other people. purchase viagra online http://deeprootsmag.org/2016/06/ It may be to spend time in a hospital and a treatment which is formal is got, more nutrition’s getting, more water’s discount viagra sale drinking and more rest’s having are relied by patients only, but diseases will become more serious for these ways can’t help much.
- Stephanie Davis (Miss Hannigan): An admirable job, though she seemed a little nervous. Altogether a well-done portrayal, however.
- Reagan Fausett (Grace Farrell): I could have sworn she was a junior in high school. Fausett held herself and displayed a level of stagecraft in such a way that exceeded her years. Her voice, charming and fitting to the role, tended to get lost in Annie’s when they sang together, but that’s nothing a little more breath support couldn’t fix.
- Ben Ewell (Oliver Warbucks): My compliments to Ewell for being brave enough to be one of the four boys in the entire cast. Ewell held himself well and gave us a peek at the talent under his bushel, showing off his voice especially in “N.Y.C.” His interactions with Annie were a little forced, but work further work with her could grease their chemistry up nicely.
- Jackson Badger (Rooster): Boy number two of the four, Badger gave the suave Rooster a well-earned shot of backstreet grime. He brought across a fine performance despite a slight microphone blunder on his debut number, ‘Easy Street’.
- Erice Gebert (Lily St. Regis): St. Regis’ character mixed well with Badger’s Rooster, giving the pair some of the best chemistry I saw. Her dancing was excellent and her voice offered a nice ring to every scene.
Ensemble: I cannot close this review with a clean conscience without mentioning these wonderful people. Each one of the ensemble gave an impressive performance that completed the show. I got swept away in all of the group numbers, especially “N.Y.C.” and “Hard-Knock Life.” The choreography was charming and no character lacked representation. Great job, ensemble!
Salem Jr. High’s Annie Jr.offers an altogether heartening show with a dose of magic and a hint of Christmas. DISCLAIMER: I am not to blame for how long “Tomorrow” will be stuck in your head after the show, nor will I claim any legal responsibility for the hair you will pull out of your head or any other act of self-destruction you may employ trying to purge it from your memory.
Go see it today, because there won’t always be tomorrow!
Tickets:
$4 General Admission
$3 w/student ID
$20 Family Pass
Performs March 20, 21, 22, & 23 at 7 PM
Salem Junior High School, 598 N Main Street, Salem, UT 84653
0 Comments