Brooke Cannons contributes her sweet, clear voice, energy, and adorable expressions to the lead role, and finds herself surrounded by a remarkable cast. Such as those rambunctious orphans living that “Hard-Knock Life” while making sure to make Miss Hannigan’s life as difficult as she makes life for them. Renetta Lehman is an absolute riot as the evil, drunken, down-in-the-mouth babysitter to all those “Little Girls, Little Girls” who drive her to her wits’ end. She joins two other great evil characters, her brother Rooster (Jacob Silva) and his hysterically dumb wife named after a hotel (Lily St. Regis played by Karenssa LeGear) for the show-stopping Easy Street.

But no need to worry, as there are plenty of outstanding performances among the “good guys” too! Eric Hellmers is fantastic as the stiff Daddy Warbucks who slowly begins to let his hair down (so to speak) as Annie melts his heart. His strong and smooth vocals are a plus, including his moving rendition of Something Was Missing. Phoebe Silva lends her amazing voice to Grace, Warbucks’s assistant who plucks Annie from the clutches of Miss Hannigan. And this show features by far the best and funniest White House scene that I’ve ever seen, featuring FDR (Jason Snyder) and his stuffy cabinet members whose facial expressions and body language are simply hysterical.

The great ensemble give dancing and singing performances that are polished as bright as the Chrysler building. The orphans are both obnoxious and fun, with very adorable use of little Molly (Janie Escalle). Bert Healy (Kean Almryde) and his “Hour of Smiles” singers and crew are a hoot. Aubrey Kelley’s voice shines as the Star-To-Be in NYC. And the cast of Hooverville-ites and servants are filled with great voices and dancers who, with Renee Kollar’s enthusiastic and often amusing choreography, turn in one terrific scene after another.

Rob Hopper
National Arts Digest