EAST Interview: Kat Murph of Vertallee Letterpress
For the most part, they succeeded admirably, and the overall performance experience was one not to forget. The average age of the audience was easily under 18, and the entire auditorium was positively abuzz with the titter of young voices. There were several parties that spanned three generations at this show, and it was more than reassuring to see people coming together in this way at the theatre. The energy was infectious.
The energy coming form the stage was no less invigorating. The music of this show is simple, and the success of these numbers depends not so much on vocal talent as the sincerity of character to pull it off. This is not to say that the cast was lacking in vocal talent—in fact, quite the opposite—but all of the characters retained a wholesomeness that was a joy to watch.
If no one had told us that David Barton had taken a 25-year-long hiatus from the stage to teach, we never would have known, as has Daddy Warbucks came of as the formidable business man and father figure with great facility. Madison Kerth absolutely tackled the vocals of the title role, and had a presence as big as any adult on stage. Analisa Leaming as Grace Farrell was, just as the name implies, graceful and lithe in every moment—this actress has some amazing pipes that were not fully showcased in the role. Meanwhile, the criminal trio of Ms. Hannigan, Rooster and Lily came off as self-serving while not wholly dangerous, and did not disappoint.
The only complaint we had about this show was the uneven staging and choreography. This may have been a hold over from the original production that had to be kept, but regardless, it felt like a bit of an afterthought. There were some very charming moments in “Easy Street” and “You’re never Fully Dressed” (reprise), but frankly there was way too much marching in place going on. This cast could clearly handle much more than what it was given.
Sadly, Little Orphan Annie has come and gone, as the 30th anniversary tour of the Broadway classic played for only one weekend at Bass Concert Hall. This show provided all the charm, sass, and wit that has come to be expected of this production; it’s so rare now for a family friendly musical to make its way to the stage that it would be a shame indeed if Annie did not come back to us again.
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Fuckin' A! Annie! Shit, that kid's got a dog damn big wig! Can't fucking wait, motherfuckers!
It may be because I'm too familiar with the excellent movie, but I found the production to be rather wretched. Which is sad, because I had high hopes for it. You're definitely right about the choreography and dancing. For the most part there was nothing beyond marching in line in unison. The only time it shined was in some of the orphan numbers. As for Annie herself, she didn't come off as particularly charming or cute, which is pretty much her only prerequisites.
But the play itself has issues, too. The movie version wisely trimmed down all the unnecessary "Depression" stuff, like the shantytown ode to Herbert Hoover, and the perplexing ending number "A New Deal for Christmas". They had little to do with the core story... the relationship b/w Annie and Daddy Warbucks. And there's entirely too much FDR. It was particularly funny when Warbucks pawned off the job of telling Annie her parents were dead to Roosevelt.
And why bother to cart a real dog around with you if you're barely going to use him in the show? Sandy served no purpose at all.
That being said, I thought the sets were well-designed, and I thought that whoever played the orphan Molly was extremely talented.