There are only a few tomorrows left to see Annie at the Paramount. This Broadway classic is chock-full of humor, and has a nugget of tenderness at its center. With all your favorite songs just as you remember them, and several lesser-known gems, the show continues to wow audiences. While many folks have seen a community theater version, and many kids may have participated in the junior or kids version, there’s nothing quite like the full show performed by a Broadway company.
Many kids love this show simply because it’s a story about a kid who gets the perfect happy ending, all tied up in a bow. Kids love watching other kids perform, and the kids in this show shine. From the star, Annie, all the way down to the littlest orphan Molly, the kids light up the stage. Their voices are clear, strong and beautiful; no straining to understand them is necessary. Their choreography is tight and sharp but full of whimsy. Their expressions are spot-on; the production manages to give each orphan a distinctive personality. When the orphans are performing group numbers, be sure to pan your eyes across the stage to cover all of them. Otherwise, you might miss some pretty funny antics. Little Molly (played by Lilly Mae Stewart) is so cute, you'll want to put her in your pocket to take home.
While many kids will already know the basic storyline of Annie, a little extra background will help them better understand and appreciate the details of the show. The most important areas to cover are the city of New York and the Great Depression. The sets include beautiful backdrops of old New York and the Brooklyn Bridge and the Oval Office. There are references to the upper east side and 5th Avenue. The scene at the Hooverville camp and the song about Herbert Hoover will make a lot more sense if kids have a basic grasp of the early 1930s in America.
If your kid is really into history, you might even pull up a video clip of FDR. My daughter wanted to know why he was in a wheelchair, and that’s not something you can explain quickly in a whisper. Plus, she didn’t quite get how awesome Jefferey B. Duncan’s portrayal of FDR really was. With elections just around the corner, it’s not a bad idea to explain Democrats and Republicans, as they're mentioned repeatedly in the show.
One other area that could use a little explanation is the concept of a radio show. My daughter loved the idea that what she saw was different than what the radio listeners heard. The stage hand who had tap shoes on his hands tapping on the table was hilarious, as was the masked announcer. However, if the kids don’t understand up front that the audience can only hear and not see them, the humor may go over their heads.
The bad guys in Annie aren’t your typical bad guys; they don’t just provide characters to root against. They are the comedic heart of the show. Miss Hannigan, portrayed by Lynn Andrews, and Rooster, portrayed by Garrett Deagon, are simply fabulous. Every little shake, jiggle and snarl had us laughing out loud. The dance numbers with Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily St. Regis were some of the best parts of the show. If you’re sitting in the back or up high, this would be a good time to pull out those opera glasses and take a look up close. From pursed lips to crossed eyes, the actors were pulling out all the stops and giving it their all.
In case you were wondering, the traveling show does include a live Sandy. My seven-year-old neighbor who attended the show with us was really happy that it was a real dog. Indeed, the dog stole the show almost every time he was on stage.
Even if you’ve seen Annie before, you won’t want to miss this show. It's Annie at its best, and I don’t know if the original audiences of 1977 could have loved it more.
Don’t wait for tomorrow – get your tickets today!
Tickets start at $25. Sept. 23 & 24 @ 7:30pm, Sept. 25 @ 8pm, and Sept. 26 @ 2pm & 8pm.
Paramount Theater, 911 Pine Street, Seattle, 98101
Kelly Rogers Flynt is a freelance writer based out of Lake Forest Park and the mother of two theater-loving kids.
