All About Annie!

This fall, Wredling Middle School’s theater cast and crew is proud to present their newest musical, Annie Jr.! Annie is about a young girl who lives in an orphanage. A rich man decides to adopt her to promote his image, but Annie wants to find her real parents. This leads to a search, revealing plenty of fraud and lies at Hudson Street Orphanage. Of course, there is a little bit of romance in this mix!

To learn more about what happens behind the scenes, I talked to Sahana Ramanan, a member of tech crew. Tech crew is a vital part of the show. “It’s a two-way street,” Sahana said. “If we don’t do our job, it hurts them. And if they don’t do their job, it hurts us.” Read on to find out more about the tech crew and actors in the Annie Jr. production.

Tech crew has many important components to keep it running smoothly. Sahana, who is the stage manager, hands out jobs to others. “Some people run spotlights and sound. Others bring and make props. But most people help build and paint sets. They like using the saw to shape the sets.” Sahana explained. Tech crew is a small group, with only about 11 people. However, it is a great opportunity for people who want to be a part of the production, but have stage fright or simply dislike acting. Besides, it’s super fun! “If you want to join tech crew, announcements will come around January for Mr. Rocha’s Spring play.” Sahana said. If you want to join a club to have a memorable experience (and plenty of snacks,) join the tech crew!

Mackenzie Culver is an actor in Annie Jr. I interviewed her to find out more about the play from an actor’s perspective. “Rehearsals are long, but it’ll be worth it when we perform,” she stated. Being an actor is stressful and tiring, but some people enjoy performing in front of an audience. Others like to escape to become a different person on stage. “I’m Grace Farrell. She is the secretary to Mr. Warbucks.” There are about 25 people in the play, and everyone is determined and supportive both on and off stage, Mackenzie adds. She has also been in many plays before. “I was in the spring musical last year, and have also been a part of plays like Tuck Everlasting and Little House on the Prairie.”

Arguably, the people who have the most stressful job in a play are the directors. They have to plan everything out and make sure everything runs smoothly. Mrs. Bach and Mr. Rocha direct the plays at Wredling, and they are very grateful for the hard work of tech crew and the cast. “The tech crew has had to coordinate getting set pieces out, sound cues to play at the right time, lighting effects to create the mood, and getting the right props in the hands of the actors.  And boy do they make it seem easy – every transition is seamless!” Mr. Rocha commented.

The first show is only open to teachers, and is on October 23rd. We have one on the 24th at 7:00, and one right after school on the 25th. Then we have 2 shows on Saturday. With so many wonderful actors and tech support, Annie Jr. is sure to be a smashing success this year! Come out October 23-26 to support your classmates, friends, and students, and enjoy the play! Also, get ready for a very special guest appearance by our very own principal, Mr. Loversky!