The Orphans of Annie at The John W. Engeman Theater
Hi Friends - This crazy shut down has got me thinking about that little orphan we all have loved at one point in our lives - Annie. I remember doing this show at the local community theatre when I was 9 - I played Kate (the orphan who surprises Miss Hannigan with the dead rat). It was so much fun. My mother, who was a teacher all of her life, never missed the chance to create a lesson plan to accompany a life experience. So, at age 9, I was given research assignments on… The Great Depression. Here I was, in rehearsals with friends, having the time of my life, pretending to be down on my luck - thinking it was all just a game, but I slowly came to realize the reality of the piece was so much more than one lucky orphan who gets to live large. (Thanks, Mom.)
Annie is the eternal optimist - she has a way of finding the silver lining in every bad, awful thing that comes her way. When she runs away and finds her way to a Hooverville, she even gets the people in this shanty town to laugh and smile with her undying optimism. The truth of the whole story, is if you look close enough, the real stars of the show are the people of the Hoovervilles - the whole reason Orphan Annie exists as a character is to bolster and up-lift the American public in a time of great need.
She happened to be a lasting character, that has gone on to inspire the musical we all know and love and continued to move and inspire generations!
I guess the real questions as we move through this calamity are: What will you create that will help get us through? What inspiration can you express that will prove to be lasting? What, as an artist/writer/performer/puppeteer/dancer etc, can you put out into the world based on the experiences you are having now?
Out of the Great Depression, we saw the Golden Age of Hollywood, Swing Dancing, the Group Theatre (which inspired and trained some of today’s most prolific film actors) and many other endearing and lasting forms of art! It’s in your hands, friends. Let the great creation begin!
xo Holly
PS. When I got to work with Martin Charnin and a few of the other creatives on the National Tour of Annie (years ago in Joy Dewing’s office), it was amazing to finally thank him for the musical and share with him how much of an amazing learning experience it was for me - about America during the Great Depression. He gave me the biggest bear hug. He was a terrific man. Also, he very much believed that all of the characters, including Hannigan, Rooster & Lily, were just all different people trying their best to get through a very difficult time. I agree.
Some photos from the 1st year of the Annie National Tour!
Inside view of the open Orphan Call with Martin Charnin at the helm.