Curtain to Open This Weekend on JLPA's Annie, Jr.

It hasn't always been easy, but it was Annie after all who said 'it's a hard-knock life.'

This weekend, after six months of auditions, rehearsals and, for some, overcoming stage fright, the curtain will open on the John Lyman Parent Association's production of Annie, Jr.

"For some kids it's their first play and it's pretty ambitious for a program with elementary kids," said producer Mark Dionne, who has spent the week making final preparations for the three show performance at Coginchaug High School.

"It's been fun. It's been a blast. I'm going to be a little sad when it ends," Dionne said.

Auditions for the musical began in November, and soon after rehearsals were held once a week, Dionne said. More recently, the 81-student cast has been rehearsing twice-a-week to prepare themselves for this weekend's shows.

"I'm pretty excited but sometimes I get nervous," said Lila Craig, a third grader at Lyman who will be playing an orphan named July. "I'm pretty confident."

Fourth grader Caroline Smith, who plays an orphan named Tessie, will be performing in her second play.

"The first time I was in one I was really nervous but now I'm really excited because I've got the whole acting thing down," she said.

JLPA's theater program is unlike any other in the school district because of the age range of cast members, who start as early as the first grade and perform until they're sent off to high school.

Older students often spend as much time rehearsing their own lines as they do mentoring the younger cast members.

"Our show features boys and girls from different ages, schools, programs and experience levels. Not many activities will feature an eighth grade boy and a second grade girl working together as partners. This mixed grade cast allows us to build ties across the community and stage an ambitious show," Dionne said.

"I like it and it's definitely fun," said Scott Romeyn, an eighth grader at Strong School who's playing the role of "Daddy" Warbucks. "I'm definitely excited."

How serious has Romeyn taken his dual role of real-life and make-believe mentor? He recently shaved his head to look more like his iconic character in the play.

Yazmine DeJesus, who will play Annie during Sunday's performance is looking forward to singing and shares her classmate's confidence.

"Singing is the easiest thing to do in the play," the third grader said. "It makes me a little bit proud of myself to be Annie because the play is actually called Annie!

"I'm going to be really scared if that wig comes off," she laughed.

Dionne, who has worked along side director Heather Kannam since the fall, said Annie was chosen because "it's a classic show with a lot of appeal and great songs."

"The response was terrific," he said. "A startlingly number of little girls wanted to pretend to be orphans, smash buckets on the floor and sing about their hard knock life. The volume of the early rehearsals was impressive."

Stage fright or no stage fright, Memorial School fifth grader Jordan Moore will be ready to put on Annie's red wig come Friday night."

She never gives up," Moore said. "She always says, 'That's okay, you did your best."

Tickets are still available to all three shows. The Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7 p.m., while the Sunday showing begins at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here while a limited number of tickets will be sold at the door.

Click here for a photo gallery of an Annie, Jr. rehearsal