Annie Arrives at SOMS This Weekend

Here comes Annie, arriving in musical form at South Orange Middle School this weekend. 

Dressed in their Annie t-shirts, the crew put the cast through their paces this week, checking sound and light cues and making sure everyone was letter perfect with their lines. 

According to Director Elizabeth Harris (also a math teacher at SOMS), “Annie was chosen so as many students as possible could be involved in the show and also to bring a bit of history alive.” When asked about the day to day realities of working with such a large cast Harris says, “It has its challenges, but also has exponential rewards. The amount of students that become invested in such a production is inspiring.”

Based on the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip, Annie is set in Depression Era New York City at a time when the economy was grim. With its hopeful message and strong belief that tomorrow will be a better day, Annie became one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the 1970s.

Harris and Don Tighe, the musical director of the show, are gearing up for the final weeks of rehearsal. “The students are working hard and starting to really take ownership of the production,” says Harris. “Seeing it all come together is exciting for me and for them!’

 Annie will be performed on Friday, April 1^st at 7 pm, Saturday, April 2^nd at 7 pm, and Sunday April 3^rd at 2 pm.

Tickets ($15/$10 for reserved seats and $10/$7 for general admission) are available through South Orange Middle School (contact Kathy Hester at 973-378-2733 ext. 2000 orkhester1@somsd.k12.nj.us),  and a few local shops including SparkHouse and Stony’s in South Orange, and also at the door if the shows are not sold out.