The News Tribune, Dec. 6, 2013
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| Madison Watkins as Annie and Mark Rake-Marona as Daddy Warbucks. Photo by Kat Dollarhide |
Tacoma Musical Playhouse’s holiday offering is the perennial
favorite, Annie. It is only the second show to be presented on the completely
renovated stage with its improved sound system. The new stage is much larger,
making it possible for more elaborate sets. The set for this production was
designed by Technical Director Bruce Haasl. It is stunning, with large and
easily moved set pieces that change from the ratty interior to Mrs. Hannigan’s
orphanage to a Hooverville camp to Daddy Warbuck’s palatial home to a radio
station, all with the silhouetted New York skyline in the background
beautifully lighted by John Chenault.
Annie is the feel-good story of how a neglected but
hopeful orphan girl melts the cold heart of a ruthless industrialist during the
great depression, with comic relief provided by a pair of neer-do-well con
artists, Rooster Hannigan (Eric Clausell) and his floozy girlfriend, Lily
(Kathy Kluska).
Loosely based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold
Gray, the musical touches lightly upon many of the major political and social
issues of the day, including President Roosevelt suddenly hitting upon the
ideas for the New Deal thanks to Annie’s optimism. The story is overly
simplistic – such happy hobos and orphans – but it is emotionally uplifting.
The title character is played in alternating performances by
two seventh graders. Madison Watkins is a student at Harbor Ridge in Gig
Harbor. She was recently seen in The Sound of Music and as the young Cosette
in Les Misérables. Julia Wyman goes to Lighthouse Christian School. She was
also in The Sound of Music and was most recently in the Seattle Opera Youth
Chorus performances of Our Earth and Turandot.
Veteran actor Sharry O’Hare in the role of Mrs. Hannigan lights
up the stage in one of the best performances I’ve seen from her. This is a
demanding role, and O’Hare plays it with confidence and panache. It’s as if the
character created the actor instead of the other way around. In her interpretation,
Mrs. Hannigan is a saucy and sexy old lady with a heart as hard as steel. Her
every move is comic perfection, and her singing and dancing is delightful.
Also outstanding is Clausell as the irrepressible Rooster.
It helps that he has arms and legs that are so long they seem to stretch from
one side of the big new stage to the other. His dancing and shuffling with
flapping limbs on the wonderful song, “Easy Street” with Lily and Hannigan is
hilarious and classic.
Another veteran actor, Mark Rake-Marona (seen in countless
TMP shows) plays Daddy Warbucks. In some versions Warbucks comes across as mean
and heartless at first and gradually becomes more likable, but Rake-Marona
plays him as kindhearted from the start, despite being a man who gets his name
from war profiteering and who is totally out of touch with the real world.
Warbuck’s trusty assistant, Grace Farrell, is played with
restraint and class by Leischen Moore, who sings beautifully.
The night I saw the show Warbuck’s butler was played by the
director and choreographer, Jon Douglas Rake, who was not listed in the program
as was apparently filling in which he did nicely.
There was also a chorus of orphan girls who were sweet and
loveable and who sang and danced admirably on big production numbers like “Hard
Knock Life” and “Little Girls.”
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
through Dec. 22
WHERE: Tacoma Musical Playhouse at The Narrows Theatre, 7116
Sixth Ave., Tacoma
TICKETS: $20-$29
INFORMATION: 253-565-6867, http://www.tmp.org
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