STAGES Presents: Annie Kids

Wednesday, 14 August 2024 at 05:58

Annie Kids will hit the Theatre Woodstock stage on August 22nd, August 23rd and August 24th.

WOODSTOCK - It's been hard knock life for youth in the STAGES Summer Camp as they get ready to bring Annie Kids to life on stage.

The show will make its debut at Theatre Woodstock on Thursday August 22nd with performances also planned for the Friday and Saturday that weekend.

Stephen Mackenzie, the Director of the show, says Annie Kids is very similar to the classic movie we all know and love.

"Annie Kids is a retelling of Annie. It doesn't really change a whole lot, but it is significantly shortened with only 30 to 45 minutes on its runtime. That's mostly so it can get done during the summer camp time."

The story is set back in the 1930s, and it follows a plucky and positive girl named Annie who lives at an orphanage. She's determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago and ends up finding a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks.

The STAGES production has an ensemble of 49 kids between the ages of six and 14 and each child will make an appearance on stage at some point.

Taylor Wilcox will bring the character of Rooster to life on stage. She says he's a greasy crook who is one of the bad guys in the story, adding Easy Street is one of her favourite musical numbers in the show.

"I get to really act as a character and sing as my character in that song. For the other songs I am just singing backstage."

Oscar van Beek-Paterson is also in the show and he plays the role of Mr. Hannigan. He tells us about his character.

"I would say he got into a situation he didn't want to be in, so now he's ended up with the orphans and the orphanage."

Tickets for the show cost $20 for adults, $15 for students, and $12 for kids under the age of 12. They can be purchased through the Theatre Woodstock website.

You'll be able to catch a sneak peak of the show in Woodstock's Museum Square on Thursday August 15th, when the campers perform one of the musical numbers at 11:30 a.m.

Stephen Mackenzie, Taylor Wilcox, and Oscar van Beek-Paterson stopped by the Heart FM studio to chat with Dan and Marcie on Tuesday August 13th. You can listen to the full interview below: