Review of "Annie" from the Bridge, July 15, 2005

QuarryWorks takes 'Annie' back to the comic strip

By Jim Lowe
Times Argus Staff in Times Argus, July 16, 2005

CALAIS - It's hard to breathe new life into "Annie," one of the most overdone musicals around - but that's just what the folks at Adamant have done by returning to its comic strip roots.

QuanyWorks, the community theater company based at the Adamant Music School, opened a production of the Thomas Meehan-Charles Strouse- Martin Charnin Broadway musical Thursday at its Phillips Experimental Theater that abounds with color, both graphic and human. In short, it was just plain fun.

"Annie," of course, is the cartoon story of "Little Orphan Annie," the young red-headed orphan who is rescued from the prison-like orphanage by the super-wealthy Oliver "Warbucks." When Warbucks offers $50,000 to Annie's parents should they come forward, the orphanage's matron Miss Hannigan and her brother and his dame, Rooster and Lily, hatch a plot to get the money and get rid of Annie.

Of course, the plot is foiled with the help of President Roosevelt and all ends well.

All this is set to sentimental but finely crafted music, and its theme song of "Tomorrow" is one of the most recognizable tunes around. The plot is incredibly simple and largely predictable - but it can be fun.

QuarryWorks director Michael John Suchomel took "Annie" back to the comic strip. First, the sets and the props - marvelously created by Julie Mueller - were two-dimensional and cardboard with broad swashes of comicbook color, as were the truly delightful costumes by Carol RookeVan Tuinen.Then he set it on a Depression-era radio program to fill out the color and acknowledge the show's thin plot and character development.

The acting, too, was two dimensional, but appropriately and attractively so. Cassandra Machia's Annie was genuine, unaffected and delightful. David Schutz made a wonderfully "tough with a heart of gold" Daddy Warbucks, while Sheila Collins was most motherly as Warbucks' secretary Grace.

Although a bit over-present, Malcolm Purinton created a truly charming Sandy, Annie's faithful mutt. Jonathan Herz and Karen Machia, who choreographed the show, were deliciously evil and crass as Rooster and Lilly.

It is a tribute to Suchomel and the kids that the kids were never played "cute." Rather their straightforward performance was authentic and delightful.

Some of the radio characters were fun too. Brickett Bailey was charismatic as the show's host, Bert Healey, and a pretty funny President Roosevelt as well. Dean Burnell managed a cardboard puppet with wit and flair as Fred McCracken and Wacky. And Brian Kiladay's Jimmy Johnson warmed up the audience with aplomb.

The singing had the usual range of community musical theater. Some of it was really good, some of it wasn't, but was generally enjoyable.

QuarryWorks has taken the overdone "Annie" and truly breathed new life into it.