By Wendy Humphrey
West Windsor, N.J. – Mischief, suspense and loads of love are in store when The Yardley Players present “Annie” at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre. Dates and show times for this American musical classic are Fridays, April 23 and 30 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, April 24 and May 1 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays, April 25 and May 2 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college’s West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on April 23. (Note: “Annie” replaces “Beauty and the Beast,” originally listed on the 2009-10 Kelsey Theatre schedule.)
Set in the Great Depression, this upbeat musical finds rays of sunshine in one of the darkest eras of American history. It’s the hopeful tale of a spunky, red-haired girl determined to find her parents after she is abandoned at a New York City orphanage, where she must do battle with the cruel warden, Miss Hannigan. Audiences will cheer as Annie is befriended by President Franklin Roosevelt and finds a loving new family with the wealthy Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a mutt named Sandy. Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, the show was a long-running Broadway hit made memorable by songs such as "Tomorrow" and "It’s a Hard-Knock Life."
Sharing the role of “Annie” are Claire Norden, of Newtown, Pa., and Danielle Standifer, of Hamilton. Other principals include Laurie Hardy, of Hamilton, as Miss Hannigan; Amy Zalot, of Levittown, Pa., as Grace Farrell; Del Howard, of Lawrenceville, as Oliver Warbucks; Joe Zedeney, of East Windsor, as Rooster Hannigan; and Sally Page, of Princeton, as Lily St. Regis.
The production also features John Grewen, of Pennington, as Drake; Walther Smyth, of Trevose, Pa., as Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Wayne Wood, of Fairless Hills, Pa., as Lt. Ward; Howard Matter, of Warminster, Pa., as Bert Healy; and Maddie Kane, of Newtown, Pa., as the star-to-be. Featured as orphans are Elizabeth Felkner of Yardville, Salena Qureshi of Columbus, Ashley Rakow of Jackson, Julia Gold of Manalapan, Jill Grezlak of Kendell Park and Miranda Maley of Princeton Junction.
The producer and director is Marge Swider of Langhorne, Pa., with music/orchestra by Pat Masterson of Lambertville, and choreography by Paula Matthews of Washington Crossing, Pa.
Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $12 for students and children. Free parking is available next to the theater. Tickets may be purchased at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible. For a complete listing of adult and children’s events for the season, visit the Kelsey website or call the box office for a brochure.
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