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As locals return from summer travels, a musical beckons to children and families as school is about to start anew within a few weeks. “Annie, The Musical,� inspired by a single poem, graces the mainstage of Theatrikos under the direction of Joe Maniglia and assistant directed by Rachel Ryan.

It’s always nice to come home to a well-loved, heartwarming musical. “Annie� opened on Broadway in 1977. Flagstaff has always been filled with expressive individuals, and its support of art matches that of its citizens.

“We had over 80 people audition—adults and kids—and of course, all the girls wanted to be Annie,� Maniglia said. “We have educators, a Victim Witness Service employee, an FMC Pediatric RN, a realtor, NAU students and staff. That's the joy of community theatre: watching them all get together to play dress up and sing their hearts out. The band is made up of professional and semi-pro musicians and students, and we all get together to share this story with our neighbors, co-workers, family and friends.�

The awestruck moment never-yet-chosen Annie experiences as she walks into her new mansion residence, which lingers long after the show, makes us wonder what it would be like to have such a chance. A child may be tempted to put on a facade for such high stakes, but Annie stays true to herself through it all, winning over hearts just by being herself.

Effervescent hope despite being dealt a losing hand over and over again is astounding. An idea that some not only grasp but embody. And more often than not, children make it so contagious to the people who love them.

“The story of the plucky little orphan resonates with me today,� Maniglia explained. “It is the classic David vs Goliath tale, but here, the hero uses her spunky nature and can-do attitude to change all she comes in contact with slowly. From the impoverished to the powerful, Annie's attitude makes a difference. That's a story we can all understand and support no matter where we live. It's the power of this story.�

This forty-five-year-old musical has a significance that still holds up in our plucky town.

A cast always has a unique response to material, paired with what is going on in the world and in their lives. When they dip into becoming characters from another time, there is a sort of parallel universe that occurs within the actor—a collision of then and now.

“I love the community that this story fits into and loved hearing from cast members about how, for some of them, it was the first musical they saw in their childhood, so it stuck with them,� Maniglia said. “For me, it was the same. My Jr. High vocal teachers introduced me to ‘Annie� through Masterpiece Theatre's production of the Broadway show—actually on Broadway when they filmed it. All that to say, most of us come to the story because it was a part of our growing up or entrance to musical theatre. And so it's like a cherished memory for many of them. They can point to how many times they've seen it performed, they've listened to the Original Broadway Cast recording on vinyl numerous times, etc. They have a history with this show, and for them, it is an integral part of their theatre education.�

For those familiar with the much newer musical ‘Hamilton,� we learn at the end that his wife, who lived fifty years after his death, started the first orphanage in the USA. Annie is placed in one. In it, nothing short of havoc it wreaked.

“There's a reason that we no longer have orphanages in this country,� Maniglia said. “Not that the foster care system isn't without its faults, but hopefully a better system than the one depicted in ‘Annie.’�

Ryan, the assistant director added, “As a social worker, I work directly with kiddos in the foster care system on a day-to-day basis. Their resilience and liveliness always inspire me. Unfortunately, there are more children in the system than there are places for them to go. Foster parents are vital to reunifying families, and there is a shortage of them. We want to do the best we can as a community to care for these kiddos and not retraumatize them.�

Maniglia opens up about the experience of working with a dog on stage. Dory, Ryan's family dog, plays Sandy, the dog Annie first attaches to during her temporary placement. Many are curious about the ins and outs of working with an animal on the stage.

“It's a little precarious because Dory doesn't like my notes to her and simply refuses to ‘open up,’� he entertained. “It's always an adventure with both and never a disappointment. And it does add a special feeling to see a dog onstage playing a dog for some strange reason.�

The original dog that played Sandy never skipped a show. And was trained by William Berloni, a Tony Award® Honoree.

“Dory is my family dog and the sweetest, calmest pup there is. I told Joe I wouldn’t assistant direct unless she could be Sandy�, she joked. “She has made the harder rehearsals easier and convinced many that we should always have a dog at the theatre. It’s a fun element to the show that I’m glad we were able to pull off!�

Ryan had been cast in a previous Theatrikos production of “Annie� several years ago. This retrograde experience as a director has her viewing the script with new eyes. Maniglia commented on the rich joy that it is to work with Ryan in this capacity, making the show better due to her artistic vision and heart.

She said, “My first show ever was ‘Annie� when I was four years old, and my first show with TheatriKIDS was ‘Annie� in 2011, where I got the lead role. A fun fact is that the wig our Annies wear in this production is the same one I wore all those years ago! Returning to this show a third time on the production side of things has been so exciting. I love watching our cast breathe new life into this classic while being able to incorporate my visions and experiences simultaneously. Most of all, working alongside Joe has been a gift. He is a huge mentor to me and undersells just how much he has done for this theatre.�

“Matilda� had to be canceled due to COVID in 2020. This has undeniably affected the experience of creating a musical for any community.

“I'm always reluctant to be fully invested because of that,� Maniglia said. “And that's not to say that this production hasn’t had its ups and downs: cast members who had to drop out or be brought in late in the game. I feel the weight of a big musical's financial gamble is to measure up to other productions, bring in the monies to recoup the initial investment, and get us through the summer months, which can be a lean time in our theatrical year.�

He adds that while “Annie� does not discuss the nuances of socio-economics, it addresses the universal experience of struggle.

“Even our ‘villains� are motivated by the lure of money rather than nefarious grand schemes. We all want a better life,� he said.

One may wonder how great depression era orphans have anything to do with Gen Alpha or Gen Z, the generation of child actors on stage portraying them, or how Annie specifically may relate to students today.

The play’s outlook, I think may read pollyannaish, but that's because our society has become so jaded, maybe out of necessity or just survival. “Annie� endures as a musical and is infectious as a character because of her relentless optimism.

In this local production, Annie is double cast and alternates nights between Jojo Hood and Hazel Rupp, both 12-year-old locals.

Hood is a tenacious fighter and attacks the role with a streetwise and sassy interpretation.

Rupp’s background is as a dancer and her moves and acting are highly influenced by that so you see an expressiveness and sweetness to her Annie.

The benefits of cross-generational theatre outweigh the drawbacks; however, there are both to each experience. It makes one curious to envision life behind the curtain.

“It's tricky because you've got kids who just want to be kids and adults who sometimes forget that theatre is essentially playing dress up for two hours,� said Maniglia the night after opening.

There are drawbacks, but the benefits are that we can come together to tell a story that will continue to impact audiences young and old and leapin� lizards alike.