OGDEN — Ogden Musical Theatre’s production of Annie at Peery’s Egyptian Theatre brings a heartwarming classic to the stage, showcasing a talented cast and strong design elements. Annie’s book is by Thomas Meehan, the music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin and the musical is based off the “Little Orphan Annie” comics. The story follows little red headed orphan Annie’s optimism in 1930s New York when she is invited to stay at billionaire Oliver Warbucks’ mansion for the Christmas holiday’s. Directed by Jennifer Hughes, the production successfully captures the enduring optimism of the beloved musical, leaving audiences with a smile.
Lead Performances Shine Brightly
Elle Hirst delivers a delightful performance as the iconic red-headed orphan, Annie. Hirst portrays Annie’s inherent optimism with sincerity, evident in her sweet yet resilient interactions with the other orphans. Hirst’s performance of “Tomorrow” is particularly nice, capturing the essence of Annie’s unwavering hope. I appreciated Hirst staying focused on her performance as the dog playing Sandy tugged on the leash, intent on something offstage.
Addison Welch is a powerful yet ultimately endearing Oliver Warbucks. Welch effectively conveys Warbucks’ initial business oriented nature clearly. Then he is effective in transforming by Annie’s influence into a softer, loving father figure. Welch’s reactions to Hirst as Annie are sincere, highlighting a genuine shift in his character. Welch was also delightful portraying Warbucks’ exasperation and annoyance while presenting on Bert Healy’s Radio Show.
Elle Hirst as Annie and Addison Welch as Oliver Warbucks in Annie produced by Ogden Musical Theatre. Annie plays through August 9th, 2025 at Peery’s Egyptian Theatre.
Supporting Cast and Memorable Moments
Micky Larson is a standout as Miss Agatha Hannigan, bringing a dynamic range to the role. Larson navigates Hannigan’s emotions with skill, blending general disregard with simmering frustration leading to outbursts of anger at the orphan girls. Larson’s performance of “Little Girls” is a great example of this range. A particularly humorous moment is her double-take upon being introduced to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the Christmas party.
Eva Terranova and Michael Hernandez as Lily St. Regis and Rooster Hannigan, respectively, offer great comedic relief. Terranova’s excellent variety of accents is notable, creating a Lily who feels like a reasonably talented, perhaps out-of-work, showgirl. Terranova shifts beautifully from a thick Jersey accent to a Midwestern one as Annie’s pseudo-mother. Hernandez and Terranova play well off each other, and also with Larson, enhancing their scenes.
Nick Cache, as FDR, provides a great comedic counterpoint, feeling like a “straight man” amidst the more animated characters. Cache’s delivers FDR’s solos like a speech. The lines have minimal melody and are delivered with a natural speaking cadence which emphasized the real public figure in the midst of showtunes.
Mickey Larson as Agatha Hannigan, Michael Hernandez as Rooster Hannigan, and Eva Terranova as Lily St. Regis in Annie.
Design and Staging
The production’s scenic design by Daniel Simmons is one of its strongest elements. Simmons effectively uses several tall set pieces that portray the orphanage interior. These pieces rotated to transform the stage into exterior New York City streetscapes or apartment buildings. This design transitions the stage well from the orphanage to the bustling city. The Hooverville scene benefits from fly system pieces which add depth to the stage. The dramatic transformation for the Warbucks Mansion is striking, clearly illustrating the contrast in wealth with its cleanliness and marble staircases. The overall craftsmanship of each set piece is clear and works well throughout the show. Moving these pieces does lead to several moments throughout the show where the stage crew is obviously present in the middle of scenes which was distracting.
Daniel Garner’s lighting design complements the scenic elements beautifully. The mansion is lit with a cleaner, sharper light, in stark contrast to the dimmer, dirty feel of the city and orphanage. The use of classic spotlights on soloists while dimming the rest of the stage, is an effective technique for focusing attention on lead characters in such an iconic musical.
Director Jennifer Hughes manages a large cast to create environments full of people from the girl’s orphanage, New York City streets, Hooverville, and a billionaires mansion. Hughes’ stages scenes well, such as using the front of the curtain space for Bert Healey’s radio show, which then lifts to reveal the orphans gathered around a radio set. The costumes, by Shelly Burkhardt, and wigs, by Cynthia Johnson, also show careful attention to detail. Annie’s initial unkempt, ruffled red hair in the orphanage provides a noticeable contrast to the well-curled and beautiful wig she wears after moving into the Warbucks Mansion, effectively showing the change in her circumstances. Like the lighting and scenic design, the costumes and wigs share the same elements to show how the differences in wealth and environments of the characters.
Elle Hirst as Annie and the Orphan Ensemble perform “It’s a Hard Knock Life” in Annie.
Choreography and Overall Impression
Sarah Martin’s choreography highlights individual performers showcasing particularly skilled ensemble members. For example, during “NYC”, the choreography features solo dances from dance captain Brian Stewart as a talented street sweeper and Zylynn Evans as a circus performer executing gymnastic feats. While these individual features are nice elements and done well, it often felt like the group choreography was a secondary priority. In numbers like “NYC” and “I Don’t Need Anything But You” the large ensemble present onstage looked like onlookers standing or walking around with simple arm movements, rather than feeling part of the musical number. The orphan ensemble in “It’s a Hard Knock Life” was a stronger balance of effective group choreography and individual featurettes.
Overall, Ogden Musical Theatre’s Annie is a production with many commendable qualities, especially strong scenic elements. It conveys the show’s inherent joy and optimistic spirit. The iconic musical numbers are well-sung and feature many talented performers, and the camaraderie among the cast shines through. With an additional touch of some “Christmas in July,” this endearing production at Perry’s Egyptian Theater is a pleasant delight for a summertime activity.
