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***image1***More than 30 cast and crew from Landstuhl Elementary and Middle School sixth to eight grades culminated three months of preparation in the musical production, “Annie, Jr.” May 4 to 7.
After voting to produce the play, the school drama club started with auditions in February.
“I was originally limiting auditions to drama class students,” said drama club sponsor Elizabeth Goodner, “but due to the small number of boys in my classes, I opened it up to whomever wished to try out. This is how I got so lucky, and ended up with (seventh-grader) Nathan Sleight as Warbucks and (eighth-grader) Jeremy Love as Drake/rooster, (eighth-grader) Chris Stephenson as the policeman/Franklin Roosevelt, and (eighth-grader) Chris Klein as Louis Howe.
Daily practices started in March, skipping only days when students were away on trips, or teachers had meetings.
Most of the members of the cast had been in plays before. Some, like eighth-grader Eileen Skokanic and sixth-grader Claire Nassif, had done theatre work in German schools while others performed in Department of Defense Dependent Schools around the world.
“It was a lot of fun,” said seventh-grader Jennifer Lawson, first-time actress in the lead roll of Annie, “I am disappointed that it’s all over, but in a way, relieved. It was a lot of hard work, and we are all really tired. Happy, but tired.”
The students had great praise for their fellow cast members.
“Chris was so great as the dog catcher and president,” said seventh-grader Lacee Fuller. “We never would have imagined he was such a great actor.”
For eighth-grader Rico McKee, part of the fun was improvising.
“When Toby, the dog that played Sandy, walked off the stage unexpectedly, we had to make up our lines. It was funny to see how it all worked out, and it always worked out great.”
Sixth-grader Tia Armstrong, Cecille in the play, said that she really liked working with the dog. Toby belongs to seventh-grader Shea Press, who played the orphan Kate in the show.
More than just practice goes into a great show. Props were gathered from a variety of sources. Many props were donated, purchased and borrowed.
“Parents brought in cots, a table, and other miscellaneous props,” said Ms. Goodner. “We borrowed some things from my classroom. In both of my drama classes we painted many props. We also bought some of our props from the thrift store.”
The cast unanimously agreed that they plan to participate in whatever play Ms. Goodner decides on for next year.
