Annie, Daddy Warbucks head great cast

AUBURN – Renee Davis has earned sainthood as the director of Community Little Theatre’s current production, “Annie.”

What director, in their right mind, would tackle a show that stars cute kids, a fluffy dog and a story that’s inevitably going to be compared to the popular movie of the same name?

Davis has risen to the task with a perfectly fun production.

Based on the Depression-era comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” “Annie” is the story of a plucky, little redhead determined to find her parents, who’d left her on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage. The orphanage is run by the inebriated lush Miss Hannigan (played way over the top by Pattie Jo Gravel) who mutters, “Why any kid would wanna be an orphan is beyond me.” When Annie runs away from the orphanage to find her parents, she finds good fortune instead when she becomes a houseguest in the home of billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks (John Edmonds).

It takes Hannigan’s scheming brother, Rooster (Michael Litchfield), and his girlfriend, Lily (Hilary Anne Walker) to create a plot to pose as Annie’s long-lost parents in hopes of getting a $50,000 reward offered by Warbucks. They are foiled in their attempts, and justice prevails.

The show is pure fun that starts with the splashy numbers performed by the energetic orphans (Leslie Reed, Briana Levesque, Melissa Thurlow, Kelsey Gamble, Mackenzi Masselli and Caela Waite) that aptly support Katelyn Bermudez in the lead role. Every kid sings wonderfully, and they tackle their dance numbers as if they were on the Broadway stage.

Bermudez is a great choice for Annie. She has a pretty voice, great stage presence and has just the right dose of cuteness in the role. She’s especially good in the scenes with Daddy Warbucks (John Edmonds), a fellow who fits the part perfectly with his dominating presence and completely shaven scalp. Bermudez also shines in her signature numbers, “Maybe” and “Tomorrow.”

The supporting team of villains is ably played for laughs in the hands of Gravel, Walker and Litchfield. Their rendition of “Easy Street” is a wonderful tribute to anyone who’s dreamed of hitting it rich. Aimee Jack, as Warbuck’s secretary, is appropriately prim and proper in her performance, looking very much like a young Audrey Hepburn.

The best part of the “Annie” set is Warbuck’s lavish mansion designed by Bill Hamilton. (People applauded when the curtain revealed the setting!)

Richard Martin’s lighting design works well though actors too often seemed to find the dark spots on stage. The costume team did a fine job re-creating Depression-era threads and Colin Britt’s orchestra was in perfect balance with the onstage vocalists. (The CLT family will sorely miss Britt as he begins his studies at music school this fall. Do come back!)

“Annie” is a great family show that runs through this coming weekend. Tickets are very scarce so if you have them, treasure them.

Dan Marois and his wife, Denise, run Main Street Entertainment & Mystery for Hire. He can be reached at [email protected] or at www.mysteryforhire.com.