Everyone’s favorite orphan hits the stage again in Indianola when the Mid-Delta Arts Association presents “Annie.” Though she’s been on the MDAA stage before, a new generation of fans will be introduced to this classic musical from June 19-27 at the John Brindley Theatre.
The show is being directed by Dr. Eddie Donahoe, a fan favorite of MDAA presentations over the past five decades.
Schiefer Phillips is the musical director. MDAA President Don Sykes has been busy building sets and working with the production and knows it will be a first class production on stage and off.
“I’ve been building sets and we got some new lights and microphones,” Sykes said. “We’ll have 20 wireless headset mics and our mixing console is digital. Our patrons have been fantastic and keep us rolling. The patrons and businesses give way more than we expect.”
Sykes’s involvement goes all the way back to the inception of the theatre when the late John Brindley came to town and literally built the theatre and program from the ground up.
“I started out with John Brindley back in ‘78. He and I pretty much tied by the hip and I probably spent more time with him than I did at home. We started out from scratch,” Sykes said. “We broke the old Catholic church and remodeled it.”
Andy Daniels, a longtime veteran of the MDAA stage and the current treasurer, will play the part of Daddy Warbucks.
“I like being on stage. I like directing but I really like being on stage too. I was excited to get the part. It's a good part. It's a fun part,” Daniels said. “It’s a big cast with folks from every era of Mid-Delta Arts Association plays and musicals.”
And there’s plenty of new mixing in with the experienced stagehands and actors.
“We’ve got some new faces on stage and they're having fun already,” Daniels said.
He noted that being part of a play or musical introduces you to circles of friends you’d probably not have a chance to mix with outside of the MDAA.
“You see people that you don't see in other circles and you establish lifelong relationships with people that you would not normally be in the same social circles because everybody does different things. And so that's what I love about the theater. It brings so many people together that you don't normally associate with, or you're not in the same circles, and those circles connect. It's good to have new people, but we need new people going forward to continue the tradition.”
The theatre is located at 309 Main Street in Indianola. Call (662) 887-4522 or email info@mid-deltaarts.com for more information about tickets and the MDAA in general.
The cast includes Ellyn Claire Andrews as Annie, Andy Daniels as Daddy Warbucks, Mash Everett as Grace Farrell, Sally Williams as Miss Hannigan, Zach Woodard as Rooster and Whitney Brewer as Lilly St. Regis.
The orphans cast is made up of Rose Hardin as Pepper, Peyton Andrews as Duffy, Willow Brewer as July, Emma Griffin and Helyn Howell as Kate, Hattie Smith as Tessie, and Mary Critz Long as Molly.
The rest of the cast includes Guy Burke as Mr. Bundles and Wacky, Robert Sledge as Officer Ward, BreAnn Hunt as the apple seller and Mrs. Pugh, Kathryn Ledbetter as Mrs. Greer, Teresa Cauley as Annette, Andrea Fulton as Cecile, Dominick Bellipanni as Drake, Calli Grant as Star to Be, Taylor Skelton as Bert Healy, Hank Ferguson as Jimmy Johnson and the dog catcher, Eli Ferguson a0s the assistant dog catcher, and Johnny McWilliams as President Roosevelt. The President’s cabinet actors are Taylor Skelton as Ickes, Robert Sledge as Perkins, Guy Burke as Hull, Dominick Bellipanni as Howe, Hank Ferguson as Morgenthau and Robert Sledge as Jude Brandeis.
The Boyland sisters are Addison Burke, Brenleigh Hunt, Allyson Bedingfield and Ann Ledbetter. Cast as the Warbucks’ house staff are Debbie Arrington, Mary Bess Pannel, Amy Ferguson and Brody Pee.
