Megan Spector, 10, proves a strong ‘Annie’ in Pickwick Players production

 

By Donald H. Harrison

 

SAN DIEGO – In the current Pickwick Players production of Annie, Megan Spector, 10, a fourth grade student at Solana Highlands Elementary School is a stand-out in the title role at the Moxie Theatre on El Cajon Boulevard.  Come fall, she plans to try out for the play Snoopy and has no idea what part she might land.   Whatever she gets, she says she will be happy.

At her side during a post performance interview were two other members of the mixed juvenile and adult troupe, Carlton Oaks Elementary School students Jacklyn Jardel and Claire Summy who played the orphans Pepper and Victoria respectively.   Next time, perhaps, one of them will get a lead role in Snoopy.   Although the children compete with each other for parts, they are friends off-stage. Once out of their costumes, the young actors give no indication who is the star and who is in the supporting cast; they’re just enthusiastic grade school students, coming off the adrenalin high of a good performance.

Pickwick Players has several goals, explains Jessica Brandon, who is president of the drama organization as well as an adult cast member. She played  Mrs. Greer, a member of Daddy Warbuck’s household staff, and one of the singing Boylan Sisters on the radio show at which Warbucks announces a $50,000 reward to people who can prove themselves Annie’s parents.

“Pickwick Players is in its third year,” Brandon said.  “It was founded by Lisa Goodman three years ago and the ambition always has been to have a children’s theatre company where the children aren’t having to pay to be in the productions, and they are getting the experience of working on theatre productions and being on stage.”

Asked if pay-to-perform was a major problem, Brandon responded, “There are a lot of theatre companies out there and for some of them it is more about the money than it is about the process or the experience.   Our goal is to let any kid from any background be able to have the same opportunity to learn and to grow, and there are lots of kids here. There is so much self-esteem built being on stage.”

Megan’s mom, Sheri Spector, beaming over how well Megan overcame a bout of laryngitis in time for the Depression-era musical, said her daughter has enjoyed meeting and working with other student actors from other schools and also performing with the adult actors, which “was a new experience for her.   She has been in kid shows but never had worked with adults before.”

In the play, Annie sings “Tomorrow” to a woman (June Cole) selling apples instead of to a dog – the troupe concerned that an untrained dog might cause havoc on the stage. Annie also charms such adults as Oliver Warbucks (Brett Daniels), his private secretary Grace Farrell (Alisa Williams), and President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Doug Shattuck).  On the other hand, she infuriates the director of the orphanage, Mrs. Hannigan (Dawn Marie Williams), while being the acknowledged ringleader of the orphans who sing of their “Hard Knock Life.”

Annie is  a big part for a small girl, but Megan proved herself equal to the challenge– not surprising for a young actress from whom ecstatic teachers have been demanding encore “Tomorrow” performances since she learned the song as a preschooler.

Every member of the audience views plays through the eyes of his or her own interests.  As one who always has been fascinated by U.S. Presidents and by Jewish history, I was pleased that three U.S. Presidents and three well-known Jews were included in the script, some having parts on stage, others mentioned in allusions.   Franklin Roosevelt was on stage, while Herbert Hoover was blamed for the Depression by people living in “Hoovervilles” and Calvin Coolidge was remembered as the man who declared that the business of America is business.    Two Jews represented on stage were a be-robed Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis (Greg Bass) and Treasury Secretary Henry Morganthau (Mark Spencer), who warns FDR about a militarizing Germany.   The financier and presidential advisor Bernard Baruch supposedly is on the other end of a phone conversation with Warbucks.

For my grandson, Shor, who has a pet dog named “Buddy,” the show was enjoyable – but something seemed missing without Annie crooning to  her dog Sandy.

For Megan, not only because of her chance to star is Annie an important play.  “It kind of teaches you a lesson how if you keep dreaming you might get what you want,” she said.  “If you have a strong dream, keep dreaming it.”

Kudos to producers Cameron Williams and Renee Levine and to Raylene J. Wall and Carolyn E. Wheat, respectively director and assistant director.  Alisa Williams, a teacher at Carleton Oaks, not only portrayed Grace, but also served as the show’s choreographer, while Kirk Valles was musical director.

Annie has one more performance, a matinee on Sunday, May 16, at 2 p.m.  Call 619-756-6955 to see if there are any tickets left.

*
Harrison is editor of  San Diego Jewish World