On February 7th both student-journalists of this article were given the opportunity to attend an exclusive pre-show press conference organized by the nonprofit Headliners in Education to meet some of the wonderful actors behind the show – specifically, the “orphans”. It was a personal look into the perspective of these young talented actors, learning about the audition process, their favorite parts, and their favorite moments on tour all around the United States.

To begin, we asked how their personality related to their characters.  Jade Smith talked about what it was like being Molly. She shared a relatable and honest response saying, “So, my character is kind of sassy. Sometimes I can have a little sass – not gonna lie.”

Savannah Austin, who plays July said, “So, July is a peacemaker and that’s something I try to do. She will stand up to people – there’s a fight scene in the beginning, Pepper pushes Molly and she stands up to her. And that is something I’d definitely do.” 

Kylie Noelle Patterson, who plays Tessie, seemed very well-placed in her role sharing, “My character is the third youngest out of the orphans. And, I am also the third youngest out of the whole children’s cast as well.”

Avery Hope, who plays Pepper, admitted her spirited role was something she could learn and feel, saying, “So, Pepper is tough. She’s like the bully of the group. I don’t really see how I relate to her, but if I could say something, I would say she has a spunky personality, which I kind of do too, which I really like about her.” 

Arianna Guller, who plays Duffy, focused on a the age dynamics of the cast. “So, Duffy is the oldest in the group, and I’m one of the oldest. So, we kind of have the same vibe and she can also be just carefree and fun, and that’s me.” Guller made it clear that fitting in with her age accurately certainly helped the fit.

Addie James, who plays Kate, really relished her one particular part of the performance, stating, “So Kate is very shy, but she does have a mischievous side. There is one part where she plays a little trick on Miss Hannigan, which is really fun because you only see Kate as shy and scared.”

Last but not least, Little Orphan Annie herself, Rainier Treviño, was honest about her lead. “Annie tries to be very . . . she’s very optimistic. I try my best to be optimistic. She’s kind, she’s street smart. Those are things that I try to be. I can find myself a lot in Annie” 

We then moved on to other peoples questions, where we got the background of how they auditioned, and how some recognized each other from those callbacks. We learned a story about how Rainier and Kylie became friends before the show toured. 

“Kylie and I met in the audition room and all the other girls were like stretching and talking, and, of course, I was stretching too, but they were all in big clumps. Then, we slowly started gravitating towards each other.” Rainier said, “We became pretty much best friends.” It was nice to see all the bonds that the girls had grown together; they talked about the games they would make up backstage and on the road.

“We all have these robes we wear to protect our costumes when we eat foods,” Avery Hope stated, “What you do is your able to use 3 robes and you make a theme, and make your own outfit (using the robes), and then the judges discuss the best one.” 

All the girls brightened up and would talk excitedly about their adventures and games. It seems they do enjoy their activities while going on tour from city to city. They were all just so sweet and kind, and I hope to see them on the stage sometime in the future. 

After the private Annie cast press conference held backstage at the Boch Center, several of us student journalists were granted free tickets to the show! We had great seats, which only made the show more enjoyable. Seeing all the girls transform in the opening scene into completely different characters was so eye-opening. I could barely recognize the girls we had met before – now, only seeing them in character. Along with the orphans executing a stunning performance, other cast members burst and strode across the stage with dramatic voices and energetic choreography.     

I was blown away by Rainier Treviño (Annie) when she first sang Maybe, a song about what her parents might be like when they come to pick her up from the orphanage. The next song Hard Knock Life was so much fun to watch. The girls dancing and singing was filled with energy and enthusiasm.

As each new character was introduced, I was left speechless. The set designs and lighting were beautiful. I loved how they utilized the colors and the brightness of the lights to enhance the scenes – it added so much to the show’s immersive effect. 

The musical starts with the orphans all cleaning under the abusive care of Mrs. Hannigan, a drunk woman who uses the girls for money. Annie, the main character, runs away and finds a dog, whom she names Sandy (Seamus the dog) I loved how the show used an actual dog in their performance – he was so cute, and a wonderful performer. 

When Annie gets taken back to the orphanage, she gets the opportunity to live with Oliver Warbucks (Christopher Swan) for two weeks. Warbucks is one of the richest people in the country and he wanted to take in an orphan for two weeks before Christmas. Grace (Julia Nicole Hunter) Warbuck’s assistant takes Annie to his mansion and helps her feel comfortable while she stays there. 

Annie goes to stay with him for two weeks and Warbucks decides to adopt her. But Annie still believes that her parents are out there and going to come back for her because they left her half a silver locket and a note. So, Warbucks decides to help search for Annie’s parents; he even involves the President. He says that anyone who can prove to be Annie’s parents will get a check for fifty thousand dollars. In this scene Warbucks is disappointed that he can not adopt Annie, ending Act One with a bittersweet song called, You Won’t Be an Orphan For Long.

During all of this, Mrs. Hannigan’s brother “Rooster” Hannigan (Jeffrey T. Kelly) and his friend Lily St. Regis (Samantha Stevens) come up with a plan to take Annie and the money. Mrs. Hannigan gives them the other half of Annie’s locket and agrees to the plan. This scene brings one of my favorite songs, Easy Street. At first, everyone believes that Rooster and Lily are Annie’s parents and she almost goes to live with them, but Grace helps figure out that they aren’t who they say they are. In the end, Annie is adopted by Warbucks and the other orphans get to leave the orphanage.

The show ends with a beautiful duet between Annie and Warbucks that soon turns into a full ensemble number. The show ended with a well-deserved standing ovation, and it left many people humming the catchy songs on their way home. 

To check out the Headliners of Education and what they are about, click here 

Annie is playing at the Boch Center in Boston until February 11th, 2024, so get tickets before it’s too late! You can purchase your tickets here