Annie JR.

CIVIC YOUTH THEATRE MUSICAL

Leapin Lizards! Annie Jr. will be our first Penguin Project Production!

Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, with a beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, Annie Jr. features everyone s favorite little redhead.

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie eventually foils Miss Hannigan’s evil plot, finding a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

Bet your bottom dollar that the sun will come out Tomorrow!

Our Civic Youth Theatre program serves as an introduction to theatre as an art form for many of our young patrons. Students involved in a production learn very quickly that it takes a lot of hard work to put on a show. As they memorize lines, paint scenery and collect props, they are also building friendships and develop self-confidence that will last them a lifetime.

RATING: THE WHOLE FAMILY

“In short, about as much fun as you would expect, and then a little more.”
– Venue Magazine

THE PENGUIN PROJECT

Established in 2004, Penguin Project gives youth and young adults with special needs the opportunity to participate in the community theatre experience. The Penguin Project is open to any individual ages 9 to 26 with a disability. This includes those with cognitive, learning, motor, hearing and visual impairments as well as genetic and neurological disorders. They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of “peer mentors” – youth the same age without disabilities who have volunteered to work side-by-side with the artists throughout the entire rehearsal and performance process.

The program provides a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents. It has also demonstrated that participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interaction, communication skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. The impact of the program has reached beyond the stage to create a social network for children who previously had very few friends and limited social opportunities.

The production starts with an informational meeting for Annie Jr. on February 2 or 3, 2020 where the artists, the peer mentors, the parents, and the production team meet and learn about the program. 90 minute rehearsals, two days a week begin in February, frequency will increase as the show approaches. Some rehearsals are for the ensemble, some are for the leads, but all are fun!

You won’t want to miss this beautiful program that shows everyone that theatre is for all!