Plays in the Park in Edison - ANNIE!

 I went to Plays in the Park in Roosevelt Park (in Edison) to see "Annie" last night. As I expected, it was a great production!  Sure, it's not Broadway, but it's close enough for me... especially on a nice summer evening at $7.00 a ticket!

C'mon, you remember Annie, right? I think EVERYONE saw it when they were kids. It's a cute musical with a lot of catchy tunes. "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow" ranks right up there with "It's a Small World After All" in the list of songs that you can't get out of your head once you've heard them. And it's a nice, family friendly story, and they do a nice family friendly production. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

As I watched this story, set in the Great Depression, I couldn't help but draw parallels to today's economy and wonder how our own Great Recession will seem, when it's finally history. Maybe all we really need is a sunny outlook for everything to turn around... (nah, I doubt it's really going to be that easy!)

The actors and actresses were all wonderful. Of course I loved the actress who played "Annie", Emma Schwartz. She did a great job and has a lovely voice. All of the orphans were adorable, especially the littlest one... what a sweetie. My very favorite character was Miss Hannigan. I think that Vicki Tripodo plays the BEST Miss Hannigan I've ever seen! She was very funny, rather like a drunken female Archie Bunker. I loved hating her.

All in all, I highly recommend that you go to see this production of Annie before it finishes up it's run.

From the PLAYS IN THE PARK WEBSITE:

1530 people in the audience last night! It's amazing what a great show & beautiful weather forecast can do! Come see ANNIE again tonight!

It was a full house for a great show on a beautiful night!

The original Broadway production of ANNIE won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Book and Score. It ran for 2,377 performances, and has subsequently been produced all over the world. The original production is one of the top 20 longest running shows in Broadway history, and ANNIE continues to be one of the most successful musicals ever.

Boasting one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including "It's the Hard-Knock Life," "Easy Street," "N.Y.C." and the ever optimistic "Tomorrow," you can bet your bottom dollar that ANNIE will bring a smile to your face.

Annie is playing through Saturday, July 2
(No Sundays) at 8:30 pm
Adults - $7.00, Senior Citizens - $5.00, Children 12 and Under Free


 More great information from the FAQ's on the Plays in the Park Website:

Our box office opens at 5:30 p.m. and that's when we let those people who have been waiting on line in and on to the lawn area to put down their chairs. A lot of factors figure into how early the line begins to form, and how long it might get: the weather report, the day of the week, and the type of show. It is hard to generalize, BUT a blockbuster family musical such as WIZARD OF OZ, on a sunny Friday with no predication of rain, will most likely find a line forming about 2 p.m. in the afternoon, often building to about 200 patrons by the time we open the gates. This is the first rush, and these early birds take up the first several rows. Then, over the next few hours until 8:30 p.m., there will be flurries of activity. But please keep in mind we comfortably seat 2000, so there are still plenty of spaces. You DO NOT have to show up this early. It is a rare occasion indeed for us to turn anyone away, and more often than not it is because there are no more parking spaces. On a night where there is a chance of isolated thunderstorms (which is just about every night it seems), the line will form about 4 p.m. and will reach 100 or less by 5:30 p.m. So judge accordingly, but keep in mind that the first few rows are not necessarily the best position for SOUND --- higher up on the hill is more in line with the speakers.
Q: Do I have to bring my own chairs, and what kind should I bring?
A: Yes, we provide the lawn - you provide the seats. And when you accommodate as many as we do, there is a need to be specific as to the type of chairs allowed. If your seats are too tall, then the people behind you won't be able to see; and if you bring a blanket or a seat that is too low, you won't be able to see.

Hairspray - Wednesday, Jul 13 through Saturday, Jul 23 (No Sundays) - 8:30 pm

Godspell - Wednesday, Aug 3 through Saturday, Aug 13 (No Sundays) - 8:30 pm