Annie

A love letter to the gritty and honest City of New York.

When given the opportunity to direct Annie, I was immediately inspired by the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side. Dozens of people crowded into one building, all trying to survive during the Great Depression. Shanty shacks popped up around the city, under bridges, and in Central Park, just across the street from the gilded-age mansions of the ultra-wealthy.

I imagined what it would mean for an orphanage to be set in such a place, and this production soon came to life.

This production showcased the busy and often cold streets of NYC. I created a prologue depicting a day in the life of a busy New Yorker, with appearances by characters the audience will soon meet. I also used these street scenes in a couple of scene transitions as Annie traveled from the orphanage to the streets of NY and back again.

Hannigan was the role I spent the most time on to create a sense of reality. Her clothing was not from the 1930s, but the 1920s, to represent that she is stuck in the past, trying to live in a place of youthful opulence and beauty. I also wanted this character to be more menacing and created moments of physical violence between her and the feral gang of orphans.

“NYC” was full of the stereotypical people you might see in the city, from a Radio City Rockette to a bagel salesman. This number was a delight to create and to showcase to the audience. Opposite the bright lights of Times Square, Hooverville showed the realities Americans faced during the Great Depression.

One surprising matter was how much the students loved learning about New York City, in the 1930s and today. It goes to show that educational theatre can not only be a place for students to create but also learn about the lives of other people, past and present.

Henryetta High School

2026

You can view the entire album of this production’s photo by clicking here.