'Annie Get Your Gun' darn tootin' good time
Welcome to the wild west, where sharp shooting and show business are all the rage. Impressive lead actors, strong vocals, and a fun ensemble helped make Upper Dublin High School's production of Annie Get Your Gun a darn tootin' good time.
Welcome to the wild west, where sharp shooting and show business are all the rage. Impressive lead actors, strong vocals, and a fun ensemble helped make Upper Dublin High School's production of Annie Get Your Gun a darn tootin' good time.
Annie Get Your Gun tells the story of Annie Oakley, a sharpshooter in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, and her romance with fellow sharpshooter Frank Butler. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1946, and was revived in 1966 and 1999. The 1999 revival received two Tony awards: Best Revival of a Musical and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. The award winning show has a book by Dorothy and Herbert Fields and music by Irving Berlin.
The story was brought to life by Upper Dublin's enthusiastic ensembles of showgirls and cowboys. Their strong vocal and dance skills were displayed in countless numbers including "Moonshine Lullaby," "My Defenses are Down," and "I Got the Sun in the Morning." Their fun-loving attitudes were infectious.
This particular musical hinges greatly on the actress chosen to play Annie Oakley, and Upper Dublin's Natalie Crane was certainly up to the high challenge. Crane displayed crystal clear vocals, strong comedic timing, and impressive stamina from start to finish. Anthony Aquino gave a strong performance as Frank Butler. His charm and charisma were palpable.
A variety of supporting actors created a cast of colorful characters. Steven Aronow displayed high energy and comedic talents as Buffalo Bill Cody. The dainty Dolly Tate was brought to life by Elizabeth Tanous. Tanous shined every time she stepped on stage and often made audience members laugh. The budding love story of Winnie Tate and Tommy Keeler was displayed by Jessica Anninos and Peter Berger respectively. The two actors worked very well together, and were lovely in "I'll Share It All With You" and "Who Do You Love, I Hope."
Realistic sets and technical elements helped bring the show to life. Projection screens along the stage displayed each new setting to help visually move the plot along. Sound effects were well timed and used effectively.
Upper Dublin's energetic and charismatic cast put on a performance of the classic Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun that was both fun and heartwarming. Overall, the students proved that anything you can do, they can do better.
