DATE: Friday, October 31, 1997              TAG: 9710300252

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: THEATER REVIEW 

SOURCE: Montague Gammon III 

                                            LENGTH:   71 lines

ENDURING APPEAL OF ``ANNIE'' IS HARD FOR ANYONE TO RESIST

Everybody loves ``Annie.''

How could anyone resist the rags to riches tale of the winsome little mop top, the hard luck Depression era orphan brought to the musical stage from the funny papers? Of course, the Hurrah Players have tapped the appeal of talented young performers for years, so ``Annie'' is right up their alley, and the opening night audience at Pavilion last weekend responded with lots of cheers and the inevitable standing ovation.

Even putting predictable sentiment aside, there is plenty to applaud in this show. The much publicized first African-American Annie, Adrienne Warren, carries off her part particularly well, with all the energy, charm and vocal range one could ask of any 10-year-old.

She is utterly at home in the role. Director Hugh Copeland has incorporated her perfectly by the simple expedient of making no special allowances whatever. She's just one more orphan caught up in America's Great Depression.

What is easily forgotten is that this title role rarely dominates the stage. The play was written so that the juvenile lead could hold her own with the professional adults who would be her fellow performers. The character has a couple of cute solos such as ``Maybe'' and the signature tune ``Tomorrow,'' but most of the showy moments belong to others.

Here the Hurrah Players really come into their own. The troupe has fostered the early careers of numerous remarkably talented teens, and three stand out in ``Annie.''

Rachel Ford is mature, precise, and consistently strong as Oliver Warbuck's aptly named private secretary Grace. One gets the impression that the smooth functioning of the Warbucks empire largely depends upon the quiet competence that Grace always projects.

The talents of Kurtis Wiley flash across the stage in his one-scene role as radio show host Bert Healy. He has a strong voice, exceptional ability as a mimic and a remarkably adult air.

Angel Trent makes the role of the gold-digging Lily St. Regis entirely her own. Trent sings, dances, and acts impeccably, bringing to her characterization of this amiably avaricious vamp a sense of completeness that adds an extra spark to every scene in which she appears.

Trent is usually on stage with Keith Mitchell, one of the several adults whose talents also add much to this show. Mitchell uses just the right combination of buffoonery and understated menace in the role of Rooster, the ne'er-do-well brother of orphanage supervisor Miss Hannigan.

Karen Barba gets to ham up the part of Miss Hannigan delightfully, especially in her song ``Little Girls.'' She, Trent, and Mitchell make the song and dance number ``Easy Street'' a highlight of the show.

Bryan Smith appears in a couple of roles, but he's especially sharp as Lt. Ward, the stereotypical gruff but kind cop, and Bob Burchette is fun to watch as President Franklin Roosevelt.

Then there are the all important orphans, the ensemble of youngsters upon whom so much of the show's appeal depends. A couple of them, who looked to be no more than 5 or 6 years old, are already displaying uncommonly developed talents as dancers, while the whole group functions notably well as a troupe, especially in the cute piece ``You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.''

``Annie'' has been called a ``feel good musical.'' It's a fable about hope, the hope for a better life and better world. Hopeful innocence triumphs easily over cynical evil. Whether there is a little or a lot of realism in that world view, the show is pleasantly diverting and provides an outlet for some talents that do justify hope for the continuing quality of local performing arts. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: ``Annie,'' presented by the Hurrah Players

WHEN and WHERE: 7 p.m. Nov. 14 and 3 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16 at

Willett Hall, Portsmouth.

INFORMATION: 627-5437.

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