MOTHER NINETTA AUDITORIUM
Villa
Walsh Academy Morristown, NJ
Villa Walsh Academy
PRESENTS
Book by
THOMAS MEEHAN
Music by CHARLES
STROUSE
with
Lyrics by MARTIN
CHARNIN
Original Broadway Production Directed by Martin Charnin
Presented on Broadway by Mike Nichols
Produced by Irwin Meyer
Alvin Nederlander Associates Inc.
Stephen R. Friedman Lewis Allen
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Icarus Productions
Based on "Little Orphan Annie"
By Permission of The Tribune Media Services, Inc
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House Michael P. Price, Executive Director
Producer and Choreographer Ruthann Lanni
Musical Director Paul Daher
Acting Director Joe Wohlgemuth
Annie is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.co.uk • www.mtishows.com • www.mtishows.com.au
SONGS
Overture Orchestra
Maybe Annie
Hard Knock Life Annie, The Orphans
Tomorrow Annie
Hooverville Company
Little Girls Miss Hannigan
I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here Annie, Grace, Servants
N.Y.C Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Company
Easy Street Miss Hannigan, Rooster, Lily
You Won't Be An Orphan For Long Grace, Warbucks, Annie, Servants
ACT II
N.Y. Entr'acte Orchestra
Fully Dressed Boylan Sisters, Bert Healy
Fully Dressed (Children) Orphans
Easy Street Reprise Rooster, Lily, Miss Hannigan
Cabinet Tomorrow Annie, Cabinet, Roosevelt, Howe, Warbucks
Something Was Missing Warbucks
I Don't Need Anything But You Warbucks, Annie, Grace, Duke, Company
Same Effect on Everyone Annie
New Deal For Christmas Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Company Bows Company
ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR PAUL DAHER
Piano - Paul Daher
Violin - Norma Davis
Cello - Rowan Mendel
Reed 1 - Erik Donough
Reed 2 - Michael Mahadeen
Reed 3 - Matthew Schmidt
Reed 5 - Lauren Doss* (*student)
Trumpet 1 - Christian Arnold
Trumpet 2 - Alan Tedesco
Trombone 1 - Lea LaChance
Guitar/Banjo - Carol Hamersma
Bass - Rafael Alvarez
CAST
Cast Members
Annie Kiera Vowells
Miss Hannigan Erin Jacobs
Grace Farrell Samantha Innella
Oliver Warbucks Dominic Cerreto
Rooster Hannigan Juliana Kenworthy
Lily St. Regis Siena Lanni
Drake, Harold Ickes Mia Marulanda
Bert Healy, Franklin D. Roosevelt Declan McCormack
Molly Nicole Aragon
Pepper, Star To Be Evelyn Shore
Duffy Mei-Linn Kellam
July, Lt. Ward
Audrey Guerrero
Tessie Norah Ali
Louis Brandis, Bundles, Annette, Announcer (radio) Layla Vreeling
Connie Boylan, Louis Howe, Mrs. Greer, Apple Seller Amy Perlera
Bonnie Boylan, Cecille, Cordell Hull, Woman 2 and 4 Vivienne Qiao
Sandy Aggy Negrin
Frances Perkins, Sophie Kate Dugan
Henry Morgenthau Jr, Mrs. Pugh, Woman 1 and 3 Vera Wang
Dog Catcher
Ensemble, Men and Women of Hooverville and Servants)
Audrey Aquilino
Audrey Aquilino, Kate Dugan, Juliana Kenworthy, Siena Lanni, Mia Marulanda, Amy Perlera, Vivienne Qiao, Layla Vreeling,Vera Wang
CAST
Cast Members (continued)
Orphans Eliza Beckerman, Vivienne Bolcar, Lillyana Book, Giuliana Chereches, Ella Coughlin, Lily Coughlin, Keira Culmone, Ella Dailey, Morgan Dailey, Reese DeLotto, Rufaro Dodzo, Lexi D'Souza, Gretta Durick, Taylor Edwards, Lydia Hamilton, Mary Kate Jordan, Bella Kilpatrick, Katherine Koepff, Avery LaBarre, Maddox Messuti, Marley Messuti, Charlotte Meszaros, London Grace Milan, Olivia Petrich, Rosemarie Polefko, Alexa Prestifilippo, Sarah Price, Annabelle Robinson, Isabella Santibanez, Vera Beatrice Schochet, Vivian Scotto, Lily Tiu, Macy Travisano, Angelica Villacorta
Guests in NYC
Patrick O'Donnell, Arthur Philips, Colin Smith
CREW
Crew Members
Faculty Advisor
Stage Manager
Sr. Helen Sanchez
Sabrina Pasko
Audio Sound Designer Tess Coffey
Crew Azariah Andrews
Neeve Canniffe
Katherine Canon
Maeve Dam
Maria Kalavrouziotis
Ainsley Kaplan
Lia Griffin
Jane Guarnieri
Elyse O’Sullivan
Sarah Porr
Naomi Scotto
Peyton Simmons
WHO'S WHO
Kiera Vowells as Annie
Kiera is a junior and is so excited to be performing in her third show at Villa! She made her debut on the Villa stage in Seussical as JoJo. Sophomore year she performed as the Emerald City Guard and a featured ensemble member in The Wizard of Oz. Kiera has so much gratitude and love for her fellow cast and crew members for all of their hard work this year!
Erin Jacobs as Miss Hannigan
Erin is a senior at Villa Walsh Academy and is stoked to take on the role of Miss Hannigan in this year's production of Annie. Some of her favorite past roles include The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical and The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. In addition to theatre, Erin is a student division dancer with the New Jersey School of Ballet. Erin is beyond thrilled to be spending her final year in the Villa Musical with her musical family in this fantastic production. After Villa, she is heading off to Fordham University to continue entertainment pursuits.
Samantha Innella as Grace Farrell
Samantha is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. Her favorite prior roles include Marta Von Trapp (Sound of Music), Gertrude McFuzz (Seussical), and The Wicked Witch (The Wizard of Oz) In her free time, Samantha enjoys hanging out with her friends and playing with her dog Ruby. She’s so excited to be a part of this amazing production and is thankful to her parents and grandpa for their love and support.
WHO'S WHO
Dominic Cerreto as Oliver Warbucks
Dominic is a senior from Union, NJ and is so thankful to be in his first production at Villa Walsh Academy! He is grateful to the amazing cast, crew, and directors of Annie for such a warm welcome. Favorite past roles include Apostle in Jesus Christ Super Star; Plankton in The SpongeBob Musical, Davey in Newsies Jr., Kristoff in Frozen Jr., Linus in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and Barnaby in Hello Dolly!. In addition to theater, Dominic is a dedicated musician, attending School of Rock Clark for the past eleven years and singing in his parish choir for the past four years. After graduating, he will attend UCNJ as a Musical Theater major.
Juliana Kenworthy as Rooster Hannigan
Juliana is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy and this is her second year participating in the musical. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and drawing.
Siena Lanni as Lily St. Regis
Siena is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. This is her fourth production with VWA Performing Arts. She has previously been in The Music Man, The Sound of Music, Seussical, and The Wizard of Oz. She is excited to see the final production.
Mia Marulanda as Drake, Harold Ickes
Mia is a freshman at Villa Walsh Academy. She has performed in previous plays such as Beauty and the Beast in the ensemble, and Peter Pan Jr. as Tiger Lily. She enjoys voice acting, singing, drawing, and spending time with her friends in her free time. She is excited to share the stage with her fellow cast members and hopes to put on a spectacular performance together with them for this year's play!
WHO'S WHO
Declan
McCormack as Bert Healy, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Declan is in 8th grade at Chatham Middle School. Past roles include Shrek in Shrek Jr., Nick Bottom in Something Rotten Jr., Kevin G in Mean Girls Jr., Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid Jr, and Adam & Charles in Beetlejuice Jr. In his spare time Declan enjoys skiing, golfing and fishing. He is thrilled to be a part of Annie at Villa Walsh!
Nicole Aragon as
Molly
Nikki is a Sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. In her spare time she likes to hang out with friends, do arts and crafts, and play the guitar and piano. She also enjoys riding horses and competing in shows during the summer. It is her fifth year participating in the Villa Walsh Spring Musical and she is so excited to be a part of it again this year.
Evelyn
Shore as Pepper, Star To Be
Evelyn is an eighth grader at Villa Walsh Academy. She is a competitive dancer, and has been a competitive cheerleader. In her free time she also likes to surf. This is her first musical on Villa’s stage and she is excited to be a part of Annie.
Mei-Linn Kellam as Duffy
Mei-Linn is an eighth grader at Villa Walsh Academy. This is her second spring musical at Villa; last year she was in the ensemble of The Wizard of Oz She was also involved in performing arts in her old school.
Audrey
Guerrero as July, Lt. Ward
Audrey is a seventh grader at Villa Walsh Academy. This is her first production on our stage. She has previously played Scuttle in The Little Mermaid Jr., Ron in Harry Potter, Absolem the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, to name a few. She loves acting and getting to challenge herself with new roles every year.
WHO'S WHO
Norah Ali as Tessie
Norah Ali is a seventh grader at Villa Walsh Academy. In her free time, she loves to sing, horseback ride, write songs and poems, and hang out with her cat. This is her first musical at Villa Walsh, and she is very excited!
Layla Vreeling
as Louis Brandis, Bundles, Annette, Announcer (radio)
Layla Vreeling has been a part of the Villa Walsh productions since 7th grade. She has participated in The Sound of Music, Seussical, The Wizard of Oz, and now Annie. Her roles this year include Mr. Bundles, Annette, Fred McKraken, Judge Brandis, and Marine Guard. She has two cats that she loves dearly.
Amy Perlera
as Connie Boylan, Louis Howe, Mrs. Greer, Apple Seller
Amy is a Sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. This year she plays multiple roles as part of ensemble, such as a Bolyan Sister, Mrs. Greer, the appleseller, and a part of Roosevelt’s cabinet. This is her second production with Villa and she is so grateful to be back this year. She can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Vivienne
Qiao as Bonnie Boylan, Cecille, Cordell Hull, Woman 2 and 4
Vivienne is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy, and is thrilled to be joining the VWA Musical for the first time. Her hobbies include baking, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family. She would like to thank Mr. W, Mrs. Lanni, Mr. Daher, and her parents for driving her to rehearsals.
Aggy Negrin as
Sandy
Aggy is an 8 year old labrador retriever. This is his very first time on stage! When he is not performing, Aggy loves to play with his human brothers, Leo & Jesse, and his puppy brother Percy. Aggy loves carrots, crumbs, and long walks!
WHO'S WHO
Kate Dugan as Frances Perkins, Sophie
Kate is a freshman at Villa Walsh Academy. One of her favorite roles was Martin in Mean Girls JR at Sellwood Studios. In Kate’s free time she likes to horse back ride, sing and hang out with friends. She is so excited to be a part of this year's production and is thankful to her parents and friends for their support.
Vera Wang as Henry Morgenthau Jr, Mrs. Pugh, Woman 1 and 3
Vera is an 8th grader at Villa Walsh Academy. She has been in shows before, but this is her first year participating in the Villa Walsh spring musical. She is playing three separate roles. She has enjoyed her experience in the production of Annie.
Audrey Aquilino as Dog Catcher
Audrey is an 8th grader at Villa Walsh Academy. She has been in two prior productions Aristocats and VWA’s The Wizard Of Oz. She has taken lessons at The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Junior Core. She is having a great time performing on the Villa Stage and has learned so much. When not performing she enjoys spending time with her cat Sebastian.
Eliza Beckerman as Orphans
Eliza is a 5th grader at Millington Elementary School. When not on stage, she enjoys dance, gymnastics, tennis and Girl Scouts. Eliza is beyond excited to be participating in her first Villa Walsh Academy play! She would like to thank her family and friends who have come to see the show and everyone at Villa Walsh for making this such a wonderful experience!
WHO'S WHO
Vivienne Bolcar
Vivienne is a bubbly 12-year-old actor whose joy for performance lights up the stage. A regular in school performances at St. James and with the Mayo Center, she brings curiosity, heart, and playful imagination to each role. When she isn’t rehearsing, you’ll find her reading, horseback riding, singing in choir, or participating with her Girl Scout Troop. After pausing acting because of her Leukemia diagnosis in December 2024, this is Vivienne’s first return to the stage, a brave, heartfelt moment that reminds us why theatre matters. For her, it has been a hard knock life which she has faced with grace and courage.
Lillyana Book
Lillyana is a fifth grade student at Assumption School. Aside from her love of theater, she enjoys dancing school, singing, swim team and softball. Annie marks her first performance at Villa Walsh Academy and she is so excited to be a part of the amazing cast.
Giuliana Chereches
Giuliana is a seventh grader at Assumption School. She is excited to be performing in the Villa Walsh Musical for the second year in a row! In her free time, Giuliana enjoys art and spending time with her family and friends.
Ella Coughlin
Ella is 11 years old and performing her third show for Villa Walsh Academy. She has enjoyed coming to practice and making new friends. When she is not working on Annie, Ella enjoys playing violin and bass, participating in Girl Scouts, climbing mountains, crocheting, reading, and dancing. Ella loves musical theater and hopes to perform in more shows at Villa Walsh in the years to come.
WHO'S WHO
Lily Coughlin
Lily is so excited to be a part of Villa Walsh Academy’s musical for the third year in a row, as she played the role of Cindy Lou Who in Seussical and a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz. She has truly enjoyed learning the choreography, singing, and meeting new friends. When she is not participating in musical theater, eight-year-old Lily loves to play piano, dance, read, and participate in Girl Scouts. She hopes to perform in more shows in the future!
Keira Culmone
Keira is a sixth grader at Assumption School, where her favorite subjects are Social Studies and Religion. She loves running and competes in several track and cross-country programs. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach with her family.
Ella Dailey
Ella is in fourth grade at St. Patrick School in Chatham. Outside of theater, Ella enjoys skiing, delving into art projects, playing on the school basketball team, and reading new books. She is excited to be making her theatrical debut in Villa Walsh Academy’s production of Annie.
Morgan Dailey
Morgan is a fourth grader at St. Patrick School in Chatham and is excited to make her stage debut in the Villa Walsh production of Annie. When she’s not rehearsing, Morgan loves playing the flute, sketching fashion designs, discovering new musicals, shopping, and spending time with her family, friends, and her very playful dog, Jazzy.
Reese DeLotto
Reese in 6th grade at Assumption School. She played a munchkin in Villa Walsh Academy’s production of The Wizard of Oz and is excited to join again for Annie. When she isn’t practicing for the play, she enjoys swim team, tennis, basketball, track and spending time with her family and friends.
WHO'S WHO
Rufaro Dodzo
Rufaro (Faffy) is a 6th grader at Brooklawn Middle School and this performance is her second time on the Villa Walsh stage. Last year Faffy joined us in Munchkinland in The Wizard of Oz. With a passion for the stage, Faffy has always been drawn to theater, her other interests include reading, spending time outdoors, and baking. She is so happy to be in this production of Annie with her friends.
Lexi D’Souza
Lexi is a sixth grader at St. Elizabeth Montessori School in Parsippany. She is excited to return to VWA for this year’s show. In her free time, Lexi enjoys swimming, playing tennis, and participating in Girl Scouts. She wants to thank her family and friends who have come to watch the show and everyone at Villa Walsh for making this such a fun experience.
Gretta Durick
Gretta is an enthusiastic 4th grader from St. Patrick School and is thrilled to join the orphan ensemble in Villa Walsh's production of Annie! A huge Broadway fan, she also loves swimming, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family. She is so excited to take the stage and perform with the amazing role models from Villa Walsh Academy.
Taylor Edwards
Taylor Edwards is a 4th grader at the School of St. Elizabeth in Bernardsville. She has been performing since the age of 5 in musical theater, dance and cheer. Taylor sings in the choir, plays basketball and is on the cross country team this year at St. Elizabeth. She enjoys swimming, playing tennis and the guitar, and spending time with her parents and friends. Taylor attended camp at Villa Walsh and is excited to be in the musical this year.
WHO'S WHO
Lydia Hamilton
Lydia is a sixth grader at St. Patrick's School in Chatham. She is excited to be making her theater debut. In her free time, Lydia enjoys swimming, playing cello, creating art and taking her puppy Addie for walks. She wants to thank her family and friends who have come to watch the show and everyone at Villa Walsh Academy for making this such a fun experience!
Mary Kate Jordan
Mary Kate is a 5th grader at Assumption School and is so excited to be back on stage for her second show at Villa Walsh in Annie! She is having so much fun playing one of the orphans and loves bringing lots of energy and heart to the stage. When she’s not rehearsing, Mary Kate can be found singing around the house, dancing whenever her favorite songs come on, and dreaming of her next performance. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she enjoys being a part of it!
Bella Kilpatrick
Bella is a seventh grader at Saint James School in Basking Ridge. She has performed in previous productions through Saint James’ recreational theater program and enjoys being part of the cast. In addition to theater, Bella participates in volleyball, basketball, softball, track, and golf. She volunteers as an altar server at her parish, serves as a LEO with the Lions Club, and is pursuing volunteer service through her local VFW to support veterans in need. Inspired by a lifelong exposure to aviation, Bella is currently learning how to fly airplanes and enjoys challenging herself both onstage and off.
Katherine Koepff
Kate is a 6th grader at Assumption School. This is her first production at Villa Walsh Academy. She is so happy to be part of this incredible group and wants to thank all the volunteers for their hard work. She would also like to thank her family for their love and constant support!
WHO'S WHO
Avery LaBarre
Avery is thrilled to be back on Villa’s stage as an Orphan this year! She made her debut last year as a member of the Lullaby League in The Wizard of Oz and got carried away in its magic! When she’s off stage, she’s competing in Travel Softball, hiking through the great outdoors and furthering her love for theater at the MPAC. As a fifth grader at Assumption now, she’s proud to share this experience with her classmates and continue their thespian adventures together!
Maddox Messuti
Maddie is a first grader and is thrilled to be performing in her very first play at Villa Walsh. She loves being on stage and enjoys singing, dancing, and performing whenever she can. Maddie has been playing piano since she was four years old and also takes tap and ballet. She is so excited to be part of Annie this year!
Marley Messuti
Marley is a third grader and is excited to be performing in her second show at Villa Walsh this year. She loves being on stage and is happiest when she’s performing. In addition to theater, Marley plays piano, enjoys tennis, and studies ballet. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of Annie and thanks the teachers, castmates, and her family for their support.
Charolotte Meszaros
Charlie is a sixth grader at Assumption School. This is her second Villa Walsh Academy Spring Musical performance. Charlie enjoys tennis, volleyball, art, and spending time at the beach. She is very excited to be on stage again alongside her Assumption friends and the wonderful Villa performers.
WHO'S WHO
London Grace Milan
London is a 7th grade student at Saint James School. She discovered her love for the stage last year when she performed in her first SJS production, Into the Woods. This year, she is thrilled to return to the stage as one of the orphans in Annie and already feels like she’s part of the Villa Walsh family. London has dreamed of attending Villa Walsh Academy since the 5th grade, and being part of this production makes her feel one step closer to that goal. Outside of theater, London keeps herself busy in ways that reflect both her heart and her adventurous spirit. She volunteers at the soup kitchen, plays volleyball, and golf, and has developed a real passion for rowing. This year, she also began training to become a pilot and has already logged her first flight hours under the guidance of Air Force veterans.
Olivia Petrich
Olivia is a sixth grade student at St. Patrick School and is thrilled to be part of Annie. Outside of theater, Olivia enjoys playing travel soccer, practicing the piano, and immersing herself in all things art-related. This performance marks her return to the Villa Walsh stage after appearing as a Munchkin in last year’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Olivia is so happy to be back on stage and grateful for the opportunity to perform again!
Rosemarie Polefko
Rosie is a fourth grader at St Patrick School. This is her first performance at Villa Walsh Academy. The sun always comes out when Rosie is around: she loves to be with her friends, perform gymnastics and play basketball. She is so excited to be an orphan in Annie alongside her St Pat’s friends.
Alexa Prestifilippo
Alexa is a 4th grader at Assumption School. She enjoys field hockey, basketball, softball, music, and art. This is her second year performing in the Villa Walsh musical, and she’s excited to be a part of the show!
WHO'S WHO
Sarah Price
Sarah is a 6th grader at Assumption School. This is her second year performing as a guest performer in a Villa Walsh production. She loves to perform on stage and is happy to be a cast member in this year’s production. When not performing she enjoys Volleyball, Softball, and Track.
Annabelle Robinson
Annabelle Robinson is a fourth grader at St. Patrick School and is delighted to be making her stage debut in this year’s production of Annie at Villa Walsh. She enjoys art, dance, and playing tennis, and loves expressing herself through creative activities. Annabelle has enjoyed being part of such a special production and is grateful for the opportunity to perform alongside the cast and crew.
Isabella Santibanez
Isabella is a 7th grader at Assumption school. She enjoys playing basketball, as well as reading and writing. She can’t wait to perform in Annie!
Vera Beatrice Schochet
Vera is a fourth grader at Assumption School. When she’s not practicing gymnastics or running cross-country, Vera spends her time taking theater and cabaret classes at MPAC and participating in Villa’s own theater summer camp program. Vera is beyond excited to perform once again on Villa’s stage, this time as an orphan in her favorite musical, Annie
Vivian Scotto
Vivian is a sixth grader at Oak Knoll School and this is her first performance at Villa Walsh Academy. She’s loved making new friends and spending more time at VWA where her sister Naomi is currently a Freshman. Aside from acting, Viv loves music, dancing, cheer and track. She is so excited to be part of the Annie production!
WHO'S WHO
Lily Tiu
Lily is a sixth grader at St. Patrick School. She loves theater and is excited to be in the Villa Walsh production of Annie. This is her second show at Villa Walsh, and her heart was introduced to its love of theater at Villa. Aside from theater, Lily loves learning, playing the piano, playing with legos, and singing.
Macy Travisano
Macy is a 4th grade student at Assumption School and is thrilled to be part of another theater production at Villa Walsh. In her spare time, Macy enjoys playing field hockey, basketball, and spending time with her family and friends. Macy 's constant singing provides the background music to our lives everyday.
Angelica Villacorta
Angelica is in 6th grade at Jump Immersion School and is fluent in Spanish. She is studying modern, jazz, ballet, and acro. She enjoys singing, dancing, playing piano, guitar, and ukulele. She has performed in Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Nutcracker with Studio Allegro, and was part of Villa Walsh’s Wizard of Oz last year. Angelica also enjoys snowboarding and swimming. She is thrilled to be part of this year's Villa Walsh Academy’s production of Annie!
Arthur Phillips
as Guests in NYC
Arthur is a second grader at Assumption School. This is his second time appearing in the Villa Walsh show. When he isn’t singing or dancing he is playing soccer or having fun with his best friend, his yellow Labrador, Sunny.
WHO'S WHO
Patrick O'Donnell
Patrick is a fifth-grade student at Assumption School. His enthusiasm for performing was sparked through musical theater classes at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Some of his favorite roles include Schroeder in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz Patrick is excited to return to the stage at Villa Walsh Academy and he is delighted to appear as a police officer in this year's production of Annie.
Colin Smith
Colin is a fourth grader at Assumption. He enjoys spending time with friends, practicing taekwondo, and playing with his dogs, Muffin and Lady. Colin was a munchkin in Villa Walsh Academy's production of The Wizard of Oz last year and is excited to join this year’s cast of Annie!
CREW WHO'S WHO
Sabrina Pasko Stage Manager
Sabrina is a senior at Villa Walsh Academy. In her free time, she enjoys singing with her choir, traveling, and spending time with her dog. She has been participating in Villa Walsh productions since fifth grade and is happy to serve as stage manager again this year!
Tess Coffey Audio Sound Designer
Tess is thrilled to be a part of crew for this year's production of Annie. This will be her second year working on sound design and she could not be more excited to have a small underclassmen team joining her! In prior productions, she has also assisted with costumes. She would like to congratulate the entire cast and crew on a great show!
Azariah Andrews Crew
Azariah is thrilled to be participating in her third year of stage crew. She loves spending time with friends both on and off the Villa campus, and she especially enjoys the strong bonds she has formed with her fellow crew members. Working behind the scenes has been a meaningful and fun experience, allowing her to contribute to the magic of each production. Azariah is incredibly excited for audiences to see all the hard work come together in the finished show.
Neeve Canniffe
Neeve is a Freshman at Villa Walsh Academy and is very excited to be joining stage crew this year and helping assist the sound team in making Annie a great show! Previously, she appeared on Villa’s stage as Mrs. Mayor in Seussical and was backstage as a student costume assistant for The Wizard of Oz. She would like to congratulate the amazing team behind Annie on another great year.
Katherine Canon
K.C. is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. She enjoys playing sports, spending time with friends, and going to the beach. As this is her second year behind the scenes, she is so excited to be part of such a spectacular show once again and see it come together!
CREW WHO'S WHO
Maeve Dam
Maeve is a junior at Villa Walsh Academy. She has been a part of the stage crew for the past two productions Seussical The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, and this year’s Annie. In her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family, read, and listen to music. Maeve is excited to be a part of the show and to see all of the hard work of the cast and crew pay off!
Lauren Doss
Lauren is a Sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. She is so grateful to have the opportunity to play for this wonderful show! Last year she was a cast member in The Wizard of Oz but is excited now to be a part of the orchestra!
Maria Kalavrouziotis
Maria is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. She is so excited to be a part of this year's production. Last year she was in the cast of The Wizard Of Oz and this year she is excited to try something new in the crew. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and playing volleyball, and lacrosse.
Ainsley Kaplan
Ainsley is a freshman at Villa Walsh Academy. In her spare time she loves to listen to music, watch movies, and hang out with her pets. Ainsley has been a part of stage crew for many years and cannot wait to continue at Villa Walsh Academy.
Lia Griffin
Lia is a Junior at Villa Walsh Academy. She is a part of the stage crew and has been since freshman year. She loves to bake, binge tv shows, and spend time with her friends and family. She is so excited to be a part of Annie!
CREW WHO'S WHO
Jane Guarnieri
Jane Guarnieri is a senior at Villa Walsh Academy and has worked on spotlights for the show since she was a sophomore. She has worked on both Seussical and The Wizard of Oz. She is so excited to work with everyone in the cast and crew for Annie! She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Next year she will continue her education at Providence College.
Elyse O'Sullivan
Elyse is a sophomore at Villa Walsh Academy. She has participated in stage crew since 7th grade and is excited to continue doing it for the rest of her years in high school. She partook in the Wizard of Oz last year and had a bunch of fun doing so. In her spare time, she likes to build (LEGOs or little dioramas), read, and do Taekwondo.
Sarah Porr
Sarah is a junior at Villa Walsh Academy. She has been a part of the stage crew for last year's production, The Wizard of Oz, and this year’s Annie. In her free time, she likes to play golf, hang out with her friends, and bake. Sarah is thrilled to be a part of the show and witness the cast and crew work hard to make this show the best!
Naomi Scotto
Naomi is a Freshman at Villa Walsh Academy and is thrilled to be the dog handler for “Sandy”. Aside from her love of animals, she enjoys playing ice hockey, soccer and tennis. Naomi has loved getting to know Aggy and feeding him many baby carrots and treats!
Peyton Simmons
Peyton is a junior at Villa Walsh Academy and has been a dedicated member of stage crew since freshman year, assisting with sound and lighting. She loves watching her friends perform on stage and spending time with other crew members!
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
HONORARY BENEFACTORS
• Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, D.D., Bishop of Paterson
• Sr. Marianne McCann, M.P.F., Provincial, Province of St. Lucy Filippini
BENEFACTOR - $1,000.00
• Villa Walsh Academy Home and School Association
• BIS Improved Insurance Agency - Martin J. Agacinski
DONOR - $500.00
• The Dugan Family
• The Simmons Family
CONTRIBUTOR - $250.00
• Amanda Tappan
• Kramer Photograhy, Florham Park NJ
• The Innella Family
• St. Virgil's Church, Morris Plains
SPONSOR - $150.00
• Carpet et cetera Inc., Cedar Knolls
• Network Information Technologies
• St. Thomas More Church, Convent Station
• Saint Gerard Majella School, Paterson
• St. Ann Convent, Raritan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Production Design:
Ruthann and Joe Lanni
Set Construction:
Nasine Dam, Kenneth Doss, Rob Innella, Mark O’Sullivan, Chris Vowells, Cecil Kellam and Darin Cerreto
Set Painting:
Joe Lanni, Nancy Innella, Leslie Bostic, Kristina Pasko, Sabrina Pasko ‘26, Yasmin Kellam, Laura Shore, Juliana Kenworthy ‘28, Elizabeth Cullen ‘29, and cast members of Annie
Hair Design:
Laura Kandziolka and Nancy Innella.
Backstage helpers for hair and makeup: Emily Ann Coughlin, Renee Travisano, Laurel Hamilton’24, Alexandra Santibanes, Gaby Marulanda, Julia Pilas, Diane Chereches and Colleen Coffey
Props:
Kristina Pasko (Committee Head), Lisa Lemke
Costumes:
The Costumer - Theatrical Rentals, Yasmin Kellam, Ruthann Lanni, and Nancy Innella
Ironing Volunteers: Gaby Marulanda, Monica Martinez and Kimberly Kilpatrick
Concessions:
Colleen Coffey and parent and student volunteers
T-Shirt Creation and Distribution:
Stacey Grabowski and Ruthann Lanni
Lobby Design:
Mrs. Grabowski and Mrs. Cheifer and the Creative Club
Playbill:
Stacey Grabowski
NOTES
Welcome to Villa Walsh Academy’s production of Annie.
The character of Little Orphan Annie was introduced in a 1924 comic strip by Harold Gray and published in New York Daily News. Running for many decades under Gray’s artistic view, Little Orphan Annie was a celebrated regular showcasing a resilient and optimistic young girl that faced many trials and hardships. In the next decade, during The Great Depression, Annie's resilient character became a hopeful example to others that were greatly suffering. Her positive attitude was encouragement to the readers on how to persevere through what seemed like impossible circumstances. Annie the musical by Strouse, Charnin, and Meehan first debuted on Broadway in April of 1977. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical; it became a huge success and kept its run for 2,377 performances. The movie adaptation in 1982 brought the story to mainstream America and had many young children singing Broadway tunes by heart.
I grew up during the height of Annie’s popularity. In fact the song “Tomorrow” was always the closing of my dance school performances. Each performer onstage would sing it with gusto, possibly imagining themselves as the star of the show, or much like the main character, as someone brave enough to save any situation. It seemed to us that Annie could do anything just by staying positive. Perhaps it is that resilience that was so appealing. Through this show of extremes: the poverty of the Hooverville shantytowns versus the excess of the Warbucks mansion; the cynicism of adults versus the relentless optimism of a child; the greed of the Hannigans verses the generosity of those who truly loved Annie, we see someone survive it all with each set back.
Mr. Daher, Mr. Wohlgemuth and myself are so proud of all of the performers in this production. They are brave enough to not only put themselves in front of an audience - but to do it with a love for telling stories and sharing what could be. We hope that one day they look back upon this experience and always carry forward an optimistic view.
Enjoy the show!
Ruthann Lanni
NOTES
Special thanks to our Principal, Sr. Elaine Bebyn, M.P.F., our Director of Curriculum, Mrs. Maria Manley, and the entire Villa Walsh Academy faculty and staff for their support and assistance.
We are grateful to our Home and School Association and all of our Villa Walsh Academy parents who generously volunteered their time and talents to assist with this production!
The Villa Walsh Academy school and community takes this opportunity to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Producer and Choreographer, Mrs. Ruthann Lanni, Musical Director, Mr. Paul Daher and Acting Director, Mr. Joe Wohlgemuth. Your time and talents made this production a success. To our wonderful audience: keep “thinking about tomorrow.” Your presence has made Annie so much fun to perform.
Many Thanks to:
The Coffey Family
The Dam Family
The Doss Family
The Innella Family
The Vowells Family
David Kramer and Kramer Photography
Robert Lefkowitz and Video Moments
Stacey Grabowski
Olga Negrin
George Schneider with Philly Pretzel Company
Photographs by: Edmund M. Kramer, Photographers
137 Columbia Turnpike - Florham Park, New Jersey 973.377.1767
Video by: Video Moments, Robert Lefkowitz
SENIORS
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible Senior Cast and Crew of Villa Walsh Academy.
Like Annie’s unwavering optimism, you have filled this stage with courage, heart, and the belief that “the sun will come out tomorrow.” Your talent, dedication, and spirit have left a lasting legacy in VWA’s Drama Program—one that will inspire for years to come.
As you take your final bow, remember: you’re never fully dressed without a smile… and you will always have one waiting for you here at Villa.
There will always be a spotlight shining for you at home. Come back and see a show!
Tess Coffey
Jane Guarnieri
Erin Jacobs
Sabrina Pasko
