Dot's talents bring new life to classic Annie!

Spring is the season for end-of-the-semester musicals, and troupes of talented kids and teens are currently executing tricky choreography and belting out showstoppers right here in Dorchester.

Annie: The cast of Annie! took the stage at St. Ann's in Neponset for three performances last week.Annie: The cast of Annie! took the stage at St. Ann's in Neponset for three performances last week.The cast of Annie! took the stage at St. Ann's in Neponset for three performances last week.St. Ann’s Parish, Neponset, recently hosted three performances of the perennial crowd-pleaser, Annie, presented by the Neighborhood Children’s Theatre, headed by music director and executive director Michelle McCourt, who is also the music director at Blessed Mother Teresa parish. Her assistant director and choreographer was Dot resident Elizabeth Rouse.

Last week’s Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances each featured largely different casts, the vast majority of whom live in Dorchester. Hannah Murphy, Michelle Beazley and Kelly O’Brien successively played the title role. David Kenny, Robert Carney and Matthew Muldowney portrayed Daddy Warbucks. Aolani Perilla, Carmella Verrastro, and Erin O’Brien were the three Graces.

Jennifer Browne and Ayo Edibiri had fun doing Miss Hannigan. Zachary Pessia played the scheming Rooster in all three shows. Bianca Perilla played his partner in crime, Lily, once while Caroline O’Brien did it twice.

Playing everything else—from adorable orphans to President Franklin Roosevelt—were talented Dot thespians, any of whom could have qualified as a “Star-to-Be”:Henry Anderson, Ava Bevilaqua, Jelani Cato, Emma Collins, Laura Connolly, Jenny Cuqua, Rachel Dhoray, Grace Finnegan, Julia Gangemi, Emily Gniado, Erica Gniado, Meg Gould, Maeve Guthrie, Jessica Hernandez, Aria Kelley, Andy McKenna, Andrew Murphy, Haley O’Brien, Meg O’Brien, Casey Perilla, Theresa Pugh, Harry Robertson, Kasey Soderberg, Grace Swardstrom, Valerie Trabucco, Koranda Vicente, Serena Walker, Cassie Wu, and Victoria Wu.

Tonight (April 30) the spotlight shifts to BC High’s Bulger Performing Arts Center where the Dever Players will begin the run of their take on the edgy, musical satire Urinetown with four Dot seniors in major roles. From BC High, Jeff Beazley stars as underground hero, Bobby Strong. Peter Skipper is the narrator Officer Lockstock. From Fontbonne Academy, Gabriela Follett plays Hope, Bobby’s love interest, and Mary Kavanaugh is the subversive street urchin Little Sally.

Further performances of the triple Tony award winning spoof are on May 1, 7 and 9 at 7 p.m. and May 2 and 10 at 2 p.m. More details at onestrongvoice.com.

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