Summer Theater Connections Gear Up For ‘Annie’

By Jeff White

Tom Swetts looks excited at the high school these days. Experience no doubt is playing a helping hand in that mood.

It is the second year for Summer Theater Connections, which Mr Swetts kicked off last summer with grant money from the state. After an unequivocal success with its production of the musical Oliver! last August, Connections is rolling on even more smoothly this summer, with almost all of the kinks from last year ironed out.

“It is going so much better,” Mr Swetts said Tuesday afternoon. “This year, we had all the forms, all the contacts.” And this year, Connections organizers have more students participating: 130, up from 106 last summer.

Thanks to a two-year grant from the state, Summer Theater Connections offers young thespians from grades 7 through 12 a crash course in all things theater: acting, costume and set design, lighting, music, dance, even publicity. Moreover, the camp is free to all students, and buses are provided to students coming from neighboring towns like Danbury, Brookfield, and Bethel.

 During an intense three days of “workshops” at Connections’ outset, students rotate through every facet of putting on a large-scale production. During those early days, campers chose what they wanted to specialize in and the parts they wanted to try out for. Early into the camp’s second week, the cast lists were drawn up, and students began to spend more time in the discipline of their choice.

The musical Annie will be the camp’s production this year, and amid the loud and busy hands of set designers and lighting technicians this week, lead characters and chorus members walked through the production’s scenes on stage. Things are still a bit unpolished, but progress is being made.

“I think it’s great, because you learn so many aspects of drama,” commented Newtown High School junior Beth Leety, who will play the boisterous Hannigan in the August production. “The smaller kids who come here can learn about drama before coming into high school, where they can decide if they want to [specialize] in it.”

Roxbury’s Meg Mark will play the title character, Newtown’s Mike Sobo will play beguiling Daddy Warbucks, and New Fairfield’s Sahyuri Lalime will play Secretary Grace Farrell.

For Sahyuri, a junior at New Fairfield High School, this summer marks her second at Summer Theater Connections. “This year it is running more smoothly. It was great to come back because I knew people.”

Meg Mark as Annie was an easy choice for Director Anne Ferraro, as she arrived at Connections with the entire part memorized. “I love it,” said the eighth grader, who has been acting since she was six years old. “I’ve always loved being the main character.”

Mr Swetts was quick to point out not only the diversity and talent of the production’s ensemble, but the considerable increase in manpower that has befallen his technical team. Last year, two students opted to run the technical side of the production. This year, under the guidance of several high school interns, the tech team has swelled to 17 members.

Like last year, this summer’s Connections makes use college students who are running select departments, including Katie Mooney, this year’s assistant director. In addition, 13 paid high school interns are present to lend a hand.

Large-scale musicals are perfect for Connections. Last year’s production of Oliver! yield no fewer than 28 different speaking parts, thus requiring a larger than normal cast.

Annie, with it’s long list of lead and main characters, plus its large collection of orphan characters, also promises to get as many involved as desire dictates. According to Mr Swetts, anyone who wanted a part got one.

With opening night set for Friday, August 11, cast and crew members are gearing up for what affectionately became known last year as Hell Week, a 55 hour push starting next Monday and leading up to the curtain’s draw.

Next Thursday, August 10, on the production’s eve the cast will give a dress rehearsal/performance to the children of Newtown Parks and Recreation’s camps.

The opening night performance begins at 8 pm, with a matinee performance at 2 pm and an evening performance at 8 pm on Saturday, August 12.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 kids, with $5 for all seats during the matinee. Call the high school for more information.