St. Charles Parish kids to perform in JPAS musical

Twelve St. Charles parish children are participating in the 12th Jefferson Performing Arts Society’s Children’s Summer Theatre production June 22-25.

These local children are part of a total cast of 80 talented children from the greater New Orleans area performing the hit musical Annie Get Your Gun.  They are Destrehan residents Jordan Fitzsimmons, Megan Fitzsimmons, Kayleigh Mehrtens, Ann Marie Ory, Courtney Poulous, Catherine Serio, Olivia Naquin and Ridge Tully; Luling residents Kaylin Parker and Katy Prendergast; and St. Rose resident Alex Compagno.  Prendergast has one of the lead roles as Dolly Tate in the play.


Annie Get Your Gun is a wild western for all ages.  When Annie Oakley, a young sharpshooter, meets the dashing Frank Butler, star of Colonel Buffalo Bill’s show, she’s lovestruck!  But Frank is used to being the star shooter and the road to love is rocky for our two marksmen.  Come join our talented and energetic cast as we find out “There’s No Business Like Show Business!”  The production also features such memorable songs as “Doin’ What Comes Naturally,”  “Anything You Can Do I can Do Better” and “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun.”


This production marks the return of JPAS' children’s musical program in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  Vocal Director and Conducting the JPAS Broadway Pit Orchestra is Alan Payne.  Stage Director and Choreographer is Frannie Rosenberg.  James Jennings is Set Designer.


JPAS' summer musical theatre programs provide a challenging and high-quality musical theatre education to students of the Greater New Orleans area.  The students at our summer theatre programs are challenged, encouraged, stretched and enriched through a loving and inviting environment.  The goal is to help them develop a deeper love of the arts using their imaginations, voices and bodies in a challenging and rewarding way.


"Annie Get Your Gun" will be performed at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center in Metairie, 400 Phlox Ave, at 7:30 p.m. June 22-24 and at 2 p.m. on June 25. Tickets for are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for students, and can be purchased by calling JPAS at 504-885-2000.  For more information on JPAS and the summer musical theatre program, check out the website at www.jpas.org .