Excerpts from Annie and a Tribute to America were presented by youngsters as two musical venues to a packed Mimosa Park Elementary auditorium in mid -June. Music teacher Harriette Parrish and Chesley Simoneaux worked with youngsters at their drama camp for just a couple of weeks and presented them on stage with lots of polish.
Melissa Brezinsky superbly played the role of the brash and brutal Miss Hannigan at her orphanage. Brezinsky has performed over a dozen leading roles at numerous opera companies including Seattle and the Pittsburgh opera. She holds a Master of Music from Julliard.
Set design coordinators who did a masterful job of orphanage beds and the American flag were Michelle Oubre, Teresa O’Neil and Becky Ohl.
The roster of youngsters included speakers from Excerpts from Annie: Jacob Brezinsky. “It’s a Hard-Knock Life”: Kayli Mato, Kaylee Parker, Dylan Sequeira, Cameron Coger, Sara Horn, Dan’Trel McCoy, Martin Breaux, Eric Gros, and Jacob Brezinsky. Charity Conlin and Gabrielle deBruler performed a duet. Soloist for “Little Girls” was Melissa Brezinsky. “Tomorrow” Soloist was Rachel Romano. “Buckets” included Martin Breaux, Jacob Brezinsky, Madison Canterbury, Cameron Coger, Charity Conlin, Michele deBruler, Eric Gros, Myah Hall, Sara Horn, Katherine Jorgenson, Kayli Mato, Dan’Trel McCoy, Rachel Romano, Emily Sampognaro, Madison Schaubhut, Dylan Sequeira, Molly Tassin, Logan Tassin, and Danielle Templet. “Mops” were Caroline Abadie, Gabrielle Constant, Peyton Fabre, Elise Fahrig, Tori Gomez, Kenyelle Harris, Randi Holmes, Olivia Joanos, Heather Matthews, Madeline Mayeux, Samantha O’Neil, Kaylee Parker and Savannah Whitney.
Mrs. Parrish’s director skills are seemingly designed to foster a child’s individual uniqueness in theater settings. Each child is important to the production and is treated as such so there is great expectation of achievement because of it.
The children’s musical drama feeder program is expected to continue next year.
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