The recent production at of ‘Annie the Musical’ at Kennedy Baptist College was a remarkable showcase of talent, creativity, and collaboration between students and staff. Both students and staff expressed immense pride in the quality of the performance, highlighting the hard work that occurred over a period of seven months to ensure the success of the production. Staff involved in the Production applauded the involvement of different departments in the College, and they would like to sincerely thank the cast, orchestra, backstage crew, and tech team for their dedication, hard work and enthusiasm – all of which contributed to a polished final product. Janelle Anthony, the Executive Producer, expressed her relief and satisfaction with how the students, and staff executed the vision, acknowledging the collective hard work. The fact that this production had the highest ticket sales out of Kennedy’s three productions, was testament to this wonderful team effort.
We were fortunate to have Drea Onamade, 2024 Australian Idol Finalist, as our Vocal Director. She commented and said “Thank you to the team at Kennedy Baptist College for having me as part of their Annie production this year. I don’t think the students and the production team know how much I needed this as part of my own musical journey. Seeing the friendships blossom, the confidence grow and the finished production was so heartwarming. I look forward to seeing how all the students grow in their art and I’m so honoured to have been a part of the journey! The sun really has come out —Tomorrow!”
For students, it was an opportunity to showcase their skills in acting, singing, and choreography. The cast members noted the valuable experience gained from working together, rehearsing, and pushing their limits in a professional setting. Many shared how the production process helped them grow both artistically and personally.
Some of our students shared their feedback with us.
Allirah Vanderwal (Molly) said, “My favorite part of the Annie Production was learning more about theatre and acting. It was also an amazing opportunity to meet many new people and make friends in all-year groups”.
Taylor Ricciardo (Pepper) said that the Production of Annie, was an amazing experience. “I really enjoyed learning choreography for various dances, practicing lines and rehearsing songs. I really loved the process of seeing everything come together and seeing everyone execute their part so strongly. I will forever remember this moment as I had so much fun.”
Max Koch (Guitarist in the Orchestra) commented, “I would first off like to say that I’m extremely grateful for letting me be part of this production. As a guitarist who mainly focuses on blues, jazz and contemporary music, I never knew that I would be playing around 30 songs/pieces that all have different styles over a 2-3 hour period, with there being four shows! Even if it took seven months to learn all 30, I never saw myself doing this type of work, especially at a professional level.”
Overall, the ‘Annie: The Musical’ production received positive feedback from our audience and parents. The experience fostered a sense of community, with everyone involved feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. The production proved to be a fantastic learning opportunity, something that we highly value here at Kennedy Baptist College.
