Young Grayslake Actors in "Annie" This Weekend

It may be a “hard-knock life” for the orphans in the classic musical Annie, but the cast has a different story to tell. They are living on Easy Street as they are eager to perform the well-known musical on June 11-12.

The show is put on by the Standing Ovation Theatre Academy at the Village Church, 1319 N. Hunt Club Road, Gurnee.

The cast is made up of over 20 youths from in and around the Gurnee area, including three kids from Grayslake. They are Anthony Hillard, Kate Panagiotopoulos and Ashley Wyeth.

Ashley Wyeth, 10, of Grayslake, is playing Pepper. This is her first acting role with the Standing Ovation Theatre Academy and she is very excited. When asked if she gets nervous, she said, “Not really, until the real show – when the lights are on you, then there is pressure like taking a math final.”

Kate Panagiotopoulos, 5, of Grayslake will play Molly. This is her first production with the academy as well and she is a dedicated young actress.

“I practice every night, a lot and a lot and I never even sleep!” Panagiotopoulos said. She was proud that she can read on her own.

Eleven-year-old Sadie LaBelle, of Waukegan, has the title role of Annie. This will be her fourth show with the academy in only two years. “I was really happy," she said, when she learned of getting the lead. "I ran right to my script and started highlighting all my lines!”

If she ever forgets a line, LaBelle said it doesn't throw her.

“I pause for a quick second, then it all just comes back to me,” she said.

And the best part of the show for her? “Getting to sing, and getting to scare Miss Hanagan,” LaBelle said.

Phillip Caronti, 13, of Lindenhurst, will portray Daddy Warbucks. This is Phillip’s third show with the Standing Ovation Theatre Academy. He said he enjoys the show, but doesn't plan to pursue acting when older.

“Nah, it’s just for fun," Caronti said. "I like to make a lot of friends during these productions.”

Phillip’s sister Naomi Caronti, 16, plays Lily St. Regis in the play. This will be her second production with the academy.

“I like being able to step outside of who I really am and become someone else,” she said of her favorite part of acting.

Anthony Hillard, 11, of Wildwood has the role of Rooster. When asked what his favorite part of being in a production like this is, he replied, “… being on stage in front of hundreds of people.”

He added that he plans to pursue acting later in life. “Definitely! I want to do this when I’m older for sure.”

The Standing Ovation Theatre Academy is run by founder/director Erin Ormond, 28, of Gurnee. A Carthage College graduate with a music major and musical theater emphasis, Ormond started the company in September 2009 with the idea of a traveling vocal group that performed at various assisted-living facilities.

It then expanded into theatre classes, and by December 2009, its first production How the Grinch Stole Christmas, was put on, going word for word from the classic children’s book by Dr. Seuss.

Janice Zimmerman is not only the leader of the Volunteer Drama Ministry of Parable Ministry at the Village Church of Gurnee, where Annie will be performed, but has been the assistant director at SOTA for the past 12 months. This will be her third show with the academy.

For more information on the theatre academy, visit www.StandingOTheatre.com. Classes are 10 weeks each, including performance week and everyone in class gets a part in the production. The next production will be Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat at the end of July. There will be a summer camp from June 20 to June 24 titled, “So You Want to Be on TV?”

Annie will be performed at the Village Church of Gurnee at 7 p.m. Friday, June 10, at 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday, June 11. Tickets are $10 at the door.

The church is located at 1319 N. Hunt Club Road, just south of Grand Avenue (Route 132), and is across from the Jewel/Osco.

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