Get the Inside Scoop on "Annie" Part Two: We're Onstage!

The Summer Players’ production of Annie is up and running! Our student performers are having a blast performing onstage for their family, friends and SCR theatre-goers. After weeks of rehearsal, they are putting all they've learned out there for the world to see and are winning over audiences, earning the roar of applause after every show.

Before the show opened, we caught up with our cast bloggers to hear what they had to say about their Annie experience leading up to opening night.

SCR: What is the biggest thing you've learned, so far?

Rachel: "I've learned to take big risks and to have fun with my choices." 

Jamie: "…go for it! It doesn't matter if you make mistakes; you should make them loudly and proudly…every mistake is a learning opportunity." 

Guy: “…commit to every character choice.” 

Rachel: “The cool thing about acting is that you get to create your character anyway you want!”

Our bloggers in full costume and ready to take the stage!

SCR: What has been your favorite moment so far?

Rachel: "My dog Oliver is playing Sandy…he never stops amusing us." 

Guy: “He brings excitement to every cast member!” 

Jamie: “It’s one of my favorite feelings…holding our harmonies. It makes the song take on a new dimension.” 

Tejas: “Seeing all the little things fall together to create something powerful and funny.”

SCR: What has been the best part about working on Annie?

Tejas: “The camaraderie of everyone…”  

Rachel: “Definitely getting to work with people of all ages and experiences.” 

Jamie: “The age range [of student actors] is almost 10 years. Getting to connect with so many people…it’s a wonderful experience.”

Guy: “The best part is the staff. We have the best director, musical director, stage manager and costume/set designer.” 

Tejas: “It couldn't happen if everyone wasn't working together.”

Here's a quick peek at the Annie gang singing "Tomorrow."  Can you spot our bloggers among the ensemble? More next week with our Annie bloggers! 

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Learn more about SCR's Theatre Conservatory

The Annie Bloggers

Guy, age 16

Jamie, age 14

Rachel, age 15

Tejas, age 13

Get the Inside Scoop on "Annie"

Meet Our Annie Bloggers
Guy McEleney, age 16, from Long Beach. Guy started acting when he was just five years old and has been studying acting at SCR for eight years. In Annie, he portrays Franklin Delano Roosevelt. "My favorite thing about [FDR] is his voice. As, an actor it brings a challenge."

Jamie Ostmann, age 14, from Los Alamitos. Jaime has been acting since she was four years old and began studying acting at SCR in 2007, at age eight. In Annie, she portrays Frances Perkins. "[Frances] is just such a strong person. In a time when women were expected to stay home, she became the first woman to enter the presidential line of succession."


Rachel Charny, age 15, from Irvine. Rachel began acting at SCR when she was eight years old and has been here ever since. In Annie, she is a part of the ensemble and portrays Bonnie Boylan. "[In the ensemble] I have room to take big risks and make strong choices. [All of my] characters are all so unique."

Tejas Dhindsa, age 13, from Irvine. Tejas started acting around the age of 10 and has been studying acting at SCR since 2010. In Annie, he portrays Harold Ickes, a member of FDR's cabinet. "This character is…very passionate about everything he does. He always goes above and beyond."

This year an unprecedented 34 students make up the cast of SCR's Summer Players production of Annie. They all love the show and are learning more about acting and working together everyday. We recruited four cast members as bloggers to get the scoop about what's happening backstage and in rehearsal and what they're learning from this experience.

We caught up with our bloggers and got some behind the scenes tidbits:

SCR: What is happening right now in rehearsals?

Jamie: "We just had a sing and dance through of the show." 

Rachel: "...cleaning up choreography." 

Guy: "...building character choices." 

Tejas: "...and really tightening up the music." 

Jamie: "It's really coming together now!"

The cast of Annie getting notes in rehearsal.

SCR: What is your favorite song in Annie?

Guy: "'NYC' because every time I sing it I envision the beautiful streets of Times Square." 

Tejas: "Probably, "Little Girls" sung by Mrs. Hannigan. The actor, who plays Mrs. Hannigan, Shane Iverson, does a great job projecting her emotions in a way that always makes me laugh while simultaneously scaring me."

SCR: Do you have any fun backstage stories?

Rachel: "All the dancing is so much fun…[it's] been a blast." 

Tejas: "During our first sing through of the final song, "Bows," everyone sang different words and the sound ended up being very odd indeed." 

Jamie: "I get to watch Oliver (the dog who plays Sandy) a lot and one day he discovered how to open the door to the [rehearsal room]. I had to almost tackle him to keep him from escaping!"

Guy: "Oliver just freely roams the [rehearsal] room and will make his way into every scene."

Oliver the dog, spontaneously gives a kiss to Tejas (top left).

More next week with our Annie bloggers!

Buy tickets now!

Learn more about SCR's Theatre Conservatory

The Summer Players in "Annie:" No One Ever Said it Was Going to Be Easy

Ben Susskind, Sarah Cocroft, Dylan Davies and Jaden Fogel join the cast of Annie.

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The Summer Players production of Annie boasts the largest-ever cast—34 young actors, who won their roles through audition after at least a year in the Theatre Conservatory.  Most of them are old pros—students with SCR resumes that include two or more years of training, roles in previous Players shows and, for many, in A Christmas Carol.  With all that experience, when rehearsal begin, they know what to expect.

But what’s it like to be one of the new guys in a huge production where everyone has a vital part to play?  We asked that question of the four first-year students as they took a break from rehearsal.

All four cast members are part of the Annie ensemble, but each has at least one other role—and they all sing and dance as well as act. 

According to Ben Susskind (Al the Appleseller, Chauffeur), “There’s a lot to do, so much to put together that each one of us is working all the time.  But the rehearsals are so well organized that we can learn really fast—and it’s fun!”

For Jaden Fogel (Bert Healy) the experience is very different from what he’d imagined.  “I was surprised because we’re working on everything at the same time—acting, singing and dancing.  It’s stressful but I love the stress!”

It’s also longer than expected, according to Dylan Davies (Eddie, Producer).  “I was excited when I got cast in the show; I just didn’t know the rehearsals were going to last so long!  But I learned a lot in class during the year so I can put everything together—and I’m having fun.”

Sarah Cocroft (Star to Be) found out about the fun part from her sister, Lauren, a fifth-year student.  “I saw how much fun Lauren was having, and I finally decided to give it a try.  In this show, with all the music and dancing, everyone has so much to do, but I’m learning a lot—and I love it.”

Hard work… stress… long hours… a lot to do … and fun!  It all comes together when the Summer Players present Annie on the Julianne Argyros Stage, Saturday Aug. 10 and 17 and Sunday, Aug. 11 and 18 at 1 and p.m.