The classic musical “Annie Get Your Gun” has been chosen for this year’s student production by the Town of Webb School Drama Department, and will be performed at the school on Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22.
Vocal Music Director Valerie Gaudin said that besides being a great musical, Annie Get Your Gun is ideal for the young cast she expects to be working with.
“I have mostly tenth graders this year and only a few seniors, so I needed a really fun musical to keep the kids intrigued,” she said.
“In addition, the crowd is sure to enjoy the show’s many well known songs,” she said.
This will mark the first staging of the musical at the Town of Webb School.
Annie Get Your Gun was produced by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and first appeared on Broadway in 1946.
The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley, a sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and the story of her romance with Frank Butler.
Lyrics and music are written by Irving Berlin.
The show includes many hit songs, including “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Doin’ What Comes Naturally,” “You Can’t Get A Man with a Gun,” “They Say It’s Wonderful,” and “Anything You Can Do.”
Miss Gaudin said there’s much that goes into producing student musicals, and the cost is not insignificant.
“You’re dealing with publicity, costumes, the crew that builds the sets, the props, the painting, the pit band, the programs, and more; it really adds up,” she said.
The Drama Department finances productions itself, with no funding from the school district.
Student participants go door to door to raise money, selling program ads to local businesses.
Last year they did an outstanding job generating about $3,000 in sales to local businesses and supporters, according to Gaudin.
And indispensible to the effort is co-director Anne DeFillipps, who Gaudin said does tremendous work every year.
A Bake Sale was held at the school on Thursday, November 21, the evening of the Junior, Senior and Jazz Bands’ fall concert, with proceeds to assist with the production of the musical.
Auditions are scheduled for Tuesday, December 17 beginning at 3 p.m. in the vocal music room. Students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to audition for the show. Miss Gaudin suggests that they check with the Drama Department’s bulletin board for information on audition requirements.