Tahoe Valley students shine in production of Annie KIDS

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Sixty-five performing arts students at Tahoe Valley Elementary School have been working hard since January on a production of Annie KIDS, the story of everyone's favorite redhead.

The actors, singers, and stage crew performed in front of Lake Tahoe Unified School District kindergartners Wednesday morning, bringing enthusiastic applause and appreciation for a great show.

Annie KIDS is based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, complete with Oliver "Daddy: Warbucks, the cruel Miss Hannigan, and of course, Annie and her dog Sandy. The cast from Tahoe Valley Elementary sang all the favorite songs from Annie so you'll be singing "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard-Knock Life” all day long after attending a performance!

During Wednesday's kindergartner performance mean Miss. Hannigan was ordering the orphans to scrub the floors until they shine like the top of the Chrysler building. One of the characters exclaims, "but it's 4:00 a.m.!" Of course, Miss Hannigan said she didn't care to which one of the young ones in the audience called out, "but that's illegal!"

The show is co-produced by Alyssa Little and Nicole Mora, with student assistant directors Maelyn Rios and Sissy Skotvold. Maelyn was a member of the Tahoe Valley Performing Arts program and starred in shows before heading to STMS and South Tahoe High where she is a junior with Sissy.

There are two public performances, one each on Wednesday and Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.). Thursday's show is already sold out but some room left for Wednesday.

And don't forget, you're never fully dressed without a smile.