CAMBRIDGE – The sun will come out this fall as the world’s favourite family musical comes to Cambridge.
Annie will be on stage for four weeks from Oct. 2 to 27 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge.
With the production over 70 per cent sold out already, audiences are encouraged to get tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Earlier this year, Drayton Entertainment launched a province-wide search for a young actress to portray everyone’s favourite plucky orphan.
Young hopefuls from across Ontario submitted videos of themselves singing Tomorrow, and after a number of auditions, Kilworth native Riley DeLuca was selected to portray the beloved red-head.
DeLuca is a Grade 7 student at Parkview Public School in Komoka.
DeLuca will share the stage with a professional cast including Thom Marriott as billionaire businessman Oliver Warbucks. In addition to appearing in The Rainmaker and Death of a Salesman for Drayton Entertainment, Marriot has worked with many theatre companies across Canada including London’s Grand Theatre, the Shaw Festival, and the Stratford Festival.
He is also an accomplished screen actor, appearing in Star Trek and Suits, among other TV shows and movies.
Glynis Ranney is the wily Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage where Annie lives. Audiences may remember Ranney from her roles in Out of Order, The Drowsy Chaperone and Anne of Green Gables for Drayton Entertainment.
A veteran actress, Ranney performed for eight seasons with the Shaw Festival, and has been on many other stages across the country.
Cynthia Smithers makes her Drayton Entertainment debut as Grace Farrell, Mr. Warbucks’ sweet and smart secretary, who takes a liking to Annie right away. Among her many credits, Smithers appeared as Diana in A Chorus Line and Martha in Guys and Dolls at the Stratford Festival in 2016.
Justin Bott is Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan’s charming, but corrupt brother. Bott has appeared in many Drayton Entertainment productions including Jack and the Beanstalk: The Panto, Rocky: The Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Last Resort, among others.
Jacquelyn French will join Bott as Rooster’s ditzy and devious girlfriend, Lily St. Regis. In addition to appearing in Shear Madness and Rocky: The Musical for Drayton Entertainment, French has appeared on major TV shows such as Schitt’s Creek and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.draytonentertainment.com, in person at any Drayton Entertainment box office or by calling toll free 1-855-372-9866.
