Cara Lieurance sits down with director Mike Artis and actors Tim Davis and Carlee Stoker to preview Annie, opening Dec. 5 at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre. The production, the Civic’s fourth mounting of the beloved musical, runs through Dec. 21 with a full cast, live orchestra, and a fresh creative approach.
Artis, who has been involved with the Civic for decades, says this staging draws inspiration from original book writer Thomas Meehan, even incorporating details from Meehan’s young adult novel based on the musical. Set in 1933, the show’s Depression-era backdrop—breadlines, joblessness, and the arrival of FDR’s New Deal—feels newly resonant, Artis notes.
The cast features 10-year-old Charlotte Nickel as Annie, whom Artis describes as a “spitfire” with humor, heart, and natural stage instincts. Davis plays billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, a role he takes on after making his Civic debut this fall in Camelot. A lifelong musician, he says Warbucks undergoes “an arc from gruff to openhearted,” softened by Annie’s optimism.
Stoker, appearing as Grace Farrell, Warbucks’ secretary, says Annie was the first musical she ever performed. Landing the role of Grace—a longtime dream—was a surprise. She approaches the part “with love and care,” especially in scenes introducing Annie to her new world. Offstage, she and Nickel have developed a warm, playful rapport.
The production includes a 40-member cast, two trained dogs in the role of Sandy, expanded choreography by Sarah Sherman, and scenic designs by award-winning artist David Kyne, who blends Art Deco elegance with Depression-era grit. Music director Maria McCauley-Kerstetter returns for her third Civic Annie.
Tickets and performance details are available at kazoocivic.com or by calling 269-343-1313.
This interview was summarized by ChatGPT and edited by the author.
