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It was all the energy, fun songs and laughter that you would expect from a Chisago Lakes High School musical last week, as the cast and crew presented Annie in six near soldout shows.

A terrific cast led by Rachel Lundberg as Annie and Steve Boeh as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks presented the time-honored tale of Annie, with all the twists and surprises that audiences have come to expect from a CLHS production.

CLHS teacher Mike Sandell and his set crew did a fantastic job of building a set that transformed convincingly from the orphanage to the Warbucks mansion in a matter of seconds.

Before the play even starts, audiences are introduced to some of the cute urchins that share Annie's unfortunate life of living in an orphanage. They gather around a bedside table to take in a broadcast of a radio program. Their antics are interrupted by a loud whistle and shouting from Miss Hannigan, the flustered child-hating woman who runs the orphanage, played perfectly by Stacey Peterson.

They disappear, giving audiences time to get ready for the first scene as the pit orchestra plays all the famous selections from the musical.

When the curtain opens, the orphans are in bed, but not sleeping. We quickly learn that Annie is loved and cared about as a friend and mother figure to the rest of the girls.

She reminds them that she has a letter and one half of a locket left by her parents when the dropped her off at the orphanage 11 years ago. She is convinced they will someday come back for her.

Annie is fed up with orphanage life, and tries to run away, but is stopped by Ms. Hannigan. She communicates the only way she knows how - by grumping and yelling - and makes them go to bed. She exits, grumbling, "Why anyone would want to be an orphan, I'll never know!"

The wonderful cast of orphans - played by Jacklyn Erdman, Claire Habel, Hannah Pearson, Kelsie Zollinger, Sarah Drake, Kailie Carlson, Dana Schimke, Natasha Lackas, Jessica Schmidt and Brittany Bettcher - sing "Hard Knock Life" with fun, playful choreography that convinces the audience that they are young girls.

The next day, Annie finds a way out, hiding in the outgoing laundry. She comes upon a group of homeless people who sing a sarcastic song, "Hooverville" and "thanking" the president for their current situation. We also hear Annie sing the most famous song from the musical, "Tomorrow."

Annie meets a stray dog that she falls in love with, Sandy, played by Patrick McCarthy in a great dog costume.

Meanwhile, Ms. Hannigan sings about her troubles in a funny song, "Little Girls." She sings like she talks - grumpy and whiny, as if she has the worst life in the world because she's surrounded by orphans.

Annie is caught by Lieutenant Ward, played by Brad Johnson, and brought back to the orphanage. Soon, though, she leaves again. Oliver Warbucks' secretary Grace Farrell, played by Lauren Seaburg, comes to find an orphan to spend the holidays at the Warbucks mansion. She immediately connects with Annie, and brings her back to meet Oliver.

At first, Oliver is very awkward and clumsy as a father figure to Annie, so he needs Grace to convince him to spend time with Annie. The three of them walk to a movie theater to see a Shirley Temple movie.

They are walked through the audience by the theater usherette, played by Jeni Mondeville, and then sit in movie seats up on stage, backs to the audience. A screen comes down and the audience is treated to the last few minutes of a black and white movie that shows a little girls finally finding her father.

Eventually, Farrell tells Hannigan that Warbucks would like to adopt Annie, which delights Hannigan while at the same time makes her tremendously jealous.

After hearing Annie and Warbucks make a plea for Annie's parents on the radio, Hannigan quips, "Next thing you know, they'll make a musical about her." Warbucks offers a cash reward for anyone who helps to locate Annie's parents.

The slimy brother of Hannigan, Rooster, played by Kevin Jennissen, and his girlfriend Lily St. Regis, played by Cami Sells, hatch a plan to play the role of Annie's parents so they can claim the reward money. Jennissen and Sells keep the audience laughing with their accents and attempts to seem sophisticated and cultured.

One of the funniest scenes is as President Franklin Roosevelt, played by Cody Dexter, discusses the current state of the country with his staff, played by Joe Birkholz, Dusty Farrell, Josh Salaba and Emily Goranson. The staff bicker back and forth, until Warbucks and Annie are introduced to the president. Annie tells him, "the sun will come out tomorrow" and then sings the song.

The president is so inspired that he insists that one of his staff repeat the song, but it is sung awfully to the delight of the audience. Roosevelt is also inspired to create new infrastructure, new jobs and The New Deal is born. He then sings his version of "Tomorrow" which is more like a talking, yelling rendition of the song that keeps the audience laughing.

Hundreds of people line up claiming to be Annie's parents, but it isn't until Rooster and Lily show up on Christmas Eve with a birth certificate and half a locket that Warbucks is convinced they've been found. He painfully prepares to say goodbye to Annie, until an investigation proves that Annie's parents are in fact, dead, and Rooster and Lily are imposters. The duo and Miss Hannigan are arrested, and Annie, the orphans, Warbucks, Grace and the rest of the mansion staff enjoy Christmas morning together.

Director Dave Seaburg did a terrific job placing actors into parts that seemed to be a perfect fit. The singing, choreography and acting were all spot on, and the scene changes were flawless. All testament to the many hours of rehearsal put into making it another very successful production for CLHS.

Also appearing in the musical were: Dan Medin, Dominique Ebbenga, Chuck Love, Todd Schouweiler, Gage Johnson, Alex Shaleen, Breanne Larson, Mariah Peltier, Claire Bakken, Karen Holt, Amelia Birkholz, Josh Salaba, Tony Olmschenk, Carly Savino, Erin Hawkinson, Abby Bottjen, and Aaron Holt.

Production staff included Seaburg, assistant Bridget Budig, and orchestra conductor Joshua Anderson. Other production staff: Matt Mitchell, Winnie Benson, Mike Sandell, Jolene Meyer, Lauren Seaburg and John Peterson.

Technical staff: stage managers- Ian Stokes and Cassie Glenna; Heather Underdahl, Ryan Holt, Cristian Arnold, Evan Snell and Lisa Schommer.

Tech crew: Joshua Erdman, Maggie Christiansen, Krissy Miller, Ethan Engstrom, Jo Jo Erdman, Maddie Hallberg, Jill Boege, Vanessa Schultz, Mackenzie Johnson, Cassie Schultz, Mary Quint, Gabi Crain, Kim Kerr, Sarah Johanson, Mckayla Kittleson, Maria Harold, Hollie Auchterlonie, Courtney Fox, Christa Brunnette, Cailin Engstrom, Allie Aldritt, Nastia Voronina and Amanda Sylla.

Pit orchestra: Mary Gerty, Rebecca Harwel, Amy Quint, Summer DeSantis, Rebecca Schmidt, Holly Gruntner, Ryan Merry, Augusta Molina, Kurt Anderson, Cassie Buelow, Carmen Boerboom, Charlie Wilcox, Alex Vrudny, John Bruno, Justin Goodroad and Winnie Benson.

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