All-children’s version of the musical Annie ready to take West End

Young stars of musical breaking down barriers to a career on stage
Starring role: the London schoolgirls who are all starring as Annie in the Musical AnnieJr in the West End this summer. L to R: Eleanor Waldron, aged 11, from Henley on Thames; Tabitha Knowles,, 10, Archway; Gracie Weldon, 9, Harpenden; Alana Hinge, 10,
Alex Lentati

These are the eight Annies chosen to star in a special all-children’s version of the musical produced in response to Julie Walters’s lament that only the rich can now afford drama school.

Matthew Chandler, of P2P Productions, decided to recruit children who might otherwise not be able to pay for formal training to star in the production in the West End this summer.

“I saw an article where Julie Walters said acting was becoming a rich man’s sport that only people who could afford to get to university and drama school could do,” he said.

He discovered a one-hour version of Annie, called AnnieJr, adapted from the hit musical about orphan Annie. Its memorable songs include Tomorrow.

Mr Chandler tested the project in west London where 250 girls turned up to audition. “We found some phenomenal talent,” he said.

He then decided to offer children the experience to perform in the West End. More than 2,900 young people came forward and more than 350 candidates aged six to 19 were chosen to star — unpaid — in eight different casts, which will perform in turns over the month.

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Any profit from the shows will go back into more performances with more young people. Mr Chandler explained: “It’s self-financing. I wanted it to be free so it wasn’t a financial burden for any parent.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for all the youngsters involved — and features one of the greatest child roles ever written.” Casting agents are being invited to watch the young performers with the hope of finding future roles for the most talented.

AnnieJr will be at the Arts Theatre from July 29 to August 31

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