Annie Jr. hits the stage this month

MEEKER I Meeker is in for a treat. Saturday, Nov. 20 the Center Stage Youth Theatrical Group will perform “Annie Jr.” at the high school auditorium.
It has been a great 12 weeks of rehearsals for Annie, the orphans, Miss Hannigan, Grace, Daddy Warbucks and the rest of the cast. They are ready to put on a fun musical for all to enjoy.
The young children (elementary and middle-school age) of Meeker have historically shown a great deal of interest in the dramatic arts but had no regular outlet until they reached high school. Meeker High School has an active drama club and thespian troupe, but the younger kids do not have an ongoing program. The ERBM Recreation District has, in the past, produced plays for the younger ages, but it was not a yearly activity.
“Annie Jr.” is the culmination of the reintroduction of drama specifically for this age group. The first step was to offer a six-week program that exposed the kids to acting, dancing, costumes, and singing. They presented small skits at the end of the six week session, it was very popular with 30 kids participating. The introductory program actually had to be expanded twice from its original limit of 18. Laurie Zellers and Kim Kummer have committed to regular yearly productions making sure the sun continues to come out tomorrow for the younger kids of Meeker. The ERBM Recreation District continues to support this endeavor.
This program and “Annie Jr.” are mainly for younger kids, but members of the Meeker High School Drama Club and International Thespian Society Troupe 1284 were asked to mentor the youngsters in this production and they jumped at the chance.
The performance times are 2 and 7 p.m.