ANNIE GET YOUR GUN
(1981)
This was the only year in which we did two full-scale musicals. The second production was “Annie Get Your Gun”, a story based on the life of Annie Oakley. This show’s music included the ‘anthem’ of stage musicals “There’s No Business Like Show Business”. Despite the negative comments made in a local newspaper editorial, I thought the show to be entertaining and successful. Interestingly enough, the negative newspaper comments brought a deluge of responses in support of the show.
We received another letter of congratulations from the Department of Education (this time from the Deputy Minister of Education). We were informed that the Department’s Consultant in Music Education was going to use video clips from our production in presentations at the national Canadian School Music Educators Conference - a real feather in SSHS Musical Theatre’s cap! I am truly proud of this recognition of the work of the SSHS Drama Department.
(You can see the newspaper reviews, letters from the public, letters from the Department of Education, the show program, and photos in the memorabilia section pertaining to this production)
There were a few outstanding memories from this production.....Lori Brown who played the lead role of Annie Oakley was unable to perform in the dress rehearsals...her place was taken by her understudy, Yvonne Donahue but Yvonne had broken her leg and was wearing a cast. However, the outstanding trooper that she was, Yvonne did the rehearsal anyway...cast and all. The sight of her “clomping” around the stage doing the choreography made the rehearsal very entertaining (however unfortunate the circumstances!)
One night, our guest choreographers from the Quoddy tribe were teaching some cast the steps from the ceremonial tribal dance...gradually several other cast members who were on a rehearsal break decided to join in and, before long, the whole cast was involved in the tribal dance. Our two guests from the Quoddy tribe actually joined the cast in performance. Their participation was much appreciated by the whole SSHS Drama group.
We used a real motorcycle on stage in the “Wild West” show circus scenes. Our Prinicipal, Mr. Estabrooks, didn’t think I was serious when I told him we were going to have a stunt rider on a motorcycle in the production....that is until he saw the bike being brought into the theatre...it wasn’t often that Mr. Estabrooks was speechless!
George Justason, who played the character of Frank Butler, went on to a recording career and to perform on the club circuit. I still have an autographed “45” r.p.m. recording of George’s hit record “Last Dance”.
