Central musical brings Wild West Show to Cape

Amid winter's chilly final weeks, the vividly costumed, well-sung and charmingly performed Central High School production of "Annie Get Your Gun" opening tonight feels like a chinook, a warm winter wind.

The top charmers are Lauren Parrent as Annie Oakley and Nick Ervin as Frank Butler, the sharpshooters whose rivalry and romance provide "Annie Get Your Gun" with its thin plot. Parrent brings spirited intelligence and animated stage moves to the role and possesses a flexible and pleasing voice. On stage, Ervin has that look in his eye, the one a renowned marksman, ladies man and "big, swollen-headed stiff" must have, and he holds up his end in the duets.

It's the memorable songs -- "You Can't Get A Man With a Gun," "The Girl That I Marry," "I Got the Sun in the Morning," "Anything You Can Do" and "There's No Business Like Show Business" that have kept audiences coming back to "Annie Get Your Gun."

Parrent's singing is particularly appealing on "You Can't Get a Man With a Gun," a rousing and funny tune that becomes a heartbroken lament when repeated later in the musical. Ervin's "My Defenses Are Down," in which Frank finally admits to the depth of his feelings for Annie, is well done.

Lavaliere microphones

Director Cindy Bradshaw is employing stage and lavaliere microphones for the first time since she began directing at the high school. The result is mostly positive. Despite being accompanied by a 33-piece orchestra, the voices are front and center. So are the gunshots.

As a few of the singers learned at a recent dress rehearsal, the trick is remembering to turn the microphone on when you're supposed to be heard and remembering to turn the mike off when you're backstage.

Christy Schlosser is a vocal standout as Annie's nemesis, Dolly. Also fine are Keith Fisher as Sitting Bull, Bailey Hirschburg as Buffalo Bill, Clay Schermann as Pawnee Bill and T.J. Bishop as Charlie.

Elementary school students Sami Gross and Spencer Baldwin and older students Catherine Moreton and Katie Cole play "The Kids," who travel with Buffalo Bill.

Jay Shirrell, Ryan Keller, Mason Loy, Lance West, Phil Brooks and Edgar Palacios fulfill many different roles as the male chorus, sometimes twirling ropes and other times playing Indians in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The same versatility is true of the female chorus, which includes Doris Wolford, Amber Pierce Candace London, Catherine Hayward, Sallie Juden, Julie Hite, Cheri Churchill, Bethany Burchyett, Ilene Davis, Alisa Uzoaru, Kendra Beussink, Theresa Yoffie, Olivia Swingle and Katie Carsten.

The talented orchestra directed by Steve Schaffner includes Lydia Pratt, Patty Cheung, Sarah Vogel, Marquita Brookins, Carrie Finch, Lauren Naeger, Tammy Henson, Eric Busby, Bonan Wang, Stephanie Schaffner, Cassie Kipper, Sonia Tikoo, Kody Neighbors, Bryan Crain, Ashley Colon, Matt Pyeatte, Chris Wamble, Ashleigh Redfearn, Ron Nall. Dane Lincoln, Ian Bolton, Brad Jones, Colin McLain, Sam Maguire, Michael Heise, Robert Foeste, Mark Strickert, Dr. Dan Cotner, Lee Strickert, Hays Hendricks, Ian Godsey, Neal Casey and Dina Strickert.

Dina Strickert is the vocal director, and the technical direction is by Joseph Bradshaw.

Laura Bowlin and Liz Robertson are the student directors. Becky Komorech is the choreographer.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182