Review: ANITA at Borderlands Theater

ANITA, an original musical five years in the making, is now playing at the Leo Rich Theater. A production by Borderlands Theater, this culturally rich and heartwarming story is not one to be missed. With book and lyrics by Milta Ortiz and music and lyrics by Queztal Guerreo, ANITA offers a twist on the "Annie" story that winks at the source material while also being completely original and relevant. Set in present times and unflinchingly holding a mirror up to the current threats to democracy and beautiful people who just want to make the United States home, ANITA is exactly what we need right now.

Chach Snook deftly directs this ambitious staging, injecting humor and warmth every step of the way. Infused throughout ANITA is a rich grounding in Latino culture and voices. It is a celebration of humanity, of finding yourself, and the promise of what can be as we emerge from very dark times. As a champion for all voices and persons, I was moved to tears more than once and left feeling like everything is going to be ok, an emotion I have not felt in quite some time. Vanessa E. Corona's joyful and jubilant choreography effectively brings this message of hope to life. Every actor brought enthusiasm to their role and was there for a purpose.

The live band was a delight to listen to. Music by Guerreo was catchy and stuck in my ears. I appreciate that Borderlands brought in live musicians. This is an absolute must, and it helps cement the emotional impact of the piece. I will note that some of the sound was at times not fully balanced and I could not hear every actor's diction perfectly, but the message shone through and the quality of the overall production was very high. ANITA was clearly a labor of love and the final product beamed brightly last night at the Leo Rich.

As I mentioned, this story is similar to ANNIE but in many ways different. Instead of an orphanage, we find ourselves inside of a detention center. The story centers on Anita, who is searching for her parents and played with wonderful sincerity by Bella Villa. Villa was the obvious choice for this role, bringing a mature and savvy approach to suit the gritty theme while also retaining the optimism and kindness we associate with Annie. From an acting standpoint, Villa was flawless. At times, her pitch wavered, but she always restored it and most importantly delivered emotional weight with every song. She absolutely knocked it out of the park.

Tiffany Valenzuela steals the show as Miss Guardia. I recognized her as a Phoenix artist and appreciated that Borderlands brought her in. Guardia is hilarious, yes. But she also has some of the best vocals in the production, singing with balanced resonance and an even flow. She does not need a mic. Her subversive take on "Miss Hannigan" was certainly an audience favorite. All the other girls under her care did fantastic work and had excellent chemistry with Anita. Zuleyl Castro as Luz the PR boss also became an audience favorite, and I appreciated the great work she did alongside Villa. Other standouts included Julian Cardenas and Lilianna Espinoza. This entire cast was on point and brought their A Game.