BWW INTERVIEWS: ANNIE's Madison Kerth & Lynn Andrews at The Fabulous Fox Theatre

Anytime I hear someone mention Annie, songs and images immediately pop in my head. Sometimes those images are of my first trip to the theatre ever when I was just 6 or 7 seeing Annie at the Civic Center here in Atlanta. Sometimes pieces of the memorable score pop up, and other times simply a smile will arise, since Annie is just one of those shows that makes you smile. I recently had the chance to relive those memories and smile again when I sat down to speak with Madison Kerth, who plays Annie in the upcoming Theater of the Stars production at the Fabulous Fox Theatre (January 13 - 17) as well as Lynn Andrews who plays the devious Miss Hannigan.

Tell me a little about yourselves and your experience leading up to this show.

Madison Kerth: I am 12 years old and I am from New Orleans, Lousiana. I started in the theatre as a local Annie in New Orleans. The dog trainer for this production also trained the Sandy in my first production and he told me about the auditions and I went to New York, auditioned, and I got the role of the orphan Kate as well as the Annie understudy. In January of this year I  had the opportunity to move up to the role of Annie.

Lynn Andrews: I am originally from Denver, CO. I moved to New York when I was 18 and I have lived there since. I have done a lot of regional stuff and I am also involved with a sketch comedy group in New York called Happy Sunshine Kung Fu Flower which is sketch comedy with music.

Is this your first experience with Annie?

MK: This is my second year on the tour, and I did that one production at home in New Orleans. But I always grew up listening to the songs and I fell in love with Annie through the movie. It really became part of my life.

LA: When I started on the tour it was the third year and now I am in my third year with the tour.

Madison, How old were you when you started performing?

MK: I started performing when I was about 10. I did a school performance of Aristocats and then it just kept going up and up from there. When my drama teacher at school told me about the audition for Annie I thought it would be a dream come true so when I suditioned and got the role I was so excited because it was my dream to be Annie since I was a little kid.

What do you think it is about Annie that brings people back to the theatre whenever it is playing?

MK: I think It is the hope that you get when you walk out of the theatre, especially with the times we are in now. Everyone comes out of this show feeling like everything is going to be ok, and with the times now, people keep coming back because it boosts their hope in their lives today.

LA:  I think it has to do with nostalgia. Parents take their kids to see the show and when those kids grow up they feel the need to take their kids to it as well to share in that experience.

Do either of you find yourself connecting with your character in any way on a personal level?

MK: Sometimes I feel kind of like an orphan because my grandmother travels on tour with me and my parents are at home, so I am kind of like an orphan out there. Also, every day I wake up feeling optimistic about the future like Annie. And I am very tough but sweet and sincere on the inside just like her. So, I find myself a lot like Annie in a number of ways.

LA:  Miss Hannigan is old and frustrated and jaded and really, really desparate, and I don't think I am that way quite yet, but sometimes her moments of frustration equal mine. She is greedy, I am really greedy too.

Lynn, there is an old saying about performing with children or animals and with Annie you perform with both. Has there been anything that has been interesting with working with children or dogs?

LA: Every night is an interesting night at the theatre with Annie. First of all the dogs get the star dressing rooms every night. Every time without fail.  And with the kids, you kind of have to change the way you might act in the theatre since there are kids around so trying to find ways to speak of things without them knowing what you are talking about, you have to be really creative.

Madison, any interesting stories about working with the dogs?

MK: The dogs are really professional, but once we had Mikey (who plays Sandy) fall asleep onstage and I was calling him and he was sleeping. The trainer off stage was clicking and clapping and making noises trying to wake him up. Finally I screamed Sandy and he came.

What piece of your character do you like the most? What do you look forward to the most?

MK: I think my favorite part of the whole show would be the song, "Tomorrow". One, it is my favorite song ever, and I love to stand there and sing with the orchestra playing with me. Secondly, I enjoy singing with the dogs there. We have a lot of fun with them, we even get to have sleepovers with the dogs and we get to bond a lot.

LA: For me, there is one thing that happens once in a blue moon, that I look forward to most. Sometimes when I jump out for my entrance and I catch Annie I  hear a child cry in the audience and it is so satisfying and funny because it shows I am being effective.  I don't see the fun in playing nice people because everyone is nice in real life. And you also get to work some stuff out on stage. If I am really frustrated I get to go on stage and yell at people and they pay me for it. The audience is "oh she is good" but I am like "no, I am just really annoyed with the internet connection" or something like that.

With the tour, you are constantly on the road from city to city, what would you say is the hardest part of that life?

MK: Well mostly it is missing our families.  Sometimes you have those tough days when you don't want to leave or get out of bed or do the show. But, tour is your home away from home and the people around you become your new family and they tell you it will be fine and you feel  a lot better.

LA: The hardest part for me is waking up on time to get on the bus. I have woken up late before.  You have to be on the bus at a certain time, or they will drive away and I am notorious for being late. In general, the travel can be a real challenge.

Madison, does it help having other kids your age on tour with you?

MK: Yes. We have seven orphans including me on tour so we have become like sisters.  It is easier when another orphan tells you it will be ok, we all go through it. It happens to all of us.  We know how each other feels so we can help them a lot.

Do you both enjoy the variety of the tour?

MK: I love being in different cities because you get to explore new things. If it wasn't for the tour, I would have never been able to see all these places, so I am just so thankful for that. Everyone is having a great experience. It is one of the best things, probably that will ever happen to us.

LA: Oh yeah, It is really interesting once you start thinking about all of the places you have been. All of my friends in New York, I have been to pretty much all of their home towns.

Do either of you have a favorite place you have been?

MK: I can't really pick a favorite, but if I could, I would probably pick one of the New York stops or when we went to LA and got to play in the Kodak theatre. Alaska and Canada were fun too. We are also looking forward to our China stop. For 5 weeks in April we are going to go to Shanghai and Beijing and we are all looking forward to that.

Madison, do you have any advice for other young people who might want to get into the Theatre business?

MK: They should follow their dreams because I never thought I would make it this far but I just kept believing in myself and I made it. And they should work hard and just have fun. If you are not having fun, it is not going to turn out well. You just need to believe in what you do and have fun and work hard.

Do either of you have a Dream Role you would like to play one day?

MK: My dream role when I grow up is to be Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. I love the energy of that show. I have seen it 3 or 4 times. It is my favorite show. 

LA: I don't really have a dream role but I can tell you how I will know I have made it one day.  If somewhere a man on Halloween goes as me, that is how I will know I have made it.

Is this either of your first time in Atlanta?

MK: I have been to Atlanta before. But this is the first time we are performing at the Fox Theatre.

LA: I have never been to Atlanta before but I have heard a lot about the Fox. It is famed for its beauty and its size.

Is there anything else either of you would like to share with the readers?

MK: I just wanted to say that Annie is a great family show. Anyone from 1 to 100 should come out and see us.  We have one of Broadway's most memorable scores. Also, in Atlanta we will have 35 local girls on stage with us as orphans so that is an added bonus!

LA: We are having a really good time doing this show. There are a lot of companies I have been in before where people don't get along, but with this show everyone is always having a really good time and I think you can tell that as an audience member. It is a great show, come and see it!

ANNIE will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from January 13-17, 2010. Performances are as follows:

Wednesday, January 13 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 pm
Friday, January 15 at 8 pm
Saturday, January 16 at 11 am, 3:30 pm and 8 pm
Sunday, January 17 at 1:30 pm and 7 pm

Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.  Ticket prices range from $20 and up.  Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation's premier regional theater companies.  A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater.  To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

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Photo Credit: Phil Martin (L) and Peter Coombs (R)