The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
LOCAL STAR
Samantha Tedford, 11, stars in “Annie” at CNY Playhouse
A sixthgrader from JD George Elementary is currently starring as “Annie” in a musical production at the Central New York (CNY) Playhouse in Syracuse.
Samantha Tedford, 11, has been participating in productions for the last three years.
There have been several performances with another one scheduled for 8 p.m. on Dec. 20.
Samantha is a student at Bogardus Performing Arts Center in Oneida and has been in numerous plays there and within the VVS School District.
Samantha’s family said they are very proud of her for juggling the performances and her school work at the same time and doing well in both.
“She’s amazing,” said Samantha’s mother, Mandi Tedford. “You can tell that she was born to be on the stage.
Tedford said Samantha will continue to do theatre with the Bogardus Performing Arts Center and at school as well as continue dancing at the Bogardus Performing Arts Center.
“She loves performing,” said Tedford. “I am so proud. She has quite the voice; she knows how to belt it out.”
Tedford said no one else in their immediate family has starred in any performances like the ones Samantha does.
“She just kind of started it on her own, and she really enjoys it,” she said
“She’s amazing. You can tell that shewas born to be on the stage.”
— Mandi Tedford, Samantha’s mother
about Samantha.
Tedford said Samantha participated in the junior version of “Annie” over the summer for the Bogardus Performing Arts Center and starred as the Annie role in that as well.
Tedford said that the junior version of “Annie” over the summer was part of the audition for “Annie” at CNY Playhouse.
“She begged me because we’d have to bring her up to Syracuse for rehearsals,” said Tedford. “She begged us, and she got the part, and she’s been rehearsing since mid-October. The whole cast has been working very hard since then.”
Various outlets including, broadwayworld.com, syracuse.com, and eagle-newsonline, have given positive reviews.
Tedford said, seeing so many positive reviews has made her even more proud of Samantha and the rest of her castmates.
“They’ve had great reviews,” she said. “I’m so proud, but it’s very humbling at the same time. I just never expected to see my daughter’s name in the paper with those words printed next to it. I mean I always knew she was a star, but I just never expected to see her on a stage like this.”