‘Annie Get Your Gun’ will be spring show

FALLS VILLAGE — “Annie Get Your Gun” is the Falls Village Children's Theater's 14th Annual Youth Spring Production.

Irving Berlin's classic songs are interwoven in the Peter Stone 1999 updated version of this classic musical. Direction and choreography are provided by Becky Sawicki Wilczak with musical direction by Michael Berkeley.

In addition to learning acting, singing, and dancing skills, the cast has been involved with discussions regarding some of the societal and cultural shifts that have changed since the 1940 - 1950’s era of classic musicals.

They have learned about the late 1890's American West and the historical figures the musical is loosely based upon. Annie Oakley (real name Phoebe Anne Moses), raised as a Quaker, was a remarkable young girl who became a skilled marksman out of necessity to put food on the family table. Buffalo Bill, whose real name was William Frederick Cody, was a proponent of equal pay for men and woman in his Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows and an early supporter of women's voting rights.

When speaking to the cast, Boyden said,“It is incredibly important that when handling your prop, that you never make anyone near you uncomfortable. This applies to the audience as well as your castmates. Always know where your “firearm” is pointed and make sure it is safe”.

A Native American powwow dancer and an adopted member of the Ponca tribe, Sandy Rhoades of Falls Village, has generously loaned his handpainted, hand-crafted replicas of Native American costumes. He treated the cast to a show-and-tell session about how he makes ceremonial costumes and the significance of them to Native American culture. Rhoades has taught a cast performer an authentic Hoop Dance segment that takes place during a scene change in the musical and will be accompanied by his chanting.

The performances of Annie Get Your Gun are made possible by generous individual and business sponsors, playbook advertisements by cast member families, a grant from the Town of Canaan, a grant from the Northwest Connecticut Philanthropy Fund, a donor-advised fund managed by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and numerous volunteer hours by community members who donate their time and expertise.

Performances at Housatonic Valley Regional High School are March 29-30 at 7 p.m. and March 31 at 2 p.m. Admission to this community event is free. Concessions and 50/50 raffle tickets will be on sale. Donations are appreciated. For information, go to thefvct.org or call 860-4534241. The theater is located at 102 Main St., Falls Vilalge.

Contributed photo Falls Village Children’s Theater is staging “Annie Get Your Gun” in March. Above, children perform in a scene from “Madagascar,” a previous production.