Azra Kearns, a 12-year-old local actress, played Tessie in Mesa Encore Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cAnnie\u201d and later took on the role of July in Valley Youth Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cAnnie.\u201d Now, she is portraying the title role, a dream part for her, in TheaterWorks\u2019 production of the musical.\u00a0<\/p>\n
TheaterWorks will put on \u201cAnnie\u201d Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 26. It will open their 2026-2027 MainStage season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnnie\u201d tells the story of a group of girls who live in an orphanage run by Miss Agatha Hannigan in the 1930s in New York during the Great Depression. One of the orphans, a hopeful girl named Annie who longs for her family, has the chance to go live with billionaire Oliver \u201cDaddy\u201d Warbucks, an experience that changes both of their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The show features songs such as \u201cTomorrow,\u201d \u201cMaybe\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s a Hard Knock Life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The production is being directed by Molly Lajoie, a faculty associate in University of Arizona\u2019s School of Music, Dance and Theatre who performs, choreographs and directs all over the Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnnie\u201d has been a big part of Lajoie\u2019s life since she was young. It has always been one of her favorite musicals, so getting the chance to direct the show has great meaning for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The production will also star Shani Barrett as Miss Hannigan, Scott Hyder as Oliver Warbucks, Lynn D’Ambrosi at Warbucks\u2019 secretary Grace Farrell, Vinny Chavez as Miss Hannigan\u2019s brother Rooster, Savoy Antoinette as Rooster\u2019s girlfriend Lily St. Regis and Everly McClurg as the youngest orphan and Annie\u2019s good friend Molly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The multigenerational show as 44 cast members, including 17 youth actresses portraying Annie\u2019s fellow orphans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bailey, an eight-year-old Golden Retriever from Sun City West, is taking on the role of Annie\u2019s dog Sandy. It is his theatrical debut. The therapy dog, who encourages young people to read, volunteers at two local hospitals and three branches of Surprise Public Library.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra started dancing at age 3 and caught the theater bug when she was very young. At four years ago, she got the part of Lulu, a walk-on role, on the first national tour of \u201cWaitress.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She has also played Ivanka in Phoenix Theatre Company\u2019s production of \u201cOnce,\u201d the little girl in Arizona Broadway Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,\u201d James in Starlight Community Theater\u2019s production of \u201cJames and the Giant Peach,\u201d the Doormouse\/Two of Hearts in Starlight\u2019s production of \u201cAlice in Wonderland,\u201d Young Cosette in Spotlight Youth Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables School Edition,\u201d JoJo in Phoenix Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cSeussical\u201d and the title role in TheaterWorks\u2019 production of \u201cMatilda The Musical.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In some of her roles, she has had to either learn or bring unique skills, such as riding a scooter in \u201cMatilda\u201d and tap dancing in \u201cAlice in Wonderland.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The actress has also appeared in the TV series \u201cHal & Harper\u201d and the short film \u201cMaron Doll.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra, who is in 7th grade at Arizona School for the Arts, had a chance to originate the role of Emma in her school\u2019s production and the world premiere of \u201cI Need My Monster.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The actress plays guitar, has taken piano lessons and tried the viola for a year in school.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is the second time that Azra has worked with TheaterWorks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shew grew up watching the 1982 film version of \u201cAnnie,\u201d which starred Aileen Quinn as Annie, Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, Bernadette Peters as Lily and Tim Curry as a Rooster.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She always wanted to play the red-headed orphan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though she\u2019s been through so much, she still has this optimism in her. I think how she inspires people in the darkest times is really beautiful and moving,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She has found that Annie is similar to her other character Matilda, who is also optimistic, independent and strong willed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra\u2019s other roles in \u201cAnnie\u201d have been more focused on singing and dancing. With the main role, she gets to expand on her acting abilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve tried to figure out why she’s doing the things she does and the reasoning behind all that. I think that\u2019s been the most challenging part for me. I, myself, I love to get into the character,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra said in her interpretation of Annie, she tries to showcase different sides of the character.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m trying to emphasize the point that she’s optimistic, but it\u2019s a shield. She\u2019s had some struggles, and she’s been through a lot, but she\u2019s still a kid. I\u2019m trying to make her feel like she’s optimistic and very kid-like, but she also still has a sliver of doubt with the optimism because she has something to lose. I think the major challenge for me is trying to figure out when she isn’t optimistic how she feels, and when her guard is down, how does she feel and why does she feel that way?\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra said the character has the power to inspire people to have faith when times are hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI love how Annie is a symbol of hope. I think she\u2019s that light in the dark.\u00a0 She\u2019s been through so much, but at the same time, she still has held this optimism and this belief and is strong with it. In this time period in the Depression, when everyone was down and didn’t have a lot of money, it was really hard. I think it\u2019s really important to hold onto that hope and belief,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She has been working a lot on one monologue where she explains the importance of her locket to Warbucks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m trying to make sure that I get the right emotions out, that it\u2019s not just all sad, but it’s not all just strong,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she started working with a prop locket, Azra used her own personal locket, which has a picture of her with her mom, dad and sister.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to try to make the locket her safe space. When she feels down, she holds onto her locket,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra enjoys doing the song \u201cMaybe\u201d because it allows her to really highlight Annie\u2019s emotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHard Knock Life\u201d is a dance-heavy song, in which the orphans work with props such as buckets, which they get to slam on the ground. Azra said this number really showcases the camaraderie between the orphans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey find joy in cleaning because they start messing around with each other and having fun with one another. It\u2019s their way of playing pretend and being kids together,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are moments in the show where audiences can see the connections between the orphans, where they fight and make up like sisters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re are all one big family in the orphanage because that\u2019s all we’ve ever known,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The song \u201cTomorrow\u201d has posed some challenges for Azra as she has been preparing for the show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI had been singing it since I was really small, like five years old. Recently, my voice has changed. I had to relearn it in a way that was safe for my voice,\u201d Azra said. \u201cThat\u2019s been pretty tricky for me in preparation. Eventually I got there. It was just repetition\u2026. I learned how to belt in a healthy way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Azra has previously worked with Lajoie before with \u201cSeussical.\u201d She also performed with other actors in the cast.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She likes working with multigenerational casts because she has a chance to watch and learn from adult actors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI love to see how they act and how different methods work for them,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She has also learned from watching the other actors playing orphans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s also really cool to watch younger people work. Everyone has a different way of acting,\u201d Azra said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If You Go…<\/p>\n
Lace \u2019Em Up for Epilepsy Walk Arizona<\/p>\n
TheaterWorks\u2019 production of \u201cAnnie\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
WHEN: Friday, July 10-Sunday, July 26\u00a0<\/p>\n
WHERE: Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria\u00a0<\/p>\n
COST: Tickets start at $38\u00a0<\/p>\n