With fickle Mother Nature alternating the weather between sun and rain, who couldn’t use the promise of an extended period of summer sun?

Maine State Music Theatre is doing what it can to fulfill that promise with its latest production, which opened Wednesday. After all, how could Mother Nature resist nine adorable “orphans” and a spunky redhead named Annie as she optimistically sings, “The sun will come out, tomorrow”?

In total, the theater auditioned 90 girls to find just the right cast to play Annie and her orphan friends. The search paid off.

Lauren Weintraub was a half-pint dynamite as Annie on Friday night, sparkling with personality and delivering powerful vocals that contrasted greatly with her diminutive size and young years.

Alexandria Stevenson, Lynnea Harding, Rachel Friedman, Gina Pardi, Emma Joanis, Stephanie Craven, Amberly Shea, Sophie Calderwood and the cute-as-a-button Katherine Boston put heart and soul into their roles as the nine other orphans at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. The girls particularly shined as they spiritedly sang and danced in “It’s A Hard Knock Life.”

David Girolmo stepped into Oliver Warbucks’ billionaire shoes as if the role was tailor-made for him. He looked and acted the part, delivering rich, authoritative vocals, backed by a heart of gold.

Lara Seibert also provided a standout performance as Warbucks’ elegant personal assistant, Grace Farrell. She lived up to her character’s name, exuding warmth, charm and just the right amount of moxie.

Charis Leos, Chuck Ragsdale and Morgan Smith provided comic relief for the evening. Leos delivered a crowd-pleasing performance as the orphanages’ alcohol-swigging matriarch.

Ragsdale wonderfully complemented as her conniving brother, Rooster. And Smith proved multi-talented as Rooster’s gold-digger girlfriend. They were unforgettable on “Easy Street.”

The theater packed the talent onto the stage with 32 cast members, performing in more than 40 roles. Returning favorites included Glenn Anderson, Ed Romanoff, Marie Pressman and Gregg Goodbrod.

Standout performers weren’t just of the two-legged variety, though. Mikey was a scene-stealer as Annie’s stray dog, Sandy. The impeccably trained dog has been touring for the past three years in the role.

“Annie” is a timeless story that still echoes in the difficult times of today. The production is a delightful source of hope for the young and old alike. It’s fun for the whole family, with memorable songs, stunning sets and must-see performances.

April Boyle is a free-lance writer from Casco. She can be contacted at:

aprilhboyle@yahoo.com