Audiences will be inspired by the high school fall musical productions featuring spunky and confident girls on their journey of figuring out where they came from and where they belong.

West Jordan High School presents
“Annie”

Nov. 14, 15 and 18 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 adults/$8 students and can be purchased online or at the box office.

West Jordan High School students are excited to raise the bar for their fall musical performance of “Annie.”

“We have a live dog, and we have a professional dresser and a professional choreographer, so we’re really stepping it up this year,” senior Danica Oliver said.

For the first time, WJHS’s production will be choreographed by a professional choreographer, Anna Kaitlyn Burningham, which senior Lilliana Biah said has provided her and her peers the opportunity to present “a new kind of musical theater.”

From the very first rehearsal, students noticed a difference in the style of choreography, which has affected the way they see the role of movement in the show.

“We’ve always done dancing that’s trying to get you through to the rest of the singing part,” Oliver said. “But for this, it’s like dancing is telling a whole story on its own.”

Working with a professional costumer is also a new experience for WJHS students. Tanner Hardy, who is currently student-teaching in the WJHS theater department and is the assistant director for the show, is using his experience working in costumes and wardrobe at Hale Centre Theatre and owning a costume business, Legendary Druidic Creations, to ensure an authentic look for the show.

Under the direction of WJHS music teacher Keith Evans, students are excited to perform the music of “Annie,” from the iconic “Tomorrow” to the funny and sarcastic “Hooverville.” 

“My favorite is “Hooverville,” Quinn Hubert, a senior, said. “It’s really bouncy and fun to listen to, but also it’s really full of humor if you know the background, because it’s a very sarcastic song.”

Students said the message of the show is “the importance of family” and “found family.” They said the members of the cast, a total of 55 students, including four ninth grade students from Joel P. Jensen Middle School, feels like a family.

WJHS drama teacher Tony Aken has been in three productions of “Annie,” but this is his first time directing the show.

“I love it, and so I really wanted to do it here at West Jordan,” he said. “It’s just such a fun and iconic show with such great history.”

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Copper Hills High School presents
“Anastasia” 

Nov. 15, 16 and 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 adults, $8 students, $7 veterans/seniors and can be purchased online or at the box office.

Students who grew up watching the movie “Anastasia” are thrilled to be performing the stage production “Anastasia,” written by Terrence McNally with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. 

“The second they announced this show, I had five minutes to just, like, vibrate with excitement,” Copper Hills High School junior Asia George said. The fact that her name is part of Anastasia’s name and that she made an Anastasia costume in seventh grade because she loved the show so much, explains why she was so thrilled to be cast in the lead role.

She also loves the role models, the theme of hope, the character development and the magic of the stage show.

“Every character has some sort of moment where you understand something,” she said. “There’s also a few little minor magic moments where, if you’re watching close, you’re going to see something that just makes it even better.”

Senior Ben Dalton, who plays the role of Dmitri, said it’s an
impressive show.

“I think one of the most exciting things is all the big numbers and the big—there’s a lot of big things,” he said.

The Broadway show, which opened in 2017, is based on the 1997 movie but differs from the cartoon’s characters and subplots.

“I think we all have our own spin on the characters, and you’re definitely going to have a different experience—still positive, it’s going to be a good time—but it’s going to be different from previous productions you’ve seen,” junior Zach Johnson, who plays the role of Vlad, said.

Johnson hopes audiences will have as much fun watching the show as the 60 cast and crew members have had rehearsing and performing it.

“Being able to see people just having fun on stage with their characters, definitely, I think is something that people will remember, because I know a lot of shows I’ve seen when I was younger, I was inspired by people who, in their role, they were having a great time, and I started having a good time as a result of watching everyone on stage,” he said.

CHHS drama teacher Jodi Nuttall, who is directing the show, also grew up watching the movie and has featured songs from the musical in dances she has choreographed.

“I chose the show because it was something I was familiar with, and with this being my first main stage school musical, I wanted to work with something I already understood,” she said. “This is also a dance heavy show so I wanted to bring some of my dancing and choreography background into this show and try something new.”

A dancer since the age of 3, Nuttall has worked as a choreographer and a competitive dance coach and so she cast a number of showcase dancers who have advanced skills.

“Audiences should expect stronger dance sections along with ensemble acting and singing, dancing and movement through the audience aisles and a fun, energetic show,”
she said. λ