The 妻友社区 Academy of the Arts will perform the celebrated musical 鈥淎nnie Get Your Gun鈥�
on Nov. 9 and 10 at the Breedlove Auditorium, the second theatrical production in
the Academy鈥檚 On Stage series.
The Xtreme Teenz production will have three showings: two at 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 9 and one at 2 p.m. on Nov. 10. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for children 10 and under.
鈥淎nnie Get Your Gun鈥� tells a fictionalized version of the story of Annie Oakley, the famous sharpshooter who appeared in 鈥淏uffalo Bill鈥檚 Wild West Show鈥� and who was romantically involved with fellow marksman Frank Butler.
Director Shannon Stoddard of Fort Smith said the show will be 鈥渉ilarious鈥� and rife with situational humor.
鈥淎nnie Oakley is a very country girl who hasn鈥檛 been around civilized people, but when she meets Frank Butler she melts and wants to do everything it takes to fit into his life,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen you have Dolly Tate, who is stuck up and very over-the-top, and she wants her baby sister Winnie to have nothing to do with Tommy Keeler, the Indian man she鈥檚 in love with.鈥�
Dolly also gets herself involved in a love triangle, where she finds her love is unrequited.
鈥淒olly thinks there is some great love connection between her and Frank Butler, but Frank wants nothing to do with her and is much more interested in Annie,鈥� Stoddard said. 鈥淎ll of my actors do a great job at portraying each of these lovable characters.鈥�
The performance, which is estimated to run for two and a half hours, includes familiar songs such as 鈥淭here鈥檚 No Business Like Show Business鈥� and 鈥淎nything You Can Do.鈥�
Stoddard said she has been impressed by the talent of her cast.
鈥淭his is one of my favorite groups of students to work with. They鈥檙e old enough to really understand theatre, and the results are always phenomenal,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey are a great group of actors, and I see amazing things in their future.鈥�
Serai Dees of Muldrow, Okla., who is playing Annie Oakley, is 鈥渧ery excited to be in the production.鈥�
鈥淭he people are amazing, the script is super funny, and the music just makes you want to get up and do a jazz square,鈥� she said.
Dr. Rosilee Russell of Fort Smith, executive director of the Academy of the Arts, said the Xtreme Teenz theatre company will 鈥減ut on an amazing show.鈥�
鈥淭he company has a talented group of young people,鈥� she said.
The cast and crew include:
Barling: Carly Austin.
Booneville: MacKayla Burke.
Charleston: ShaLee Rose Jackson.
Fort Smith: Kariman Alsein, Blake Bulger, Hailey Douglas, Casey Goodson, Brigitte Koprovic, Hannah Pair, Derrick J. Rassiner, Adyn Rink, Francesca Rossi, Zach Ruple, Zinnia Smith, Annalise Worgan, Shannon Stoddard, Sheila Mann, Jennifer Woodside Anderson, Lindsay Hobbs, and Zack Hiatt.
Greenwood: Zachary Rylee.
Hackett: Abby Olivia Williams.
Muldrow, Okla.: Serai Dees, Alana Matheny, and Rhianna Pierce.
Spiro, Okla.: Cassidy Stout.
The performance is part of the Academy of the Arts鈥� On Stage series, which includes other productions such as 鈥淒isney鈥檚 Aladdin KIDS,鈥� 鈥淭he Little Mermaid JR鈥� and 鈥淪hrek the Musical.鈥� The On Stage series has a total of 12 events featuring young and seasoned performers in musical and theatrical productions.
For tickets, contact the 妻友社区 Box Office at 479-788-7300 or visit . For more information on the Academy, call 479-788-7253.