Hard Knock Debut

       The Burbank Community Theater, under the leadership of Julia Swanwick, opens its doors in early October. For a first production, the company, which hadn't produced anything to date, selects the musical Annie for their debut. No production is ever easy, but Annie is special. There are children and adults, there is a script, and a score. The actors have to learn their lines, but they also have to know how to carry a tune.

       Being a community theater, auditions were opened up to the public. Offering no compensation, other than experience, hundreds showed up for the opportunity to be on stage. When the cast was selected, there were actors who were in early elementary school, and actors who were retired and trying out the stage for the first time in their lives.

       The rehearsals were mostly held in a community room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank. In mid-December, 2014, the show was brought to life.


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Heather Siembieda, who plays Sophie in the musical Annie, is at the center of the ensemble at the conclusion of the rehearsal of 'We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover' at the recreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on December 11, 2013. The actors are wearing their self-provided and just approved costumes for the first time during rehearsal.

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Julia Swanwick, the President and Production Manager of the Burbank Community Theater, explains to parents and child actors that the first rehearsal for the show Annie has to be cancelled because she lost the key to the recreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank where the rehearsal was to take place on October 16, 2013.

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Oliviana Marie, on October 16th, introduces herself as Annie to other children who will be orphans in the show.

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Marty O'Malley, who plays Lt. Ward in the musical Annie, arrives to rehearsal at the recreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on October 30th.

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Jenny Grace Torgerson, who plays Grace Farrell in the musical Annie, is being fitted with a dress by President and Production Manager Julia Swanwick at rehearsal on October 30, 2013.

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Jefferson Lanz, who is a core dancer and plays Eddie in the musical Annie, and Rachel Diana, who plays Miss Hannigan, arrive to rehearsal with costumes they brought from home to the recreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on November 6, 2013.

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Music director Ryan Luevano rehearses a tricky part of a song with the cast of Annie during a rehearsal in the recrreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on November 6, 2013.

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Stage manager Kaitrin Kinnare measures part of the set on November 13th so the information can be redrawn at the recreation center at Robert Gross Park for future rehearsals there.

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Brian Jackson, who plays Rooster in the musical Annie, tries on a newly purchased hat for his costume at a rehearsal on November 13, 2013.

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The orphans of the musical Annie, of Giovanna Rubio, Pepper, Elizabeth Marcou, Duffy, Avery Woolson, Kate, Olivia Zenetzis, Molly, Lauren Ring, Annie understudy, Maggie MacKenzie, Tessie, and Emma Nasfell, July, rehearse in front of a painting of the signing of the Delclaration of Independence inside the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on November 14, 2013.

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Director Josh Shaw during rehearsal on November 14th.

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Choreographer Stephanie Pease rehearses the "New Deal for Christmas" scene with the dance crew on November 14, 2013.

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The ensemble cast rehearses the "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover" scene with Annie on November 7th.

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Cast members who are part of the dance team practice a routine outside the recreation room at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on November 7th.

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Jefferson Lanz and Emmerson Boatwright hold a sheet of paper which represents a painting during rehearsal on November 7th.

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Richard Seymour, who is Oliver Warbucks in Annie, talks into a shoe since a telephone prop isn't yet available this early into the rehearsal schedule on November 7th.

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The core dancers rehearses "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" on November 7th.

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Cast members Kaeyla Yip, Aine Graham, Kelsey O'Keefe, and Dinora Lopez stand for costume approval on December 11th. Burbank Community Theater President Julia Swanwick inspected all of the costumes, all of which were either purchased, or brought from home by the cast members.

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The cast changes costumes between scenes at the recreation center at Robert Gross Park on December 11th.

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Jenny Grace Torgerson, who is Grace Farrell in the musical Annie, runs with Richard Seymour, as Oliver Warbucks, and Oliviana Marie, who is Annie, during a scene being rehearsed at the recreation center at Robert Gross Park in Burbank on December 11th.

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Orphans Maggie MacKenzie, who plays Tessie, and Elizabeth Marcou, who plays Duffy, do homework between scenes during rehearsal on December 5th.

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The cast, mostly of children, gather for vocal warmups on December 11, 2013.

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Brian Jackson, who plays Rooster, and Rachel Diana, who is Miss Hannigan, look over their publicity mug shots on December 11th for the upcoming musical Annie that they are leads in.

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Brian Jackson, as Rooster, Conchita Besisle Newman, as Lilly St. Regis, and Oliviana Marie, as Annie rehearse a scene on December 5th.

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Director Josh Shaw drills out a screw to remove a board from part of the orphans set he is helping to build on the sage of the Hall of Liberty on December 16th. Shaw says he has been involved in building too many sets, and when asked what he would rather be doing, he said, "Directing."

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Burbank Community Theater President Julia Swanwick during set buidling on December 16th.

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A team of furniture movers, hired by Forest Lawn, remove a grand piano from the stage to the ground on December 16th where it will be used for the show.

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The completed set of Annie, built on Monday, December 16. The set, after the evening's rehearsal, will be torn down to make room for an event on the stage at Forest Lawn.

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Cast members prepare themselves for their next scene in the small dressing area back stage at the Hall of Liberty on December 16, 2013 where the musical will be performed.

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Oliviana Marie, who is Annie in the musical Annie, is helped with her red wig by hair stylist Sasha Markgraf, a Colombia College student, in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on December 16th.

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Stage Manager Kaitrin Kinnare and Director Josh Shaw address the cast before the start of rehearsal on December 16th.

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Director Josh Shaw addresses the cast before the start of rehearsal on December 16th.

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Stage manager Kaitrin Kinnare checks her notes during rehearsal while attempting to figure out how to run a spotlight too on December 16th.

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Oliviana Marie, who is Annie, and Olivia Zenetzis, who is Molly, one of the orphans during a scene on December 16th.

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Music director Ryan Luevano works with the cast of orphans on stage at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills in the Hall of Liberty as they rehearse Hard Knock Life during rehearsal for the musical Annie. The show opens this Friday at the Hall of Liberty.

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Rachel Diana, who is Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie, and Olivia Zenetzis, who is Molly, one of the orphans during a scene on December 16th.

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The cast of orphans, including the leads and the ensemble, rehearse Hard Knock Life during reheasal of Annie in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on December 16, 2013. The show, that they have been rehearsing since October, will open this Friday at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills in the Hall of Liberty.

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Rachel Diana, who is Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie, and Olivia Zenetzis, who is Molly, one of the orphans during a scene on December 16th.

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Rachel Diana, who is Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie, rehearses a scene with Tom Beau, who is Bundles in this scene on December 16th.

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The ensemble cast during rehearsal at the Hall of Liberty on December 16th.

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The rehearsal of the curtain call for the musical Annie on stage at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on December 16th.

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The core dancers during rehearsal of the "New Deal for Christmas" scene on December 16th.

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Tension is in the room after a very long day of set building as Annie stage manager Kaitrin Kinnare, right, asks for 10 more minutes to set up to show Director Josh Shaw who says they are already 10 minutes behind schedule during during rehearsal in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on December 16, 2013. It's five days to show time.

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Director Josh Shaw gives the children orphans in the show Annie some last minute notes on December 16th before asking them to pick up loose parts of the stage and put them into storage. After the children finished, they were released for the night.

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Emerson Boatwright, who is FDR in the musical Annie, at rehearsal on December 16.

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Cast members strike the set on December 16th after to prepare the stage for Forest Lawn who will be using the Hall of Liberty for a Tuesday function.

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Cast members strike the set on December 16th after to prepare the stage for Forest Lawn who will be using the Hall of Liberty for a Tuesday function.

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Cast members, on Monday, December 16, 2013, after finishing a rehearsal with the set for the first time, are dismantling and removing the set from the stage inside the Hall of Liberty after one day because Forest Lawn needs the set for an event on the following day. The show opens in 5 days.

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Jack MacKenzie, of La Canada, practices the command 'stay' with his dog York, who plays Sandy in the musical Annie, during a rehearsal at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn on December 3, 2013. Sandy is a family pet that MacKenzie is trying to quickly train so York behaves during rehearsal. York is very popular with the children.

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The cast rehearses the curtain call on December 3rd.

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Annie, played by Oliviana Marie, with York, who is Sandy, in the musical Annie, sings Tomorrow during rehearsal on December 16, 2013. The musical opens this Friday at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, in the Hall of Liberty.

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