"So we've got a whole pile of mini dogs as well, which is awesome stuff. It was about making sure that everyone had an opportunity to be on stage and enjoy the process."
St Anne's has 212 students, and they're all doing something in Annie Jr.
"All the staff are involved as well," says Becky.
And that includes school principal Ann-Maree Manson-Petherick, who explains where all the costumes have come from.
"We've got them from Marton Theatre, St Joseph's in Taihape, Hunterville School, Morrinsville Little Theatre, Amdram, McQueen School of Dance in Taihape, and we've bought and we've sewed ... we've got about 1500 pieces altogether."
But why Annie Jr?
"We actually went for the licence in 2020, and we chose Annie Jr because it is our first show."
They wanted something everyone could handle and something easy to costume. Ann-Maree has done the show before, in 2015 at St Joseph's in Taihape. She says St Anne's would have done the show sooner were it not for Covid. Ann-Maree has been principal there for three years.
She says during the year they've had cast and staff out with Covid.
"It has been stressful, but it's been a huge team effort. The staff have done an amazing job, people have been good with props and lending us things, making things ..." While we chat a wool fadge in a frame is wheeled on to the stage, representing a laundry hamper into which Annie will climb during the play. The fadge has been used and there is a woolshed smell accompanying it. Mind you, it did come from a generous parent in Taihape.
"It's more authentic," says Ann-Maree.
Lulu Dufty plays the part of Annie Bennett, the title character. She says her favourite song in the show is "I Don't Need Anything But You", which she sings with Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in Act 2.
"It's really bright and happy and I like singing it," she says. Lulu is no stranger to the stage: she goes to Amdram and Whanganui Performing Arts Academy.
Miss Hannigan, the orphanage matron, is played by Tylah Rees. She originally auditioned for the role of Grace Farrell ... "But I wasn't too fussed about what role I got," she says. She is very happy in the role she now has. She sings two songs — "I sing 'Little Girls' then I have a trio song, which is 'Easy Street'." She says the latter is her favourite because it's more fun and there are more people singing.
Ryder Zimmerman plays the part of Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, the rich businessman who eventually adopts Annie. Ryder auditioned, also hoping to land the role of Grace, but she's happy enough in her suits and hat. She has three songs to sing, but her favourite is the duet with Annie, "I Don't Need Anything But You". "It's bright and happy and the dance is quite fun," she says.
Vittoria Aspinall got the role the others wanted — Grace: Oliver Warbucks' secretary. And the role she really wanted? "Any main part but Grace." She says she feels comfortable in the role now. Her favourite song is "I Think I'm Going To Like it Here", sung when she shows Annie around the Warbucks mansion.
Becky says they've got the cast they were looking for.
Performances are not far off.
"We've got a school show on Thursday, with some schools coming, then Friday night [23rd] we've got a show, then Saturday day and Saturday night," says Ann-Maree. "You want to do more than one show because so much work goes into it."
"It's a huge undertaking," says Becky, "But it's about giving the students an experience they wouldn't necessarily get."
"And we wanted something to bring the community together," says Ann-Maree.
