Annie Jr. Shines in Plays in the Park’s Spirited Outdoor Production

Description: La Junta’s Plays in the Park brings energy and heart to its summer production of Annie Jr., a condensed, family-friendly version of the beloved Broadway musical. Set in the charming Live Well Park, the show is produced by Bethany Taullie and directed by local theater talent Noah Nunez-Rebel. With Rylan Hollis playing the iconic red-haired orphan and Ezra Collins as the warm-hearted Oliver Warbucks, the cast delivers a nostalgic yet lively experience featuring familiar songs like “The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow.” Maranatha Hoyt impresses as the villainous Miss Hannigan, while Jaron Hoyt portrays President Franklin D. Roosevelt with youthful enthusiasm. Packed with action and memorable performances, this community-driven show runs July 24–27 and celebrates the spirit of young local talent.

Plays in the Park Presents: “Annie Jr.”

Just as the title implies, “Annie Jr.” is the favorite Broadway musical “Annie” cut down to size for junior theatricals, which is just the right size for a lot of other people, too. Like people who don’t enjoy sitting still for a long time and enjoy a lot of action. It is the frosting on the cake, the whipped cream on the Sundae.

Bethany Taullie is once again producer of La Junta’s Plays in the Park, presented in the quaint Live Well Park on Santa Fe Ave. This is not her first play to produce, and her director is locally well-known actor, Noah Nunez-Rebel, who just completed his starring role in PicketWire Players’ production of “Anastasia.” Annie is played by Rylan Hollis, adorned with a realistic-looking red wig.

The play will be presented at 6:30 in the downtown cement open air theatre July 24 – 27. Tickets are available online or from cast members, who are numerous. Ezra Collins portrays Oliver Warbucks. The villainess and master of the Hard Knocks orphanage is played by Maranatha Hoyt.

The plot line is familiar to senior citizens, and the play follows the comic strip “Li’l Orphan Annie,” with show-stopper songs a lot of us remember from the classic Broadway musical.

“Annie.” The first scene establishes that Annie’s home is a not-pleasant orphanage, where her best friend is her dog, well played by Roxey Taullie. Maranatha Hoyt makes a great villainess as Miss Hanagan, the extremely hateful mistress of the orphanage.

Later in the play, her brother and his wife try to get money from the President by pretending to be Annie’s parents, but by that time, Oliver Warbucks, philanthropist and Billionaire, has fallen in love with sweet-tempered Annie and is adopting her. “If you don’t have anyone to love, you might as well be broke,” quips her adopted father, Oliver Warbucks, played by Ezra Collins.

The president at the time of the story is none other than the famous Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, played from his wheel chair by Jaron Hoyt. Hoyt is pretty small to be playing Roosevelt, but his heart is obviously in that role. Of course, the plot is discovered and all turns out well at the end, as Roosevelt’s “New Deal” is introduced. “The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow” is another of the play’s hit songs, well remembered from “Annie,” a great hit on Broadway in years gone by.

Not only is the play nostalgic, it’s entertaining. Don’t miss this play, produced by La Junta's Youth Led Theater Group, "Annie Jr." is the Fourth Plays in the Park Hit.

Annie JR. Cast List

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Annie: Rilyn Hollis

Oliver Warbucks: Ezra Collins

Miss Hannigan: Maranatha Hoyt

Grace Farrell: Maizie Hoyt Rooster: Skylar Finkner

Lily: Alexa Hernandez

Molly: Delaney Somers Pepper: Briley Mayhoffer Tessie: Kenzie Grasmick July: Phoebie Sullivan

Kate: Zyana Gendreau

Duffy: Xandria Gonzalez

Star-to-be: Maria Lavin

Drake: Zadok Collins

Officer Ward: Skylar Finkner

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Jaron Hoyt

Cecile: Maddie Jones

Annette: Alexa Hernandez

Mrs.Greer: Maria Lavin

Beart Healy: Jaron Hoyt

Apple Seller: Xandek Sullivan

Dogcatcher: Ulrich Sullivan

Bundles: Zadok Collins

Louis Howe: Xandek Sullivan

Sandy: Roxy Taullie

Orphan Ensemble: Derissa Hernandez, Charlie Gwyn, Jane Gwyn

New Yorker Ensemble: Derissa Hernandez, Jaron Hoyt, Xandria Gonzalez, Delaney Somers, Skylar Finkner, Zadok Collins, Maddie Jones, Briley Mayhoffer, Zyana Gendreau, Ulrich Sullivan, Maria Lavin, Phoebie Sullivan, Xandek Sullivan, Charlie Gwyn, Jane Gwyn, Kenzie Grasmick, Alexa Hernandez

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Photos by Bethany Taullie