Jewish talent well-presented in musical

PETER FELDMAN

This bright, colourful production at Teatro, Montecasino until November 27, has two Cape Town players in the key role of orphan Annie. They are Emma-Rose Blacher and Lilla Fleischmann, both 12.

Blacher performed on media night and pulled it off with great aplomb. Asked how she felt about landing the coveted role, Blacher told Jewish Report: “The role of Annie is a dream come true for me. I feel blessed and privileged to be performing with such an amazing cast and crew. I feel the experience has altered my life positively as I have learnt so much.”

Auditions had been tough. “There were about 150 girls present and over two days we were required to sing, dance and act. The role of Annie requires lots of stamina, energy and professionalism.”

Blacher, who played Marta von Trapp in The Sound of Music at Artscape Theatre in Cape Town in 2014, has seen many versions of Annie. Last year she saw a stage production in Oxford, England. “I love anything creative, from painting to knitting and sewing, baking and cooking. I also love reading and watching great movies.”

Blacher, who attends St Cyprians school in Cape Town, adds that musical theatre is her passion and she would love to be a professional.

The second Annie, Lilla Fleischmann, attends Herzlia Weizmann in Cape Town and is in grade 6. She confessed that she has loved Annie since she was a little girl and being in the cast is a “dream come true”.

The auditions, she says, were challenging because the show has complex choreography and they were expected to sing songs from the show. “There were a lot of talented girls at the auditions and the process was long and nerve wracking.”

Fleischmann, who is trained in drama, ballet, tap, modern dance and piano, and who also appeared in The Sound of Music in Cape Town in 2014, feels that attending musical theatre workshops regularly helped enormously with preparing her for the role. “I am very familiar with the role, having watched the movies. I love the character’s optimism and spunky personality and identify with her.”

Mikayla Levick (14), a grade 10 learner at King David Linksfield, plays orphan Tessie. Known to family and friends as KK, she says being in the musical is an “incredible” opportunity for them to work with professionals who treat them with respect and take them seriously.

KK, who played Annie in the school’s production and knows the story well, says they have all become one big, happy family.

Rachelle Weiss (13), a grade 7 learner at Crawford Preparatory School, Pretoria, plays the orphan Pepper, a complete opposite to who she really is. “‘My family think it’s very funny that I play the bully when I’m usually a peacemaker.”

She believes that by having three groups of orphans, helps motivate them to do better. “We know that we were all cast for a reason and the directors matched the teams so that every audience gets a great show. I think we complement each other on stage.”

King David Linksfield learner Kelli Hollander (12) is in grade 6 and plays Duffy in Team Rockerfeller. She feels privileged to be in the show and “‘sometimes I have to pinch myself because it seems just like a dream”.

The girls expressed an interest in continuing with a career on stage if circumstances permitted, but one thing was clear – they all had a passion for their chosen craft.