Every summer, the Pinewood Performing Arts organization presents a musical at the Pinewood Bowl amphitheater inside Pioneers Park. This year, Pinewood is presenting Annie, and freshman Lydia Robinson has landed the titular role, alongside sophomores Gracie Kathman as Pepper and Cayson Witt in the ensemble.
Silver Hawks have a history with having their acting and technical prowess featured on the Pinewood stage. Within the last 10 shows, there have been current students or alumni performing, stage managing or volunteering for Pinewood shows.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity of playing a bigger role and working on my personal acting skills with some really cool and really good actors,” Robinson said. “I have done many shows at (Lincoln Community Playhouse), many shows at (Nebraska Communities Playhouse) and a couple here at Southwest.”
Annie is based on a 1924 comic strip by Harold Gray titled “Little Orphan Annie.” The comic was adapted into several film and television adaptations, along with a Broadway musical. The musical tells the story of the “little orphan” as she navigates life in a New York City orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. She eventually escapes with help from the other orphan girls and finds a new home.
Mrs. Annaliese Saathoff, assistant theatre director for Lincoln Southwest, has participated in 12 shows at Pinewood. Not unlike Robinson, she too was a student at Southwest.
“I always say it’s not summer without Pinewood. My favorite production to do was The Little Mermaid because I got to be a Disney Princess,” Saathoff said. “Southwest has always had a great turnout of students coming out to do Pinewood, and I think that it’s always so awesome because we get to have that tradition of excellence from Southwest theatre.”
Pinewood’s production of Annie runs for two weekends: July 9-12 and July 16-18. Tickets go on sale in early June and will be available online at pinewoodbowl.org or at any Russ’s Market location in Lincoln.
“The community is so amazing, and it’s such a good place to be yourself and figure out what you do like about musical theatre,” Robinson said. “I’ve made some of my best friends in theatre, and (Pinewood) is one of my favorite summer traditions.”