Walking into the Green Room Theatre, you can practically smell the hairspray and the nervous energy of a tech rehearsal. It is a cramped, beautiful chaos that defines the local stage. Windsor’s Cardinal Music Productions is not just hitting a milestone; they are planting a flag. They are celebrating their 15th year and their 30th production with the 1977 Tony Awards Best Musical winner, *Annie*. The show runs from Sept. 20 to 29 and it is exactly the kind of big, brassy swing you expect from a company that has survived a decade and a half in the trenches of independent theatre.
*Annie* is, of course, the cultural juggernaut based on Harold Gray’s *Little Orphan Annie* comic strip. It is the story of a plucky red-haired girl who refuses to let the Great Depression or a miserable orphanage matron break her spirit. The plot is theatre 101: a billionaire named Oliver Warbucks decides he wants to host an orphan for the holidays to soften his public image. He sends his assistant to find a candidate and Annie lands the golden ticket.
The show is a nostalgia trap. Fans are going to show up for the legacy hits like *Tomorrow* and *Hard Knock Life*. But beneath the catchy hooks, there is a technical demand for precision that can make or break a production. I sat down with company owner Joseph Cardinal and choreographer Nina Fasullo to talk about the weight of this anniversary and the reality of working with a massive cast of kids.
I asked Joseph if *Annie* was a strategic choice for this specific 30th-show landmark. He did not hesitate.
"I chose *Annie* because I knew it would require a large cast with a mixture of young and old," Joseph says. "It reflects who we are as a company. We like to give opportunities to everyone and larger shows let us do this. We also wanted people to come out to the theatre and celebrate with us and classics such as this usually draw a bigger audience."
It is a pragmatic move. In the theatre world, you balance the "art" with the "seats." Choosing a titan like *Annie* ensures the lights stay on for the next 15 years. But looking back at the first 15 years of Cardinal Music Productions, Joseph seems more focused on the creative freedom he has carved out for himself in the Windsor scene.
"All in all I am very happy with the first 15 years," Joseph says. "I have been able to tackle the shows I have always wanted to do without placing restrictions on myself. I have given many people a chance to perform and that makes me very happy to be able to have done that."
That lack of restriction is rare. Most local companies get bogged down in committee-led decisions. Joseph has maintained a certain level of auteur control which is likely why they have hit the 30-production mark without burning out.
When you ask a producer to pick their favourite child, things get complicated. Every show has its own set of disasters and triumphs. I pushed Joseph on which production was the hardest to mount and which one stuck with him the most.
I approach every show, whether there is a film or not, in the same way. After listening to the songs, I get a little movie in my head and from there, depending on the experience level of the cast, I put it on its feet. Other versions of the show don’t affect my process.
"I honestly believe that each show has its own unique degree of difficulty, so for me to say that one was harder than another is difficult in itself," Joseph says. "I view each one as a learning experience and an accomplishment. My favourite show by far and away was *Rent*. I love *Rent* for so many reasons but mainly because it has so much heart, it just moves me spiritually."
Moving from the gritty, AIDS-era rock of *Rent* to the sunshine and optimism of *Annie* shows a massive range. It also raises the question of why we still care about a character like Annie in a modern, cynical world. The character has survived decades of reboots and revivals because she represents a specific type of resilience.
"Well she is the little girl who has nothing yet she finds a way by just being herself to rise above it all," Joseph says. "It’s a rag to riches story and it’s always great to see the underdog succeed. She provides a glimmer of hope in a world of darkness."
That "glimmer of hope" is a nice sentiment, but from a directorial standpoint, Annie has to be more than a caricature. She has to be tough. If she is too sweet, the show becomes unwatchable. Joseph sees her as a model of emotional intelligence.
"Annie is inspirational to me because of the way she is able to roll with the punches," Joseph says. "She doesn't ask for much and winds up with everything yet still remains grounded. It is refreshing to see that quality in a person."
But a musical is only as good as its movement. The dance routines in *Annie* are deceptively complex because they involve a lot of moving parts—mostly in the form of energetic children. Choreographer Nina Fasullo is the one tasked with making sure that energy does not turn into a riot on stage.
"The kids numbers are all about them having fun!" Nina says. "*Never Fully Dressed* has them playing pretend and getting to goof around with their friends when, as orphans, they don’t often get that opportunity."
Choreographing children is a specific type of labour that requires a mix of drill sergeant discipline and kindergarten teacher empathy. Nina has been in the game long enough to know the pitfalls.
"I’ve taught children dance for more than 10 years so I’m very aware of the different ways they learn and the amount of patience it takes to keep a room of 7-13 year olds focused at 10pm," Nina says. "Just like choreographing adults in theatre, there are varying experience levels. Half of my job is balancing everyone’s strengths; pushing everyone to learn and grow while still creating movement everyone can feel great doing. The other half is making it look fantastic!"
There is a technical hurdle here that many audiences overlook. When you see a polished number on opening night, you aren't seeing the hours of 10 p.m. rehearsals where a nine-year-old is struggling to remember which foot leads the pivot. Nina’s focus on "balancing strengths" is what separates a professional-looking community production from a school recital.
I also wondered about the shadow of the 1982 film. For many people, Aileen Quinn *is* Annie. Does a choreographer feel the need to pay homage to the movie or is it better to burn the tape and start fresh?
"It’s funny, the film has not crossed my mind once since beginning this process," Nina says. "Maybe it’s because I wasn’t one of those kids who watched it on repeat till the tape broke but I approach every show, whether there is a film or not, in the same way. After listening to the songs, I get a little movie in my head and from there, depending on the experience level of the cast, I put it on its feet. Other versions of the show don’t affect my process."
This is the right attitude. You cannot compete with a film's budget or its editing. You have to lean into the "theatre-ness" of the stage—the sweat, the live vocals and the immediate reaction of the crowd.
The Green Room Theatre is an intimate space, which means there is nowhere to hide. Every missed step and every flat note is audible. That intimacy is what makes Cardinal’s 15th anniversary feel earned. They have spent 15 years in these close quarters, building a community one show at a time.
*Annie* runs Friday and Saturday nights with Sunday matinees from Sept. 20 to 29. Tickets are a flat $25. You can grab them at Cardinal Music located at 2569-B, Jefferson Blvd in Windsor or take your chances at the door. If you want to see how a company survives 30 productions without losing its soul, this is where you find out. It is not just about a girl and her dog; it is about the grit of local theatre.
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