“You’re going to love the last part!” third-grader Chris (also known as CJ) told me Saturday morning about Annie, Jr., the musical he and his castmates would perform at Wexler-Grant School later that day. He was enjoying a waffle breakfast with the cast and crew — warm, syrupy plates of motivation for the big show ahead. Director Jaminda Blackmon, along with assistant Ms. Lynn, doled out waffles and encouragement.
“Hi, Ms. Blackmon!” the kids called out in a chorus when their director walked into the cafeteria that morning, back from a mission to find a power cord.
Variations of this could be heard throughout the day: “Where’s Ms. Blackmon?” “Ms. Blackmon said…” And sometimes just “Ms. Blackmon!”
When in doubt, the kids knew who to call.
And they weren’t wrong. This was music teacher Blackmon’s seventh or eighth musical at Wexler-Grant, an endeavor she’s undertaken ever since arriving at the school years ago.
The play took place as the New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) district plans to merge Wexler-Grant and Lincoln-Bassett schools next academic year, to form a single PreK-8th grade school at Bassett’s building in Newhallville. Wexler-Grant’s current campus on Foote Street is slated to become a new middle school focused on project-based learning.
Blackmon had some help with the current performance of Annie Jr. Band director Kevin James pitched in on sound, for example. The art teacher helped with sets. The 7th/8th grade social studies teacher, student council advisor, and culinary club advisor Ms. Lynn became Blackmon’s assistant. But it was clear Blackmon was the show’s anchor.
“I’m excited for the kids,” she said about Saturday’s performance. “They worked so hard for it.”
So what would I love about the last part of the musical? According to Chris, “It’s kind of cool what I say and what I have on. It’s kind of funny what I have on.” He went on to describe a suit so large I wouldn’t believe it. So large, even his big brothers Carter and Abel didn’t fit it — and they were in fourth and fifth grade!
“Carter tried it out, it was too big for him. Abel tried it out, it was too big for him,” Chris said. It followed, naturally, that it’d be the perfect larger-than-life size for Chris. He had an important role, after all. He was to play Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd president of the United States. If you, like me, forgot Roosevelt was in Annie, Jr., you would’ve also forgotten that the show sets up little orphan Annie as the inspiration for Roosevelt to establish his 1933 economic program The New Deal.
Big brothers Carter and Abel were in the show as well. Chris explained to me that Abel was Mr. Warbucks — “the richest guy in the world!” — and Carter was Rooster, who was part of a duo “trying to steal Annie. But they don’t care about Annie, they just care about the money.”
Chris, excited about the finalé.
The waffle breakfast started the day strong. Leilani in pre‑K (“I have to get six so I could be in kindergarten,” she informed me) sat with first-grade older sister Lynnae as the elder got her hair done by her mom before the breakfast got into full swing. Seventh-grader Lexus told me about her experience in the stage crew. “I move stuff on stage and take it out,” she said. “I mean it feels great, this is my first time doing it.” She was nervous at first, but felt more comfortable as she learned to build props and assist actors, even helping make a poster of when things will happen on stage.
Chris practiced his lines as the kids went back for seconds and thirds of waffly delights. “Keep it quiet down there!” he rehearsed. He’d have to time this one just right, in between sections of a song. “Merry Christmas, Annie,” he went on, “Annie, early this morning …. Annie early this morning, FBI director Hoover…”
“My mom helped me with my lines,” Chris said. At his first show, he skipped a line, but then comforted himself with the thought, “We have three more tries.” He did indeed remember that line at show number two.
The show itself was a hit, with 6th-grader Naomi playing a delightful, hilarious Annie and 8th-grader Jayla belting out her miseries as Miss Hannigan. The cast wowed the crowd with their coordinated choreography and well-timed gags, and the crew orchestrated set changes so smooth you’d never notice how well their magic worked.
By the end of the performance, as promised, Chris came out in his big suit. Naomi, as Annie, wished him a Merry Christmas. I held my breath. “Merry Christmas, Annie,” Chris said, just like he practiced. And the show was off to its sweet, somewhat bizarre finale: Roosevelt signed into law a New Deal, and more importantly, Annie and all her friends from the orphanage got adopted by Daddy Warbucks.
The team will have one more show Monday before wrapping up the season: a multi-school effort Blackmon puts together every year, where students from Lincoln-Bassett Community School, Conte West Hills Magnet School, and Betsy Ross Magnet school will bus in to see the performance. I have high hopes the kids will pull off another excellent show. And whatever happens, as I just learned from Wexler-Grant’s talented cast and crew, the sun will come out tomorrow.
Director Jaminda Blackmon serves up waffles for her cast.
Khia, first grade: "My favorite part is NYC!"
Lynnae, first grade, enjoying breakfast.
Jaminda Blackmon looking on at her team.