KAYSVILLE -- With a cast of more than 80, Kaysville Junior High brought a shortened version of the musical "Annie" to life last week. Presenting "Annie jr.," the talented students offered up such familiar tunes as "Tomorrow" and "Dress with a Smile" to the delight of the audience. Based on the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" created by Harold Gray in 1924 for the Chicago Tribune, this rousing musical featured selections of the best of "Annie's" songs. The cast enthusiastically took the audience along for the ride as the charming optimistic redhead goes from living in the miserable orphanage run by Miss Hannigan to the spacious accommodations of wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks (Aaron Naylor).

Diminutive 7th-grader Marissa Anderson brought the part of Annie to life with Madison Tarbox bringing an adult-like gusto to the besieged and beleaguered Miss Hannigan overrun by girls.

Annie's life is changed when she is selected by Warbucks' secretary, Grace Farrell (played perfectly by Caitlin Watts) as the orphan to spend the Christmas holidays with the Warbucks household. Although he was expecting a boy orphan, Annie quickly captures Warbucks' heart.

Scene stealing Ryan Ulrich hammed it up as Warbucks' butler, Drake, demonstrating total command of the Warbucks household.

Cameron Thredgold shone as Miss Hannigan's fresh-from-jail brother "Rooster," who sets out to con Warbucks out of the money he has offered in an effort to locate Annie's parents.

He is joined by Alicyn Brown as Lily St. Regis in the caper to impersonate Annie's long-lost mom and dad as outlined in the song "Easy Street."

This hapless couple is foiled by Miss Farrell and the FBI who uncover their true identities. In the end, Warbucks is thrilled to adopt the perky young girl and throws a party to which Annie invites all she knows.

Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Kenny Larson) and Eleanor (Kristin Richins) join in the celebration of Annie's adoption.

Closing the production with the full cast singing "Tomorrow," "Annie jr." was well choreographed and enthusiastically presented.

This delightful presentation made for an evening well spent.