Annie
By Mary Alderson
“This is not your Granny’s Annie.” So says 11-year-old Harper Rae Asch, who has the role of Annie at Stratford’s Festival Theatre. By that, she means It isn’t like productions you may have seen in the past, nor is it like the movie versions.
Harper knows; she has watched the various movies, and she took in the U.S. national tour version live on stage.
So, in the young actor’s opinion, what makes Stratford’s Annie different? “There are lots of dance breaks, with flips and tricks,” she explains. That’s not a surprise. With Donna Feore as the Director/Choreographer, one can expect her trademark impressive dance numbers.
Harper also hints that the characters’ appearances might not follow the traditional looks that were originally based on the Little Orphan Annie comic strip which debuted in 1924, Yes, Harper wears a red wig (in fact, she has two of them) but it might not look quite the same as the tousled curly bright red hair you’ve seen on past Annies,
Harper was shocked and then thrilled when she was offered the iconic role in Annie, “It took a moment to process because there were so many talented children at the audition. It was a nation-wide call,” she says. Some of those girls now share the stage with her, as orphans in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.
Harper is no stranger to being on stage. At age 5, she appeared in the show, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Since she was 9, she has been doing voice-overs for animated TV shows.
“She has a career ahead of her: she’s a mini-star,” says Stratford Festival’s Publicity Director Ann Swerdfager. “She is a remarkable human being, packed with talent, and her beautiful composure and poise take her to the next level. Plus, she’s super-smart,” Swerdfager adds,
Harper enjoys working with her co-stars, Uno and Clue. The two dogs alternate in the role of Sandy, Annie’s furry, four-legged sidekick, The dogs’ owner is also their wrangler in the theatre. The family of dogs has been named after board games. Harper find them great to work with, saying she’s become very close to both dogs. They know what they are supposed to do, and they are rewarded with liver treats.
Besides the dogs, her favourite character in the show is Rooster, played by Mark Uhre. “I’d like to play that role some day. Rooster’s very mischievous like me” says Harper. Look out, Mark! Uhre will be remembered as the hilariously funny Nick Bottom in Something Rotten! at Stratford last year.
Harper likes the song “Maybe” of the many she sings. It’s a wistful song, hopeful that she will find her real parents some day, and it’s reprised in the show. “I like it because it conveys emotion. I feel motherly to the other orphans,” she adds. Of course, “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” are both well-known songs, popular with audiences.
When the show started in previews, Harper found that the line which gets the most laughs is when Miss Hannigan (played by Laura Condlln) says Annie is “a drunk and a liar”. Harper points out that it’s actually Miss Hannigan herself who is a drunk and a liar,
Harper packs a lot into her typical day at the Festival. She has classes with her tutor at 9:00 each morning. “She is the world’s best tutor; she was a child star so she gets it and I’m keeping up with all my school work.” Harper explains. Then she eats a big lunch. “I always eat pickles to warm up my voice. The vinegar clears my throat,” she adds. Then it’s vocal warm-ups and stretches, and off to the theatre, where there are group warm-ups in the rehearsal hall. At the half-hour call she gets dressed in her wig and costume, then at the 15-minute call she says hi to the dogs and warms up with them. Then it’s show time. At intermission she eats to keep her going for the second act. Usually it’s a green apple, which like pickles, will help her voice, and chicken or something high in protein for energy. When the show was in previews, she’d go back to the theatre in the evening to rehearse.
Harper and her parents have left their home in Toronto to live in Stratford for the duration of the show. She is an only child and interestingly enough, she was born in Las Vegas while her mother was working there. It seems fitting that someone born in Vegas would like being on stage. She has dual citizenship.
“It’s such a big honour to debut at the Stratford Festival. I really connect with Annie, and with everyone in the show,” she says, “I am so grateful to my parents, my tutor here, and all my coaches. I love this so much; I could keep doing Annie forever.”
What will “Tomorrow” bring for Harper? Definitely more theatre work, and yes, she will be pursuing professional actor/singer/dancer as a career. There is no doubt we will be seeing her on stage in the future.
Annie is playing in repertory at the Festival Theatre until November 2, 2025.
Photo: Harper Rae Asch as Annie (right) with Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Grace Farrell in Annie Stratford Festival 2025 Photo: Ann Baggley.