“Annie Get Your Gun” is a musical set in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The story is loosely based on the life of Annie Oakley who was an extremely talented sharpshooter in the old west. When the show opens, we learn that Annie usually shoots animals for game to make money, but she’s offered a chance to win more money by competing against the town’s best shooter, Frank Butler. She quickly accepts, but is hesitant when she finds out that she must compete against her possible love interest.
Her hesitation quickly disappears when everyone doubts her talents because she is a female. After a few rounds of shooting, Frank finally misses, declaring Annie the best shooter in the world. When there are a few disagreements and surprise tricks, Frank decides to separate from the show and leaves Annie heartbroken.
Later in the play, Annie becomes a very decorated shooter, gaining medals from all around the world for impressing many people. However, because of her team’s low finances, she has to head back to America in order to merge her act with another show and, hopefully, patch up any differences between her and Frank. After a gala, an engagement, and another shooting competition, Annie agrees to sell her medals so that the now merged shows can be financially stable and so that she and Frank could finally be together.
This play was fantastic all around. I especially enjoyed the personality shown by each and every character. Between their lines, songs and even their walks, I was truly amazed with the life the actors and actresses brought to their characters. Though this may have been the most astonishing, the music is definitely what won me over. Everyone loves a good musical and this play in particular gave one to remember. The dances were choreographed to perfection and the songs were hilariously heartwarming.
Sebastian Sowell is a sophomore musical theatre major who performed the lead role of Annie Oakley.
“‘Annie Get Your Gun’ is very different than what has been done here at Winthrop,” Sowell said. “We’ve done a lot of more contemporary musicals and ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ is more of a golden age show, which comes with different dance styles, different singing– different everything, so it was definitely a challenge I wanted to take on.”
Ally Baumgartner, freshman theatre performance major, also shared her experience with the performance.
“From a really young age I just loved musicals, and ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ is a golden age show, which I haven’t really been able to do before,” Baumgartner said. “I absolutely loved the style of the piece.”
Sean Riehm, senior business administration major who performed as Frank Butler, expressed the message that he wanted the audience to take from the show.
“I think the message is to not compromise for anybody and not letting anybody else define who you are and how you feel about yourself,” Riehm said. “It’s about defining yourself as who you are and who you believe you are rather than letting other people do that for you.”
My absolute favorite part of the show was when Annie went up against Frank again in competition and they both sung the classic “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better”. Sowell shared the same favorite.
“I could feel the energy in the audience when I’d start that song and Sean continues,” Sowell said. “The energy was super high and it was so much fun doing that. It was so much fun to watch the cast and their dances, and for me to show off a little bit.”
As the audience exited the show, whispers echoed around the halls saying “That was really good.” and “They were hilarious.” I encourage all students to go out and support Winthrop’s theater and dance department by attending their next show, “A Home at the Zoo.” After a performance such as “Annie Get Your Gun,” I don’t expect it to be anything less than great.
