Talk to Avril Brigden and Aubrey Maddock for awhile, and you'll quickly find out that they're enthusiastic about just about everything to do with Royal City Musical Theatre's Annie.
Everything, that is, except the bloomers that the orphans have to wear.
Those are tight and itchy and make the girls really glad that in their real lives, they get to wear jeans.
The two Burnaby girls are onstage as orphans in Annie, which opens at New Westminster's Massey Theatre on April 10.
They met up with the NOW during their March break to talk about their experiences in the musical.
"It's going really well!" said an enthusiastic Aubrey, a 12-year-old Grade 6 student at Montecito Elementary School.
"I really like the experience, it's really fun," agreed Avril, who's 10 years old and in Grade 5 at Sperling Elementary. "I like that I'm doing what I love."
That love, of course, would be performing.
Neither girl is a stranger to the world of singing, dancing and acting in front of crowds.
Aubrey - who appears as Kate - starting her acting career at the age of eight, when she played Matilda in her school production of Willy Wonka and then appeared as Marta in Footlight Theatre's The Sound of Music. A year later, she was cast as a featured munchkin in Footlight's The Wizard of Oz, and at age 11 played Mabel in her school's production of I Need a Christmas Vacation.
She also plays the violin and sings with a Coastal Sound Music Academy choir, as well as taking creative dance with ArtSpace.
Avril - who plays Pepper as well as understudying Annie - studies musical theatre and dance at Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts. She's been in four shows with Lindbjerg Academy and recently appeared in Align Entertainment's Shrek The Musical. At last year's Kiwanis Fraser Valley Music Festival, she won the Best Broadway Performance award.
They're both thrilled to be part of the cast for Annie.
"I love the music, I've always loved the music," Avril says, noting that she got the CD when she was little and listened to it over and over and over again.
They both love the choreography created by director Valerie Easton for the Royal City production, and they're excited to perform with the full orchestra.
And they also like the chance to get onstage and get dressed up - or is that down? - in their ragged orphan clothes, with messy hair and dark blush to give them dirty faces. Except, that is, for those itchy bloomers - which they were horrified to learn children did, indeed, used to have to wear for real.
"I feel bad for the people back then," Avril says, her lively face expressing her disgust at the idea.
Bloomers, aside, however, the two are delighted with the chance to play children who aren't much like their real-life selves.
"I love my character," says Aubrey. "I love how no one in the orphanage is like peaches and cream, they're all tough."
Avril agrees.
"Mine is super-tough," she says. "She's kind of given up hope that her parents are coming for her, and she makes herself feel better by picking on everybody else."
(Which is, mom Tara McBean says, the absolute opposite of the real-life Avril, who she describes as a collaborator and a mediator. She says with a laugh that she's just hoping Avril doesn't start liking Pepper's personality just a little too much.)
Being in the show is a big investment of time for both girls, with three to four rehearsals a week - including some full days on weekends. Avril has to devote even more time than the other orphans because she's at most rehearsals to the bitter end, learning the Annie part should she have to step in for Julia MacLean.
There's the occasional morning where their parents have kept them home from school till morning recess just to give them a chance to sleep in and recover from the night before, but they both embrace the challenge.
For McBean, seeing her daughter come alive with enthusiasm has made the investment of time and energy worthwhile.
"What I really love is that she comes home and talks about what a great time she's had with everybody. The fondness for the group, that to me is value for all our time and effort," she says. "She's just really excited about being a part of it."
The two girls say they're enjoying working with the Royal City Musical Theatre company, which has given them a chance to reconnect with some performing friends and make some new ones - including each other.
And they both enjoy working with the adult members of the cast, too.
"I like when adults don't treat you like kids, you're also friends with the adults," Avril says.
For Aubrey, there's an extra-special reason to enjoy working with the adults - Daddy Warbucks is being played by none other than her own real-life dad, well-known local performer Steve Maddock.
"To be involved in a show with my kid is a delight," he says with a smile. "Who knows when this will happen again?"
Maddock adds he's thrilled to be taking part in this show - the company's 25th anniversary performance - because the group has done so much for his life as a performer.
Royal City Musical Theatre Company gave him his first performing opportunity, in the 1997 production of Guys and Dolls, when he moved West from Ontario. He's since appeared in the company's productions of The Sound of Music and Carousel.
"I was delighted to get cast in this role," he said. "Royal City, they've done a lot for me and my career. To be able to participate in their 25th anniversary is pretty special."
They're joined onstage by three other Burnaby residents: Gavin LeClaire, Damon Jang and Stefanie Stanley (see more info below).
Annie is onstage April 10 through 26 at the Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Ave., New Westminster.
See www.royalcitymusicaltheatre.com for all the details.
Tickets are available through the Massey box office at 604-521-5050 or tickets.masseytheatre.com.
WHO'S IN THE CAST FROM BURNABY
Three other Burnaby residents are also part of the Annie cast:
* Gavin LeClaire: Gavin LeClaire appears as Drake and Lt. Ward. It's his first show with Royal City Musical Theatre, and he says it's a treat to be working with such a committed and professional group. He was recently seen as PM Asquith in Rebel Women with Vital Spark Theatre. Favourite former roles include the Pharaoh in Joseph with Diocesan Arts Ministry, and Sir Robert Morton in The Winslow Boy with Vagabond Players in 2012 and Metro Theatre in 2013.
* Damon Jang: Damon Jang, a member of the ensemble, is a graduate from the musical theatre program and inaugural bachelor of performing arts degree program at Capilano University, where he appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Honk! and The Threpenny Opera. He recently attended the Banff Centre's summer musical theatre intensive, and past credits include Susanna with Vancouver Academy of Music, Love! Valor! Compassion! With Ghostlight, Hello, Dolly! with Royal City Musical Theatre, 42nd Street with Metro Theatre and Singin' In the Rain with Theatre Under the Stars. He's also a theatre publicist, dance/acting coach and administrator.
* Stefanie Stanley: Stefanie Stanley is making her debut with Royal City. She's a graduate of Ryerson theatre school and acted in musicals and children's theatre in Ontario. Her all-time favourite role was playing Anna in The King and I with Unionville Theatre Company. She's currently a teacher in Burnaby.
