Holly follows star lineup

THE first time I saw ‘Annie’, I fell for the musical.
And, I have a feeling that many more people might fall in love with the show and leave the theatre with their hearts feeling ‘young and gay’ when they see Pakenham lass Holly Player take the stage as ‘Annie’.
The Cardinia Performing Arts Company (CPAC) will open with the 12yearold Pakenham Secondary College performing arts student in the muchcoveted star role. Holly said she was thrilled to be leading this family favourite in the dream role of aspiring young actresses.
I love to see young people take up such challenges and wish her well. She got off to a good start.
Director Lee Geraghty said Holly knew all her lines by the first rehearsal and already had a performing arts scholarship.
Holly looks back at famous performances of ‘Annie’ on Broadway and London by stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Alyssa Milano and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Musical director Kim Thomsen said she was thrilled with Holly’s performance at rehearsals.
She has been billed as a director’s dream.
Holly has performed in most other CPAC productions, but says her favourites were Les Miserables, in which she played the role of young Cosette, and The Sound of Music, where she played Marta, one of the Von Trapp children.
Holly has learnt dancing for the past four years at Jazz Connections in Pakenham and also studies singing and piano.
When asked what she would like to be when she grows up, Holly answers confidently that she is going to be an actress.
Perhaps we can say that she doesn’t have to wait until she grows up because she is an actress; she just has to work hard at her craft to be among the top actresses.
This follows on the extraordinary success of another young performer from this region, opera singer Rejieli Paulo, now studying and working overseas, partly because of talent, but mostly because of dedication and sheer hard work.
‘Annie’ opens at the Cardinia Cultural Centre on Saturday, 24 February and runs until Saturday, 10 March, including Sunday matinees.
Bookings are with the centre on 1300 887 624.