When Catherine Towne heard about auditions for the musical ‘Annie? at Detroit’s Masonic Temple Theatre, the 10-year-old figured she had nothing to lose.
‘It’s the first major thing that she’s done,? said Towne’s mother Joyce. ‘She was ‘Annie? in her school musical.?
‘My mom saw (a call for auditions) in the paper, and since I was ‘Annie,? I thought it’d be really cool,? Towne said.
Towne, a fifth-grader at Orion Oaks Elementary School, was cast as one of the orphans in the show, and will appear on stage at least four times in the production, which runs Feb. 10-15.
Towne has been a student at L.A. Dance in Lake Orion for four years, and has studied tap, jazz, ballet, and production solo and trio.
‘She’s been dancing since she was twirling around the floor in diapers,? Joyce said.
‘My sister used to dance…and my mom danced when she was little,? said Towne.
Towne has danced competitively and performed in numerous school productions, but is excited for her first live stage debut.
‘I start practice on Feb. 7, my birthday,? she said.
Practice will run for eight hours the first day, eight hours the next day, and then for five-hours and three-hours on the next days.
‘It’s pretty rigorous,? Joyce said. ‘Her grandmother is coming from Florida to see it.?
‘A girl I used to sing with is going to be in it too,? Towne said.
Asked if she was nervous at her ‘Annie? audition, with 90 other girls, Towne said only ‘sometimes.?
Althought it will be her first time performing there, it won’t be Towne’s first visit to the Masonic Temple Theatre. She and her mother saw ?42nd Street? there last year.
Towne hopes to return to the stage in the future, as an actress.
‘I want to be an actress when I grow up,? she said, adding that her favorite actress is ‘Freaky Friday’s? Lindsay Lohan.
‘I also like Kelly Clarkston,? she said.
When she’s not singing and dancing, Towne plays softball and looks forward to starting basketball soon. She is also in Girl Scouts.
‘Annie? performances at the Masonic Temple Theatre are 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 10-11, 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 15. Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at (248) 645-6666.