Production Notes: The Joint is Jumpin' at Diablo Theatre Company

When I enter Diablo Theatre Company's landmark Firehouse, the center of our operations in Pleasant Hill, these days I can't help but think of that familiar Golden Oldie Fats Waller song, "This Joint is Jumpin.'"

Boy is it ever.

We're "jumpin" at almost a frenetic pace, and for good reasons:

• Three of our upcoming major shows (Annie, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, and The Drowsy Chaperone) are in various stages of production.

• Our summer theater program for young people is in full swing, along with our acclaimed teen theater group, STARS 2000, which just completed an exciting run of How to Succeed in Business and is now focused on All Shook Up, its show for next spring. The show features Elvis Presley music and is based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

• We're in the middle of planning our 2011-2012 season (Yes, that may seem like quite a ways off, but it takes time to secure the rights and performance dates, and work out schedules for auditions and a myriad of other details for the shows.)

But first things first.

 As we approach our 52nd season, Annie's back and we've got her from September 10 through October 2 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek.

We first produced the show when we were known as the Diablo Light Opera Company in our 1983-84 season and again in 1989. At that time, 105 girls auditioned for the show.  This time, 95 turned up to demonstrate their talents. We ultimately selected nine to play the orphans, including 11-year-old Marianna Scott of Alameda who'll star in the title role.

The show is somewhat of a family affair. We have two mother-daughter teams in the amazing cast: Suzanne Shepard, who plays a French maid, and daughters Claire and Isabel of San Ramon, and Diella Wottrich (who also plays a maid) and daughter Meaghan of Lafayette. The girls play orphans.

And when it came to finding a dog to play Annie's beloved mutt Sandy, we didn't have far to look.  Marianna Ford, our costumer, had the perfect pooch: Gertie. Ford and her family, residents of Lafayette, rescued the dog from the Contra Costa Animal Services shelter in Martinez nearly eight years ago when she was 7-1/2 weeks old.

Gertie is no stranger to the stage.  She played Sandy for 33 performances of Annie at the Willows Theatre five years ago.  She never missed a cue.

"Little Orphan Annie," the comic strip that inspired the musical, disappeared from the comics pages last June after an 86-year run. But we're helping to keep her alive for generations yet to be delighted by her story. We're jumping the gun on a Broadway revival that's in the works for 2012.

When not in rehearsals, our Annie cast is out entertaining the public at some very special events, including the recent Chevron Family Day at the Lesher Center for the Arts, where our shows are presented, and "Haute August Nights" at the Blackhawk Country Club. 

From noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 28, we'll be overseeing a Sandy look-alike contest near Nordstrom at the Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. Our cast will be on hand along with judges who will select the dog that most closely resembles Sandy.  All dogs are eligible to compete. Just show up.  The owner of the winner will receive a gift certificate for stores in Broadway Plaza, which is co-sponsoring the event with us. Owners of all dogs entered in the competition will receive tickets to Annie.

The next day, August 29, our cast will be performing songs from the show at noon at "Family Fest" at Heather Farm Park.

Wait, there's more.

For the September 10 opening night of Annie, and the 2 p.m. matinee on September 12, patrons who bring their cameras are invited to take photos with the cast an hour before each performance.  It all takes place near the entrance to the Lesher Center.

Although we originally planned to present the East Bay premiere of Irving Berlin's White Christmas as a concert, it worked out that we'll be producing a full-fledged version of the show, snowfalls and all.

It opens just in time for the holiday season in a limited engagement from November 26 through December 4.  Tickets will go fast, so a word to the wise . . .

Among the amazing 28-member cast is Dan Cawthon, former head of the drama department at St. Mary's College and a veteran local actor. He'll play General Henry Waverly, a role originated by Dean Jagger in the 1954 film of the musical that starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.

Our show will have top-notch dancers and choreography by our own Suzanne Brandt, a former dancer and showgirl who graced stages in "spectaculars" in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.  Her mother is the award-winning Sheri Stockdale.  She'll choreograph our production of "The Drowsy Chaperone," opening next spring. More about that later.

See you at the theater!

For information about our company and shows, visit our website, www.diablo theatre.org