Get to Know Annie’s Cast of Orphans!

Get to Know Annie’s Cast of Orphans!

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The cast of Annie has one of the most adorable and talented ensembles ever assembled. Each of them already has an impressive body of work at such a young age. Let’s get to know each of them more closely!

Half-Filipino, half-Scottish Krystal Cabrera Brimner was born in San Diego, California, USA and moved to the Philippines in 2009. At age five, she entered the world of modeling doing projects with Disney magazine, Sugar Kids Shoes, SM Fashion Week and SM Accessories, Bear Brand, and Quake Overload, among others.

Krystal is a G-Force kids scholar from 2013 up to the present and is a consistent honor student in school. She was named Munting Mutya of San Pablo City and Little Ms. Laguna in 2012, and was a top 4 singing finalist in ABS-CBN’s 2^nd i-Shine Talent Camp in 2013.

Krystal earned her big break in show business when she won the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Child Actress Award for her role as ‘Angel’ in Erik Matti’s “Honor Thy Father”.

This year, Krystal takes on the lead role of ANNIE together with Isabeli Araneta Elizalde in Resorts World Manila’s seventh theater offering.

Isabeli has always been a natural performer. Having nurtured an interest in music as early as her pre-school days, her teachers saw her exceptional talents and cast her in such school plays as The Gruffalo, Christmas in our Hearts and other summer drama class plays.

Aside from being a consistent top student in her class, Isabeli is very active in art clubs at school. She continues to hone her craft by being a member of her school’s chorale group and most recently the drama club. She also takes up professional singing lessons and has a very vibrant interest in dance, writing and the arts.

This year, Isabeli takes on the lead role of ANNIE together with Krystal Brimner in Resorts World Manila’s seventh theater offering.

(WATCH: Cast of Annie Performs!)

Maria Francesca Rojas is one little girl who is meant to go a long way in show business. Among her early achievements include being the grand winner in the Frozen Forever Sing and Act like Elsa and Anna contest and as 1^st runner up in GMA’s Eat Bulaga-Little Miss Philippines 2012. She was also tapped to play roles in several student film thesis made for the International Academy of Film and Television which is based in Cebu.

Cheska also joined the ABS-CBN The Voice Kids Season 2 Talent Search and is a scholar of the Salonga School of Rock-Cebu, a member of the Cebu Thespian Club and the Promil i-Shine Batch 1. She is a consistent honor student and can rap aside from her impressive vocal talent.

A small but terrific performer, Precious Lainey Galvez never seems to tire of doing shows and sharing her flair on the stage. With numerous live appearances in mall shows and special events, Precious is ready to take on a larger audience.

Among her notable performances include her rendition of Diana Reeves’s “Better Days” in ABS-CBN’s The Voice Kids Season 2. Precious also participates in kids fashion shows especially drawing attention to her cute curly hair that complements her charming face. With her new calling in theater, this little girl armed with explosive talents will surely make an impact to more audiences soon.

CJ is a bubbly and energetic kid who started out her career early in modeling appearing on print, billboards, and television commercials. She eventually took early training through the Asian Academy of Television Arts Summer Workshop for Kids where she was awarded best in both dancing and singing categories. She later on enrolled in Trumpets Playshop Summer Workshop to further her experience in Children’s Musical Theater.

Like most children that show great promise early, Ericka started to hone her talents in performing arts at a young age. She attended her first formal voice lessons at the age of 6 years old and has not stopped since. She has performed in various engagements at school as well as several corporate events. Her attendance in Trumpets Summer Workshop has paid dividends as she played her first role in a major musical as part of the cast of Repertory Philippines’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Alba is a spirited young girl who always seemed comfortable onstage. From ballet recitals from the age of four until her recent Repertory Philippines Summer Workshop performances, this 6th Grader knows that the world of theater is where she’s meant to be. She’s been training in classical ballet as early as three years old and has competed in The Philippine Dance Cup twice with her fellow students at the Danspace Ballet School. Alba has participated in Repertory’s Kids of Broadway production where she sang Les Misérables’ ‘Castle on a Cloud’ and performed as part of the ensemble of Revolting Children, an adaptation of the Broadway hit Matilda.

 

Just like any normal kid, Natalia is a sweet girl who loves music. Her exceptional talents though have taken her from singing in church and in her glee club, to a recording artist who has lent her voice to an album compilation of musical songs entitled Broadway Baby as well as cover songs for Mission Family Philippines. Aside from her gift perfectly suited for theater, she is also an honor student, fluent in Spanish, and absolutely adores animals.

A writer, a performer, and a dreamer, young Ataska is already a multi-hyphenated star. While she shares her interests in life through her personal blog, this girl shares her passion through her talent as a performing artist. She has played major roles in several stage productions including Hansel and Gretel Musical, Jack & The Beanstalk, and Aladdin which won the Aliw Award’s Best Production for Children in 2015. She has made a name on television most notably as a finalist in ABS-CBN’s Star Circle Quest Kids and a 3-chair-turner in The Voice Kids Season 2. Her goal is to entertain through her talents and skills, to make a change through her advocacies, and to be an inspiration to others.

Raised in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Cydel has been joining singing competitions and performing in special gatherings and occasions at a young age. The early exposure has led her to develop a deep voice range which she regularly puts on display by doing covers of famous songs on YouTube. On September 2014, Cydel did a remarkable rendition of Celine Dion’s ‘Power of Love’ which became viral gaining over 8.5 million views instantly making Cydel an online star. She has also played the lead role for the independent film Blanka by Japanese director Hasei Khokei. The film has been screened in various film festivals around the world winning multiple awards in France, Switzerland, India, Greece, and South Korea.

At her young age, Ginger can already be considered a thespian having played roles in major musicals since she was 6 years old. Her first foray into theater was at Resorts World Manila where she played a part as one of the Royal Siamese children in The King and I. She has then been part of other musicals such as Resorts World Manila’s Cinderella, played lead roles in 9 Works Theatrical’s Seussical the Musical and A Christmas Story, Repertory Philippines’ The Secret Garden, as well as other major musical concerts such as From East Coast to West End and South Pacific the Musical.

Influenced by her parents’ love for music, Sofia discovered her talent for singing and dancing at a young age. After taking up voice lessons while being home-schooled, Sofia has displayed her talents landing parts in Chancel’s Christian musical plays This Little Light of Mine, Donkey Tales, It’s Okay To Be Different, and I Witness News: Live From Jericho. She also played the lead role in Repertory Philippines’ production of Pinocchio. She’s currently an honor student at the CCF Life Academy in Pasig.

Shanti has been performing professionally since the tender age of four. Her talents have landed her gigs performing alongside some of the country’s finest artists including Jose Marie Chan, Gary Valenciano, Vina Morales, Lea Salonga, Sarah Geronimo, and Bamboo. Her gifted voice has likewise given life to major characters in both computer games and cartoon genres. In the world of theater, Shanti has played roles in Resorts World Manila’s The Sound Of Music as one of the Von Trapp children. She has also recently performed in the revival of Trumpets’ The Bluebird of Happiness.

Who would ever think that a girl with a guitar would be so powerful? When she was just 10 years old, Gwyn absolutely moved the judges of Asia’s Got Talent with her acoustic rendition of Katie Perry’s Roar eventually making it in the talent search’s final round. She has subsequently received high praise from her countrymen earning a spot in the benefit concert Songs For Heroes 2 alongside top singers like Kuh Ledesma, Jed Madela, and fellow Asia’s Got Talent alumna Gerphil Flores. She also sang the national anthem during President Benigno Aquino’s 2015 State of the Nation Address.

These talented youngsters will be joined by a powerhouse adult cast– Michael de Mesa as Daddy Warbucks, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Ms. Hannigan, Jill Peña as Grace Farrell, Mako Alonso and Red Concepcion alternating as Rooster, and Justine Peña as Lily St. Regis.

Annie opens at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on September 30.

For more details about what’s happening in the Manila theater scene, please view our Theater Calendar.

Photos courtesy of RWM