On Wednesday I had the privilege of seeing ‘Annie', Otumoetai College's musical for 2018.

It was only a couple of weeks ago I saw the visual feast that was the Tauranga Girls' and Boys' Colleges production of ‘Beauty and the Beast', which set the bar extremely high in terms of what a high school show can deliver.

Now, comparisons are odious, but it took a few minutes for me to shake off that ‘Beauty and the Beast' influence and remember that ‘Annie' is a very different musical. To begin with, there is no Disneyfied palette of vibrant colours – this is, after all, set in New York during the Great Depression, and begins in the orphanage where our titular heroine resides.

Thus, the world we are introduced to is much dirtier and more muted, and one in which Annie stands out with her bright red hair and optimistic attitude. It's only later on, when Annie gets to spend Christmas with the brash billionaire Oliver Warbucks, that we are shown a glimpse of a moneyed world far brighter and more extravagant.

There is a strong central cast of characters, each made distinctive through the hard work of their respective actors. There's Annie (Holly Thompson), who's hoping her parents will one day return to reclaim her from the orphanage; billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Bailey Hocking), who invites Annie to spend Christmas with him, and decides to help her find her family; his assistant Grace Farrell (Tessa Olsson); Miss Hannigan (Lily-Jane Lawley), the often-inebriated and bitter mistress of the orphanage; and her brother Rooster (Levi Williams), a jailbird who comes up with a nefarious scheme involving Annie, alongside his latest lover, Lily ‘Like the Hotel' St. Regis (Kate Millar).

Highlights of the show include ‘It's the Hard Knock Life', one of the show's classic tunes. Performed by the orphan ensemble, it was a slickly-choreographed piece that was expertly executed by what must be some very experienced young dancers.

Later on, after Annie escapes the orphanage, we're treated to the novelty of a live dog on stage, which easily could have been a disaster, had the dog not been so well behaved. What is it about seeing animals involved in live theatre that makes it so magical? Perhaps it's the notion that these creatures aren't aware they're in a play. It's an added challenge for the actors to not only manage themselves, but also this new, unpredictable element. It's a real thrill for the audience to watch, and little Dougal the dog received a well-deserved round of applause for his foray into acting.

The standout performance, for me, was that of Bailey Hocking as Oliver Warbucks. The young student shaved his head for the role, immediately giving the character the age and gravitas that would have otherwise been difficult to achieve as a teen actor. His singing was excellent, and his New York accent on point throughout the show. There were little things throughout his performance that suggested we were watching an actor with strong instincts of how to speak and move for any given character. I look forward to seeing him in more shows.

Director and vocal director Petrina Chisholm, for whom this is her first time at the helm of the school musical, has done a great job bringing together a large cast and letting the talents of actors, singers, and dancers shine on stage. Her selection of leads showcases the school's ample talent, and her choices of staging and other details give the show the necessary depth and variety to imply a self-contained world of orphans, homeless, and billionaires.

The orchestra, made up of the school's best musicians, perform each number to a professional standard. It was at times difficult to hear some of the words of certain songs, however; a combination, perhaps, of the orchestra being too loud in some instances and the actors not quite enunciating clearly.

All in all, though, this is a wonderful rendition of a classic family musical. You can catch it at Baycourt until Saturday night.