Posted at 8:00 a.m.
The lucky winner is called Kayla Tucker, 11 years old, and lives… in Florida, with her Quebec mother and her American father. The young headliner of the show directed by Serge Denoncourt, presented next summer in Montreal and Quebec City, gave us her first interview Monday noon.
She is a charming girl with light blue eyes and long blond hair. She will wear a curly red wig for the role; an accessory that gives her a striking resemblance to actress Aileen Quinn, who played Anne in the film released in 1982.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE PRODUCTION
Kayla Tucker with her red wig
Despite the distance, Kayla was the director’s favorite from the start of the creative process. “She’s the first candidate I’ve seen on video,” said Denoncourt. I didn’t want her to travel to Montreal with her mother for the callback, without my being convinced of her potential. When I was through the whole cycle of auditions, Kayla was still my first choice. I then spoke at length about Zoom with her and her parents. Then, the production made arrangements to bring her to Montreal. »
The young actress will settle this spring and summer with her mother’s family, in Terrebonne, to rehearse and then play the role of the famous orphan in this Broadway classic. She will have a double, Ange-Élie Ménard, who will also play the role of an orphan.
My grandmother was impressed when she learned that I was going to work with Serge Denoncourt, whom she saw on television.
Kayla Tucker
Despite her young age, the actress knows how to sing, dance and act, according to Denoncourt. The three essential talents to make musical comedy. “Kayla has a beautiful quality that is rarer in Quebec: her singing technique is Broadway, very musical, explains the director. I auditioned a lot of girls who sang very well, but with a popular singing technique. »
Kayla is also following in the footsteps of her sister, Madison Tucker, who made junior voice, in 2016. The eldest of the family then seduced the judges of the TVA show by singing Over the Rainbowthis hymn to hope popularized by a legendary child star, Judy Garland.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE PRODUCTION
Aileen Quinn in the 1982 film
Isn’t that a big lifestyle change for such small shoulders? “Me, I really like to have attention, says Kayla. So, imagining myself in the spotlight, seeing myself standing on the stage, while everyone in the room is going to be looking at me… Wow, that’s awesome! I really want to do that in life, ”said the young girl, who made her first TV set on Monday evening, on Julie Snyder’s talk show, on Noovo.
“More than anything, child or not, you must really want to do the scene, adds Denoncourt. It has to be a real passion that forces you to always aim for perfection. And there’s a lot of work ahead of us, before the premiere, to get there. »
An imposing cast
In the show, Kayla Tucker will be joined by David Savard, in the role of millionaire Oliver Warbucks, Véronique Claveau, her assistant Grace, and Geneviève Alarie, who will play Miss Hannigan, the alcoholic and evil boss of the orphanage. Kevin Houle, Émily Bégin, Nico Archambault and twenty other performers, including a dozen young orphans, are also part of the cast.
Serge Denoncourt has called on collaborators and designers who have often worked with him, including choreographer Wynn Holmes, assisted by Nico Archambault, as well as Guillaume Lord and Julie Basse for decor and lighting.
The story of this Broadway and American popular culture classic is set during the Great Depression in New York City. The young and fiery Annie is chosen among the children of her orphanage to go stay with a famous billionaire. But Miss Hannigan intends to take advantage of Annie’s misadventures…
Anne will be on view at the Théâtre St-Denis in Montreal, from June 22 to July 17, then at the Salle Albert-Rousseau, in Quebec City, from August 12 to 28.