Isabeli Araneta Elizalde & Krystal Brimner: The sun has come out for two Annies

The one memorable time that Annie came to town was in 1980 and a darling of a girl — with angelic features and equally angelic voice — stole the heart of the audience, singing of her love for our perpetually emerging tomorrows. That girl’s name is Lea Salonga. More than 30 years later, two girls are about to don Annie’s iconic red dress and follow in the footsteps of our country’s pride (currently, Lea’s also a coach on The Voice) in  a major stage production of the beloved classic put on by Resorts World Manila (RWM).

Isabeli Araneta Elizalde and Krystal Brimner, who bested 400 girls when auditioning for the role, were formally introduced to the media recently, indulging the audience with their best rendition of Tomorrow. Possessing innate spunk and wide-eyed wonder, the two girls, who look different from one another (for one, Krystal has curly locks while Isabeli has long, flowing hair), leave no doubt that they can flesh out what has become one of the most recognizable — and inspiring — characters on stage.

Personality-wise, said director Michael Stuart Williams, Krystal and Isabeli are also different, yet their unique traits capture the essence of Annie. “Isabeli is very plucky; she’s got a strong personality,” he said. “Krystal, there’s a gentleness to her, a nurturing quality to her. Both qualities are strong in Annie. What I need to do is to work on the pluckiness in one and bring out the nurturing side on the other.”

What they both possess — and what ultimately clinched the role for them — are “great expressive singing voices. They have an affinity for the role. They understand the role. It’s easy when we talk about it, they get it right away.”

In full swing for the Sept. 30 opening at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, the rehearsals, of course, were preceded by casting calls, auditions and callbacks, which were nerve-wracking for both the children and their parents. “I was a bit nervous when I was about to perform because there was a line,” Isabeli said. “When it was my turn to audition, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s me next.’”

Krystal shared Isabeli’s nervousness that “when the auditions were over, I said, ‘Finally, it’s done!’” When she got the callback, “I was super excited that I got the role… I was so happy then I told my mom, and she was also very happy.”

The cast of Annie perform during the musical’s press conference held at the vestibule of the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Flanking the Annies Krystal Brimner (seventh from left) and Isabeli Araneta Elizalde (sixth from left) are Ginger Karganilla as Duffy, Cydel Gabutero and Ataska Mercado as Pepper, Cheska Rojas as Molly, CJ Jover as Kate, Alba Berenguer Testa and Natalia Escaño as Tessie, Precious Galvez as Molly, Ericka Peralejo as Kate, Shanti Gleason and Gwyneth Dorado as July.

Between the two, Krystal has more exposure and experience, having been in the critically-acclaimed film Honor Thy Father, and winning the Best Child Actress in the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival for a role that tapped deep emotional reserves and entailed having her locks shorn.

Isabeli, on the other hand, has a keener grasp of the stage, having performed in school plays, such as Christmas in our Hearts and The Gruffalo. She was supposed to play Mary Lennox in Repertory Philippines’ The Secret Garden, but show dates collided with her school schedule, which was a priority.

Now that she has won the theater role, Krystal has gained insight into its difference from the movie versions. “In this production there is no (room for) mistakes and cuts,” she said. “You have to go on. If you are wrong on a line, you just have to continue… It’s like a big book, it’s a big story. (Because), I have lots of line as the lead role, I feel more nervous.”

The daughter of Juan Elizalde and Bianca Araneta, all Isabeli knew was “I really wanted to be Annie. At that time, I didn’t know what her characteristics were, but I knew all the songs.” Having watched musicals before, such as Les Miserables, she was very much aware of the difficulty of being in one, but “I knew that I could do it.”

Bianca, who also had a stint in the limelight, has always supported her daughter but “never pushed her to pursue this. It was something I saw in her as a kid. It was something I knew she could do because she was a good singer from a very young (age)… All her music teachers said, ‘This girl is talented, you have to pursue this.’”

Acting alongside Krystal and Isabeli are Michael De Mesa as the wealthy Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Ms. Agatha Hannigan, Jill Pena as Secretary Grace Farrell, Mako Alonso and Red Concepcion alternating as the conniving Daniel “Rooster” Hannigan.

Completing the cast are child actors that include Cheska Rojas and Precious Galvez as Molly, Chrysse Jillianne Jover and Maria Ericka Peralejo as Kate, Alba Magdala Berenguer Testa and Natalia Victoria Escaño as Tessie, Ataska Chloe Mercado and Cydel Virie Gabuetero as Pepper, Stephanie Ginger Karganilla and Sofie Jade Wong as Duffy, and Shanti Leialoha Gleason and Gwyneth Jearei Dorado as July.

Now that they are getting into the heart of the musical through rigorous rehearsals, Krystal and Isabeli are liking the character of Annie more and more every day. “Annie is very positive — which is me. I always like being positive and Annie is nice, she cares and she’s careful,” Krystal said. As for Isabeli: “I love that I got to be Annie because she’s always happy, she’s always hopeful… I just like her. I like her songs, I like her role.”