POLITICS will take a back seat when Murray Valley MP Tim McCurdy takes to the stage in October as president Franklin Roosevelt in the musical, Annie.
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Wangaratta Players Inc has adopted a tradition for those staging Annie, casting a well-known local as the president.
Director Christine Duff said convincing Mr McCurdy to take the role was easier than she had expected because his wife, Glenys, was a fan of the musical.
“We made Tim a CD of the songs he has to sing,” she said.
“He put his lines and his songs on his iPod, so between political commitments, he has rehearsed,” Ms Duff said.
“He’s been fun and is doing well for someone who hasn’t been on stage before.”
Mr McCurdy said not having done anything like this before, he was completely out of his comfort zone.
“My father was a very good singer but I did not get any of his genes when it comes to singing,” Mr McCurdy said.
“I’ve been driving around the countryside singing ‘Tomorrow, Tomorrow’ and my only acting experience is on the floor of Parliament.”
Wangaratta Players Inc, one of Victoria’s oldest theatre companies, stages a musical every two years.
The production, which takes six months to put together, has a cast of 16 children, 20 adults, a dog, 17 musicians and 10 backstage people.
The company, keen to help the canine community, is asking its audiences to bring dog food to be donated to Border Dog Rescue.
“Our little dog, Emmy (playing Sandy), is looking for a “forever home” so we hope that a family that comes to the show may adopt her,” Ms Duff said.
The show is already drawing community interest, with about 500 tickets sold.
It will be staged during the school holidays to cater to families.
A role in the musical is being raffled to help pay for the production’s sound and lighting and to get the public involved.
There will be four shows at Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre from October 2 to 4.