Grigware, Live Music, and a Final Bow: “Annie Get Your Gun” at Cody High School

The production, “Annie Get Your Gun” may be one of the last times three senior students perform together. All three of them have received full-ride scholarships for the performing arts and will graduate from Cody High School this May. The play is part of the America’s 250th Celebration.

Reed Deming who plays Charlie, Jordan Bradford playing Buffalo Bill and Danielle Boswell playing Annie will give their final Cody High School production next weekend, April 16-18 at Wynonna Thompson Auditorium.

Performing Arts Program

The three actors that earned the full-ride scholarships come from the program at Cody High School under the direction of Cara Wodka. Wodka developed such a welcoming program. Last year the group wrote and produced four short musicals in the production of “Backstage.” This gave 40 students in the production and more that worked backstage a wide range of opportunities to experience. They started with a blank canvas with no rules and narrowed it down to the elements they wanted to use.

“Having this program is such a benefit to the kids and the community.” Wodka said.

Wodka explained that the experience of being in a production allows students to gain confidence through team work and mutual support. Performing Arts require a tremendous amount of flexibility. Playing different roles expands the students’ skills with each one.

The Performing Arts program allows for a wide range of creative avenues for students to find their artistic passion from being on stage to creating the magic backstage. Even the audience is a needed role each evening. And what better way to join in than spending two hours with your phone on silent to enjoy a performance? Given that each performance is different, these productions are truly ephemeral, in-the-moment experiences for all involved.

Wodka teaches her students that “You don’t stop being an artist. There is no ‘over’ when it comes to creating.”

Annie Get Your Gun Performances

This performance is unique for many reason, one being the use of the Grigware backdrop. Edward Grigware (1889-1960) was an accomplished artist living in Cody known for his Western artwork, war paintings and murals. While creating the backdrop for the school, he invited many townsfolks to assist in the painting, directing them to help get the basic colors in. The backdrop has not been used in many years and it’s a treat to have a performance that will use it.

The musical has no recorded music to use, but does have sheet music. Because of this, a live orchestra will accompany the performances. Formed by members of the community, the orchestra includes Eastside music teacher, Tammy Pearson, retired Livingston teacher, Gerry Scott, past choir director, Larry Minari, Don Christman on flute and piccalo, and three students that were in the All State band/orchestra.

There is no cost to attend the performances, but they do ask for donations to cover the costs of costumes and sets. The three full-ride scholarship students performing on the CHS stage together for the last time, the use of the Grigware backdrop and the live orchestra pulled from retired teachers and community musicians is sure to make this a memorable occasion.

The Details

Annie Get Your Gun Performances:

• Thursday, April 16
• Friday, April 17
• Saturday, April 18

Time each evening: 6:30
Location: Wynonna Thompson Auditorium
Cost: Donations Welcome

“Annie Get Your Gun is a 1946 musical with lyrics and music by Irving Berlin and a book by Dorothy Fields and her brother Herbert Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley, a sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, and her romance with fellow sharpshooter Frank E. Butler.” – Wikipedia​

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