There’s certainly no lack of talent in The Coralville Center for Performing Arts’ production of Annie. From the ensemble to its main characters, each cast member proved that they deserved their place onstage.

The star of the show herself, Camila Koch, couldn’t have captured Annie’s voice more perfectly. Koch has a Broadway belt that blew me away. At only 10 years old, she is able to hold a note for much longer than I’d expect from someone of her size and age. 

While Koch’s singing ability alone is enough to earn her time in the spotlight, she also brings plenty of charm to her role. Her optimistic yet cheeky performance made it easy to see why Oliver Warbucks would want to adopt her.

The characters who stand in the way of Annie being adopted — Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily — are also stand-out cast members, but in a very different way than Annie. While they’re all very vocally talented, the most entertaining aspect of the trio’s performance is their comedic characterization.

Hannigan, the Municipal Girls’ Orphanage director, played by Mary Denmead, is the first of the three to appear onstage. From her hysterical characterization to her ability to hit all the right notes while remaining just as funny as she is while delivering spoken lines, she set a high bar for the show’s other villains.

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Rooster, played by Robert Kemp, and Lily, played by Nikki Scheels, are a couple trying to scam Warbucks out of Annie and his money. They played extremely well off of each other. Rooster’s smarmy attitude combined with Lily’s over the top air-headedness made for a great comedic duo, which only became even more amusing when they interacted with Hannigan.

The actors were clearly enjoying their villainous performance, which made it all the more fun to watch. I probably would’ve been rooting for them if Larry Newman, who played Warbucks, hadn’t brought so much heart to his role.

Of all the characters onstage, Warbucks is the most nuanced. At the beginning, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to climb to the top, even if it involves being cruel to others. However, he has a change of heart after taking Annie in, and Newman did a fantastic job of showing Warbuck’s soft side.

His interactions with Annie are adorable, which makes it truly heartbreaking during the moments when he fears losing her. He brings some much needed heart to the show, and plenty of vocal talent too.

The orphans worked well as an ensemble, but Pepper and Molly also had some great stand-out moments. Pepper kicked off the show with plenty of attitude, and Molly balanced Pepper’s spice with her sweetness. “It’s A Hard Knock Life” was definitely one of my favorite numbers.

And of course, I can’t leave out Annie’s trusty companion, Sandy. While Sandy doesn’t get much time onstage, the dog is well-trained and extremely adorable.

Between the immense vocal talent and expert characterization, Annie is an unforgettable show. Performances will run for two weekends, from Dec. 6-14.