Ilene Frankel checks out the auditions for Hong Kong’s version of hit musical, Annie

Kids from across Hong Kong came out in droves in the hope of landing a coveted spot as an orphan in the upcoming production of Annie. Girls aged between six and 14 showed off their impressive moves and grooved simultaneously while singing along to the tune of the Annie classic It’s The Hard-Knock Life. With wide grins – and clad in adorable little dancing outfits – the little orphan hopefuls exuded irresistible charm.

Some got the chance to flex their acting chops in an attempt to impress Roger Hannah himself, the uber-respected choreographer and director of the show, who flew in for the tryouts. Siena, 10, was enthusiastic about her audition. She says that ‘reading the lines and pretending to be angry’ was a highlight – and a skill that the director was keenly looking for the girls to demonstrate. After two long days of auditions, Hannah was confident he had found the talent he needed to fill the roles of nine orphans. The lucky young ladies will soon join Annie’s original cast members for the Hong Kong run which starts on Thursday May 31.

We chatted with some of the girls after the auditions to find out how it all went down. While each participated in the process for different reasons, there was a general consensus in one respect – they all seemed to have a wonderful time going through it. Nine-year-old Hope is a big fan of the musical and said that she had ‘so much fun working in the room with all the other girls’. The faces in the auditions represented all corners of the globe and, it’s fair to say, they did their countries proud.

Annie runs at the HKAPA starting from May 31. Tickets: www.hkticketing.com