Kindness, optimism, belonging: Students bring ‘Annie Jr.’ to Coral Springs stage
When Emily Palacios’ former coworkers find out that she’s teaching middle school theater, she says they often have a strong reaction — usually a negative one.
Though she understands the sentiment, she believes they’re wrong.
“My kids are amazing,” Palacios said. “They’re loud. They’re curious.”
It’s her first year at Coral Springs Charter School — and on Thursday, April 16, she’ll open her first middle school musical: “Annie Jr.,” a show about a plucky young orphan who wins the heart of a Depression-era billionaire while on a quest to find her birth parents.
Palacios chose “Annie Jr.” for multiple reasons, she said.
“I love her mindset, the hope she has that tomorrow will be a better day,” Palacios said. “I think a lot of people need that right now.”
The show is personal for Palacios, too — her brother and his husband have a foster child, and she and her husband hope to someday do the same.
“There are children in need, and they’re right here,” Palacios said.
To drive that point home, she partnered with residential foster community S.O.S. Children’s Village. For every ”Annie Jr.” ticket sold, $5 will be donated to the nonprofit.
Volunteers will also accept donated clothes and school supplies at every show.
Mutual support has also been a major part of making the show itself come together. Getting niche items — a 1930s-era wheelchair, a period-accurate radio and costumes — would be expensive, but thanks to Nova Southeastern University, Florida Atlantic University and West Boca High School, Palacios was able to crowdsource many items.
“That’s the beauty of theater,” she said. “It’s community.”
For students, that community is smaller — but still a major part of the theater program’s appeal. That includes Alexa Barbot, a seventh grader playing Annie.
“This is the first big role that I’ve ever had, and it really, really means a lot to me that I get to have this experience with all my friends,” Barbot said.
Barbot’s fellow castmates have had their own adventures getting into character, especially the show’s antagonists.
“It’s really fun. I love playing a villain,” said Emma Sillie, who took on the role of Lily, who pretends to be Annie’s biological mother for a hefty cash reward.
For other students, including MaKenzie “Mack” Eckerty, the process was more difficult. She was cast as Ms. Hannigan, an abusive alcoholic who runs the orphanage Annie and her friends are in.
“It’s just a really different role than what I’m used to playing,” she said. “I feel like if I take it in a too nonserious way when playing her, then I’m gonna hurt myself and change the way I view stuff. I’m scared somehow she’s gonna come through me in a way.”
Students told the Coral Springs News that they hope people walk away from the show with more than just a pleasant evening.
“I hope that they learn to be a little bit more kind, because the world’s a very, very scary place right now,” said Paisley Byrne, an eighth grader cast as Mommy Warbucks — originally Daddy Warbucks, but gender-swapped because of the lack of boys in the school’s theater program.
“I would hope that they see the kindness and the love of people in the show, and they take the show and they maybe bring it into their own lives a little bit.”
Coral Springs Charter School’s production of “Annie Jr.” will run from April 16-18, with shows starting at 7 each night.
Tickets are available online for $15 and at the door for $20. VIP tickets are also available for $25 and include reserved seating and free concession items.
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM.
