Emmy McKenzie, 10, is playing the title role in “Annie” at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.CLAIM TO FAMEEmmy McKenzie, 10, has been acting for two years. She has twice been cast as the lead in regional productions of the musical “Annie.”ABOUT HER• School: Fifth-grader at Meigs South Elementary.• Siblings: Brother, Alec McKenzie, 15.• Favorite book: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins.• Hobbies: Playing guitar, cheerleading, watching movies and jumping rope.NEXT UPSee Emmy don the curly red wig as the lead in the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s upcoming production of “Annie,” which runs Dec. 7-23. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Thursdays. Tickets are $12.50-30 adults, $11.50-25 students, depending on show date and placement.Watch her: Watch a Theatre Centre promo of the upcoming production of “Annie,” starring Emmy McKenzie, here.TALENT SHOWDo you know a child age 17 or younger with a precocious talent in academics, athletics or the arts? The Times Free Press is searching for children to feature in “Talent Show,” which appears in the Life section on Tuesdays. To nominate a child as a possible subject of a future feature article, email staff writer Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or call him at 423-757-6205.
For an orphan, attracting the notice of potential adopters is crucial, and having a big voice can go a long way. Emmy McKenzie has that in spades.
In December, the Meigs County 10-year-old will portray the firebrand orphan in a production of “Annie” at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
Theatre Centre marketing director Jan Belk described Emmy as a “real belter,” while her mother, Traci McKenzie, describes her daughter’s pipes as her “power voice.”
“In the car, I’d make her listen to show tunes with me, and I noticed that she had a really strong voice,” McKenzie said. “As she got older, it was building, [and] when she auditioned for ‘Annie,’ we said to use her power voice.”