It may a hard-knock life, but at least admittance to it is relatively easy.

For director and Memorial theater teacher Henrietta Haynes, “Annie: The Musical” is an opportunity to get the community involved.

The play is a collaborative effort involving students from several schools in the Port Arthur School District, as well as a couple from the Beaumont School District.

The play also includes adult volunteers and instructors from around the area.

“It’s a community project; it’s not just my students,” Haynes said. “We have adults in the show as well as elementary kids as well as high school students.”

“It gets the kids involved and the younger kids involved,” Haynes said. “I’m amazed at how passionate the kids are about theater.”

According to Haynes, the musical, which serves as both entertainment and social awareness piece, is a way for the community to show its concern for its youngest members.

“I think it helps them show concern; and, it validates that they have something great within them and that they have to share it with the world,” Haynes said.

“I think it gives them the opportunity to engage with life.”

Haynes described life as a process and said, “We have to take it in small steps until we’re ready to take that giant step.”

When asked about the original play and the newer versions of “Annie” and what would differentiate their take from others, Haynes responded,

“I’ve struggled with both versions; and, so I decided to combine the classic with the contemporary.”

Haynes’ reasoning for reaching out for talent from different places appeared to be tied to her belief in Port Arthur.

“I just wanted to open my stuff up because I felt that there’s so much talent to pool from in Port Arthur. I felt that we were limiting ourselves by limiting it to our own area,” Haynes said.

“We have to expand our horizons and our territory.”

Haynes said that projects such as “Annie” were good ways for the community to come together and to bring something back to the area.

“We also felt that this brings in more awareness about foster care,” Haynes said. “And it’s a serious need in our community — for the children who are in orphanages.”

Haynes said that the play could also serve in teaching life lessons, as well as being fun.

“We need to enlighten people about the issue so we could make (kids’) lives easier, so that the children could be taken care of.

“We also invite the Humane Society to attend. We have a small scene dealing with animals and taking care of them.”

Haynes said that she hoped the play would get people involved and talking about life and children.

“When I listen to ‘Annie’ and ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life,’ it’s funny; but, if you really stay in tune with it, it’s talking about a lot of pain and a lot of hurt,” Haynes said.

“I feel like we should do something that lets the kids know that we love them and care for them — and that more people should show love for children.”

As for technical talent, Haynes was deferential to her collaborators.

“I cannot sing, but I love musicals.”

Haynes considered herself blessed to have such good instructors teaching kids how to sing and dance properly, some of whom were former students come back to volunteer for the play.

“We have some kids who were okay singers who are better singers now,” Haynes said.

“Our kids are now what we consider a triple-threat: they can sing, act and dance.”

“Annie: The Musical” will be performed the weekend of Nov. 5^th and 6^th, and the following weekend on Nov. 13^th. All performances will begin at 4 p.m. at the Memorial High School auditorium.

Tickets can be purchased at their Facebook site (www.facebook.com/HaynesProduction) or can be purchased from 3:30 p.m to 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Memorial auditorium Nov. 1^st through Nov. 3^rd. Tickets can also be purchased at the door two hours before show time on Nov. 5^th, 6^th, and 13^th.

Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.