TWO budding leading ladies are sharing the stage with two adorable four legged co-stars in an adaptation of a popular Broadway musical at a Chester high school.

Amelie Massie and Emma Hall will share the title role of Annie in Annie Jr, a shorter, specially adapted schools version of the popular Tony-award winning musical Annie, which is being staged at Christleton High School until June 23.

Featuring all the famous songs from the original show including " It's The Hard Knock Life", "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile" and "Tomorrow", the production will see Amelie and Emma sharing the stage with two four legged co-stars, three-year-old Labradoodle Eddie and seven-year-old Norfolk Terrier Ted.

Amelie, 12, has had previous experience on stage with various dance shows including her most recent performance of the Greatest Showman at Storyhouse.

Annie will be the first time that Amelie has taken on an acting and singing role and she has been enjoying this new challenge.

Speaking about sharing the role of Annie with Emma and working alongside her four legged co-stars, Amelie said: "It has been especially fun rehearsing for Annie as I have had the chance to share the role with the delightful Emma and I am very much enjoying working with the adorable dogs, Eddie and Ted. It has been a wonderful experience and although I'm sure there will be some nerves when opening night arrives, the support from cast and crew has been fantastic."

Emma, 14, is also no stranger to the stage, having started her stage career at aged just seven, playing Gretl in The Sound of Music at Liverpool Empire. She has since been a choir member for the touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, part of the children's cast of Evita, a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz and one of the children's cast of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Emma has also played roles of Young Shrek and Grumpy in the UK tour of Shrek the Musical.

Emma said: "I love being involved in the school productions at Christleton and have been really happy and fortunate to have been in every show so far since Year 7.

"I am so excited to be playing the lead role of Annie and to be sharing it with Amelie. I really wants to bring out cheeky side of Annie’s character, something my family doesn’t think I will have a problem doing! I am really looking forward to working with Ted and Eddie on stage. I really love dogs and I hope to have one myself one day."

Sharing the role of "Sandy", Ted and Eddie are raring to go and excited about being on stage.

Ted's owner, Christleton High School assistant head teacher Adrian Francis said: "Ted is a seven-year-old Norfolk terrier who enjoys lots of cuddles, barking at pigeons, chewing socks, and chasing stones on the beach at Barmouth. Annie will be his first professional engagement, although he is not phased by the limelight, having met/licked broadcaster and writer Stuart Maconie, performance poet Dr John Cooper Clarke, and legendary pop artist Sir Peter Blake. Recently, Ted has also taken part in the School's Taking the Lead with Comfort Dogs Initiative which aims to help students learn in a calming, stress free environment.

He added "It is widely recognised that dogs can bring affection and comfort and are often used as part of therapeutic activities."

The scheme has had a positive effect on several students at the school since being introduced with noticeable improvements in behaviour, confidence, self esteem and anxiety issues.

The show also sees the stage debut of three-year-old Labradoodle, Eddie, who celebrates his fourth birthday during the run of the show and is owned by the Rackham family. Two other family members, Ben Rackham as Rooster and his Sister Lily Rackham as Molly, star in the show.

Ben and Lily said: "As he approaches his fourth Birthday, Eddie, tells us that he hopes that he is not too old to learn new tricks. He is looking forward to using his inner Labrador as a people-pleaser but hopes he won’t need to use his poodle hunting skills.

"Eddie is 'pawsitive' that this is going to be the start of a long career in acting, possibly even in the next Avengers film as Labra-thor. He just hopes that the 'puparazzi' aren’t too intrusive.

"We're so pleased that he will be on stage with us in the show, he's an absolute star."

Full details of Annie Jr can be found at www.christletonhigh.co.uk where tickets can be booked online.