When Anna Ryan Clements first stepped onto the stage at Cotton Hall Theater, she was five years old. While she didn’t have any speaking lines in that play, she knew that she loved it. In the years since then, she’s almost constantly been in a play— in Georgia’s Official Folk-Life Play Swamp Gravy, in youth productions, in murder mysteries. But she was shy and quiet, often taking on smaller or ensemble roles, until one day, while auditioning for a show, she opened her mouth to sing—and finally decided to show what she could do. When she takes the stage next weekend as “Ellie Blake” in Freaky Friday: The Musical, she will be stepping center stage for her largest role yet.
“I think I was quiet as a kid, because I was really intimidated,” said Clements, “I always compared myself to others until recent years. It all came down to a confidence issue, I think. It took encouragement from other people in the show and people who watched the show to help me step out of my comfort zone.”
And step out of her comfort zone, she is. Anna Ryan is playing one-half of the mother-daughter duo in Cotton Hall’s newest production, Freaky Friday. Freaky Friday tells the story of an overworked mother, Katherine, and her teenage daughter, Ellie.
The pair struggle to understand one another until one freaky day, when they magically swap bodies. By spending a day in each other’s shoes, Katherine and Ellie come to realize not only the immeasurable love and respect that bond a mother and daughter, but how to accept themselves as well.
“Getting to play Ellie has been really fun because I have loved Freaky Friday for years, and she’s just a cool character to get to play,” said Clements, “It has been one of the most challenging roles I’ve ever taken on vocally, but I like that it pushes me.”
That challenge is felt by Reagan Bellflower, too, the Colquitt-native playing the role of Katherine, Ellie’s mother— though once the magical switch happens, both actresses essentially swap roles.
“It is so confusing to keep up with who I’m playing at any given time,” said Bellflower, “Because I’m still me, but I have to embody the role of a sixteen-year-old girl. But I’m looking right at Anna Ryan who a moment ago was my daughter and is suddenly playing my mom.”
Clements adds, “Switching from Ellie to Katherine was confusing at first, but the more we practice the better I understand each of their personalities.”
The musical is based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films starring Jody Foster and Lindsay Lohan, respectively— and adds brand new music to the mix. The cast is hopeful that audiences will love the show as much as they do, describing it as a heartfelt, comedic, and unexpectedly emotional update on an American classic.
“The show is really fun, colorful, and pretty much every song is catchy in its own way,” said Clements, “It’s definitely one of my favorite shows we’ve done, because there’s something for everyone.”
Freaky Friday runs at Cotton Hall Theater in Colquitt, GA on May 9, 10, 16, 17, 2025— and makes a perfect family outing for Mother’s Day. Friday performances begin at 7pm, with Saturday shows at 2pm and 6pm. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased online at http://www.swampgravy.com or by calling the Box Office at 1-229-758-5450.
Cotton Hall 