Based on Harold Gray’s popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie (which ran daily in syndicate from August 1924 to June 2010), Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Chamin’s charming Annie was an instant popular and critical success when it premiered in 1976, won 7 Tony Awards (including Best Musical), became a worldwide phenomenon, and has been adapted to film 3 times. The snappy book and score features among the best-known musical theatre hits of all time, including “I Don’t Need Anything But You”, “Maybe”, “Easy Street”, “Hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow”
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, Annie charms everyone’s heart despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of the Big Apple. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
Our production, directed by Ron Daum with music direction by Robert Ashens, stars Shedd newcomer Ellen Poulsen in the title role and a host of Shedd veterans including Lanny Mitchell as Daddy Warbucks, Shirley Andress as Grace Farrell, Lyn Burg as Miss Hannigan, Thomas Guastavino as Rooster, Sophia James as Lily, Larry Kenton as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eliyah Chandler, Bailey Ubel, Tessa Douangaphalvong, Meridian Hula, Kido Pyle and Hannah Ford as orphans Molly, Kate, Pepper, July Tessie and Duffy…and an ensemble of excellent Shedd veterans!
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Event Personnel |
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Creative Team |
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Cast |
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Thomas Guastavino, RoosterSophia James, LilyLarry Kenton, President Franklin D. RooseveltEric Elligot, DrakeEliyah Chandler, MollyEliyah Chandler, MollyBailey Ubel, KateTessa Douangaphaivong, PepperKiko Pyle, TessieHannah Ford, Duffy |
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Female Ensemble |
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Male Ensemble |
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Production Team |
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| | Maybe (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| | Tomorrow (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| Little Girls (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| N.Y.C. (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| Easy Street (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| | Maybe (reprise) (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| Easy Street (reprise) (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| | Tomorrow (reprise) (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| Annie (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |
| | Tomorrow (finale) (1976) Annie Martin Charnin (w) Charles Strouse (m) |