Atlanta Lyric Theatre Stages Timeless Classic ANNIE, Now thru 4/30

"Leapin' Lizards!" Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area's only professional musical theatre company, presents one of the best-loved family musicals of all time--ANNIE, tonight, April 4 - 20, 2014 at The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (548 S. Marietta Pkwy., Marietta). For tickets and information call 404-377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricThetare.com.

Inspired by the famous comic strip Little Orphan Annie which first ran in the New York News in 1924, ANNIE made its Broadway debut in April 1977 and played 2,377 performances before closing in 1983. The show won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan), Best Original Score (music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin), and Best Choreography. This heart-warming musical is the rags-to-riches story of plucky young Annie's journey from the hard-knock New York orphanage to the luxurious home of billionaire businessman Oliver Warbucks. Boasting one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including "It's the Hard Knock Life," "Easy Street," and the legendary "Tomorrow," fantastically visual choreography, a side-splittingly funny script, and of course, the adorable dog Sandy, it really is no surprise that ANNIE has become one of the best-loved family musicals of all time.

ANNIE will star nine year-old Milton resident Sarah Charles Lewis. Sarah is a member of the Broadway Dreams Foundation, trains at the Renaissance International School of Performing Arts, and was recently the National Miss Junior Access Broadway title winner and a top-eight finalist for ANNIE on Broadway. The evil Miss Hannigan will be played by Atlanta stage veteran Marcie Millard, who was last seen in The Lyric's Gypsy and Thoroughly Modern Millie. The cast will also feature Kevin Harry as Oliver Warbucks, Molly Coyne as Grace Farrell, Logan Denninghoff as Rooster, Claci Miller as Lily St Regis, and Vatican Lokey as Bert Healy and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Annie's orphan friends will be played by Alyssa Payne as Pepper, Olivia Windley as Tessie, Abby Goldberg as Duffy, Maggie Arias as July, Allison Gann as Kate, and Sarah Goldberg as Molly.

The ANNIE ensemble features Lisa Manuli, Robert Wayne, Jewel Lucien, Jeremy Varner, Findley Hansard, J. Koby Parker, Fenner Eaddy, Natalie Rhea Goodwin, Lauren Rosenzeig, Al Dollar, Jada Bartolozzi, Kylie Blank, Remington Bogdanovich, Autumn Bristow, Aliya Kraar, Destini McQueen, Mary Caroline Owens, Ryann Phillips, Catherine Roddey, Kailey Souder, Hope Valls, and Hannah Zeldin.

The production also features the Atlanta Lyric Orchestra under the direction of conductor Brandt Blocker.

ANNIE is directed by Ricardo Aponte and choreographed by Jennifer Smiles, with music direction by Bill Newberry. The creative team also includes Ming Cho Lee (Scenic Designer), Theoni V. Aldredge (Costume Designer), Mary Parker (Lighting Designer), Bobby Johnston (Production Manager and Sound Designer), George Deavours (Wig and Hair Designer), and Amy Radebaugh (Production Stage Manager).

Tickets for ANNIE are priced from $22 - $57. For reservations and information call (404) 377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com. All performances of ANNIE will play the JENNIE T. ANDERSON THEATRE: April 4, 5, 6 Fri and Sat at 8PM; Sun at 2PM; 10, 11, 12, 13 Thurs, Fri, and Sat at 8PM; Sun at 2PM; and 17, 18, 19, 20, 2014 Thurs, Fri, and Sat at 8PM; Sat & Sun at 2PM.

Atlanta Lyric Theatre's 34th season of musicals concludes in June with Monty Python's SPAMALOT. The Lyric's 35th season of musicals features CATS, CHICAGO, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, DAMN YANKEES and BARNUM. For show dates, times, subscriptions and single tickets visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.