Florida Native Issie Swickle Stars in ANNIE National Tour; Show Comes to Broward Center Tonight

Troika Entertainment, LLC launched the U.S. National Tour of ANNIE on September 26, 2014 at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit, MI. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin for the 18th time, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new physical incarnation of the iconic Tony Award-winning original.

ANNIE plays at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, today, October 7, through the 19th, 2014. The best way to guarantee seats to ANNIE is to become a Broadway subscriber now. Season tickets for the 2014-2015 Bank of America Broadway in Fort Lauderdale six-show package are currently available and range from $185 - $593. For faster service, those interested in becoming subscribers can visit www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com or call the Season Ticket Hotline at 800.764.0700. Phone lines are open Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm.

ANNIE has a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. All three authors received 1977 Tony Awards for their work. Choreography is by Liza Gennaro, who will incorporate selections from her father Peter Gennaro's 1977 Tony Award-winning choreography.

The celebrated design team includes scenic design by Tony Award winner Beowulf Boritt (Act One, The Scottsboro Boys, Rock of Ages), costume design by Costume Designer's Guild Award winner Suzy Benzinger (Blue Jasmine, Movin' Out, Miss Saigon), lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington (Chicago, Annie, White Christmas) and sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenksi (Rocky, Bullets Over Broadway, Motown). The lovable mutt "Sandy" will once again be trained by Tony Award Honoree William Berloni (Annie, A Christmas Story, Legally Blonde).

Musical supervision and additional orchestrations are by Keith Levenson (Annie, She Loves Me, Dreamgirls). Casting is by Joy Dewing CSA and Holly Buczek CSA, Joy Dewing Casting (Soul Doctor, Wonderland, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat).

This brand new production features a 25 member company: in the title role of Annie is Issie Swickle, a 9-year-old actress from Davie, FL, making her tour debut. Issie attends Fox Trail Elementary School and has performed with Broadway Kids Studio and Pembroke Pines Theater for the Performing Arts.

Gilgamesh Taggett will star as Oliver Warbucks. In the role of Miss Hannigan is Lynn Andrews. Also starring in the tour are Ashley Edler as Grace, Garrett Deagon as Rooster, Lucy Werner as Lily and Allan Ray Baker as FDR. Sunny, a 4-year-old rescue terrier mix, stars as Sandy.

The Orphans are Angelina Carballo, Adia Dant, LillyBea Ireland, Sydney Shuck, Lilly Mae Stewart and Isabel Wallach.

The featured ensemble includes Amy Burgmaier, Cameron Mitchell Bell, John Cormier, Brian Cowing, Todd Fenstermaker, Chloe Horner, Evan Mayer, Jake Mills, Meghan Seaman, Hannah Slabaugh, Lily Emilia Smith and Chloe Tiso.

The original production of ANNIE opened April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever. It ran for 2,377 performances after it first opened, and has been performed in 28 languages and has been running somewhere around the world for 37 years.

The beloved score for ANNIE includes "Maybe," "It's the Hard Knock Life," "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," "Easy Street," "I Don't Need Anything But You" and the eternal anthem of optimism, "Tomorrow."

For additional information, visit www.anniethemusical.com, follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnnieTheMusical and Twitter @ANNIEonTour.

ANNIE
October 7 - 19, 2014
The world's best-loved musical returns in time-honored form. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new incarnation of the iconic original. Featuring book and score by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, ANNIE includes such unforgettable songs as "It's the Hard Knock Life," "Easy Street," "I Don't Need Anything But You," plus the eternal anthem of optimism, "Tomorrow."
Broward Center for the Performing Arts
201 SW Fifth Avenue, Ft Lauderdale, FL, 33312
For tickets visit www.browardcenter.org; by phone 954-462-0222

About Broadway Across America: - BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA is part of the Key Brand Entertainment family of companies, which is operated by John Gore (Owner & CEO). BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring musicals and plays in North America, operating in 40 markets. As a leading Broadway producer, BAA is dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Current/upcoming productions include Beautiful, Bullets Over Broadway, Million Dollar Quartet and Pippin. Past productions include Hairspray, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Memphis, Promises, Promises and The Producers. For more information, visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

THE BROWARD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS - The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is one of America's premier performing arts venues, consistently ranked among the top ten in the country. Presenting more than 700 performances each year to more than 700,000 patrons, the Center showcases a wide range of exciting cultural programming and events, and offers one of the largest arts-in- education programs in the United States, serving more than 150,000 students annually. In 2007, the Broward Center was named the Cultural Embassy of Broward County in recognition of its success in linking cultural activity with the region's economic development. For more information, visit www.BrowardCenter.org.