ANNIE Takes The Stage At The Rose Theater 11/27-12/20

"Leapin' Lizards!"Annie-The Musical is Coming Soon to The Rose It may be "a hard knock life" for Little Orphan Annie, but you can "bet your bottom dollar" that audiences will be joyfully singing along when she and her friends take The Rose Theater main stage for Annie-The Musical, November 27 through December 20.

This classic production tells the story of a 10-year-old spunky redhead named Annie who lives in a Depression-era orphanage presided over by Miss Hannigan-an unpleasant woman who is not fond of children. Annie tries to escape to find her parents, but is unsuccessful. She and her newfound canine friend "Sandy" are chosen from among her orphan friends to spend the holidays with billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks. "Daddy" Warbucks and his assistant quickly come to love Annie, and offer areward for her parents. In a twist of events, they discover that Annie's parents are no longer alive andthe three of them become a family. "Annie-The Musical is about finding a home," said director James Larson. Annie's tale would notbe complete without the timeless and colorful songs including "Tomorrow," "Hard Knock Life," "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile," "Little Girls," "NYC" and many others. "Annie" first appeared in 1924 in a daily American comic strip by Harold Gray. Although the musicalwe have all come to know was first staged more than 30 years ago, Annie's trials are still very relevant for children and adults alike. "So many references in the show really jump out as exactly what we aredoing to counter the current economic recession," said Larson.

"Leapin' Lizards!"Annie-The Musical is Coming Soon to The RosePage 2 of 2Annie-The Musical has been staged twice before at The Rose in the past 25 years. "We know from past productions that Annie is a real pleasure for our audiences," said Larson.This season, the production includes several exciting features.

Annie will be played by two talented young actresses, as will her fellow orphans-in the spirit of true "children's theater." Additionally,Annie's dog Sandy will be a life-size puppet. Annie-The Musical will be presented November 27 through December 20 with shows at 7 p.m.each Friday and 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. In addition, one Thursday night performance will be offered December 17 at 7 p.m. The production will run 120 minutes with intermission on The Rosemain stage and is recommended for ages 4 and up.

Tickets are $16 and may be purchased at The Rose Box Office located at 2001 Farnam Street, by telephone at (402) 345-4849 or online at www.rosetheater.org. Rose members receive a $6 per ticket discount.

Discount ticket vouchers are available for $13 each at all Omaha and Council Bluffs-areaHy-Vee Food Stores. For even greater savings, Hy-Vee shoppers are encouraged to buy two Kid Cuisine frozen meals and show their receipt to Customer Service where they can purchase a ticket for only $10.The Rose's 2009-2010 season is sponsored by Children's Hospital & Medical Center. Annie-The Musical is sponsored by Kid Cuisine, Roberts Dairy, The KAT 103, Hy-Vee Food Stores and the Nebraska Arts Council.