Reid Shelton News

Tonight, NBC will air its sixth live musical production. Following in the footsteps of The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz, Hairspray, and Jesus Christ Superstar, the peacock network will be presenting Annie. Based on Harold Gray's comic strip titled Little Orphan Annie, this musical tells the story of a little orphan with equal measures of pluck and positivity who charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in New York City in the year 1933.

In 1977, stars from Broadway shows gathered onboard a New York City subway car to take what would become an iconic photo, appearing with the tag line “The Only Sure Way to Make It to Broadway.” Forty-four years later, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Broadway advertising agency RPM collaborated to re-create this photo.

On Tuesday, March 9, Dress Circle Publishing will release of THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BROADWAY, VOLUME 4, the latest in a series by acclaimed historian and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper. Can't wait to get your hands on it? Let BroadwayWorld hold you over with a special sneak peek from a chapter all about The Imperial Theatre.

I thought throwing out my Annie CDs would be easy--I thought I only had one! Obviously that would be the indispensable Original Broadway Cast Recording with Dorothy Loudon and Andrea McArdle. How wrong I was! I knew that, as a kid, I had the tape of the 1982 movie soundtrack with Carol Burnett and Aileen Quinn (and an all-star supporting cast!), but I didn't remember buying it on CD. And when the hell did I get the CD of the 1999 TV version (with Kathy Bates and an all-star cast)? And, oh yeah... I forgot about this studio album from the 90s with studio cast queen Kim Criswell--I think I bought back in the day somehow convincing myself Ruthie Henshall was playing Annie. (Spoiler alert: She plays Grace.) Oh, and I do remember this '30thAnniversary' deluxe production with Chicago area diva (and original star of the sequel, Annie Warbucks) Alene Robertson as Miss Hannigan plus a lot of bonus material. To add insult to injury, I also have a Blu-Ray of the recent Hollywood remake with Cameron Diaz. I don't even have a Blu-Ray player! This thing is definitely going into the trash along with all the audio, but I will listen to a few tracks online for my edification.

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, Frederick's only year-round producing theatre, will celebrate its 25th Silver Anniversary Season with its upcoming 2018/2019 line-up of shows. Kicking off the season in September will be the family favorite Annie.

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including 'Tomorrow.'

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, Frederick's only year-round producing theatre, will celebrate its 25th Silver Anniversary Season with its upcoming 2018/2019 line-up of shows. Kicking off the season in September will be the family favorite Annie.

Leapin' Lizards! Moorestown Theater Company's 150th production is the show that started it all for them - ANNIE!

Queen's Harbour resident Carly Juliana Barnes is cast as the lead in the Alhambra Theatre & Dining's upcoming production of Annie, set to open June 28, 2017.  Selected from an open casting call of more than 110 girls, Carly is one of two talented young leading ladies that perform as Annie.  She is joined by Jena Simmons of Jupiter (FL).  A much-celebrated Broadway musical, Annie continues the Alhambra's 50th Anniversary Season. For the fourth consecutive season the Alhambra's summer family show is sponsored by Snyder Heating & Air Conditioning of Jacksonville (FL).

Howdy gang, can't believe the month is coming to an end already, time flies when you're having fun blogging.

ANNIE, the new production of the Tony Award®-winning musical, opens November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Looking to expand your knowledge on the history of ANNIE before the revival's big opening night? Check out some vintage photos of the original Broadway production and more below!