Woodside Community Theatre Presents Family Favorite Musical ANNIE

Woodside Community Theatre (WCT) is proud to present Annie, music by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan.

The show will run from October 20, 2017 through October 29, 2017: Fridays 10/20 & 10/27 at 7:30pm; Saturday 10/21 at 7:30pm; Saturday 10/28 at 1:30pm and 7:30pm; and Sundays 10/22 & 10/29 at 1:30pm. All performances will take place at the Woodside Performing Arts Center on the campus of Woodside High School, located at 199 Churchill Ave, Woodside, California. Tickets are $15-$30 each, with group discounts available, and are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3056554

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of its Broadway opening. A worldwide phenomenon, and 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, feature some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including "Tomorrow" and "It's The Hard Knock Life". The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre). It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours. The New York Times estimates that Annie is produced 700 to 900 times each year in the United States.

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts 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 NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations... and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

Well known professional, regional Director/Choreographer/Dancer/Actor, Gary Stanford Jr., will direct and co-choreograph this dazzling Broadway musical at the beautiful Woodside Performing Arts Center.

Stanford explains that, as a Director, working on a show like Annie has inspired artistic creativity like few shows can. "The vast wealth of culture, diversity, social struggles/successes and vivid characters combined with an incredibly talented and dedicated cast of all ages, makes this production a 'must see' Bay Area production and suitable for all ages. Our canine cast alone is worth the price of admission and provides instant therapeutic remedy. As we follow the life experiences of a pre-teen orphan girl (Annie) and her quest to find a family to call 'home', we are given a healthy glimpse of life during Christmas season in 1933 New York City and reminded of a few important life lessons such as dreams can come true in this great land of opportunity. Annie's great message to us all is that "fear" is the worst enemy to our ability to succeed."

He will be supported in bringing this vision to the stage with Co-Choreography by Kim Harvath and Gary Ferguson, Vocal Direction by Angela Harrington, Musical Direction by Kristin Pfeifer, Scenic and Lighting Designs by Don Coluzzi, and Costumes by Issac Booth, Karen Patrick, and Jessica Luchetta.

Starring in the leading roles are Brynn Ayoob as "Annie", Steve Wilner as "Oliver Warbucks", and Jessica LaFever as "Miss Hannigan". Rounding out the leading characters are Minna Rogers as "Grace Farrell", Torrey Rothstein as "Rooster", and Allie Townsend as "Lily St. Regis". A very talented group of local and regional actors (human and canine) complete the cast and ensemble.

Woodside Community Theatre is a non-profit community theater organization with the goal of promoting the theatrical arts for the mid-peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area and the surrounding area. WCT has been entertaining audiences for over 50 years and currently offers one major Broadway musical each year.