Leapin Lizards! Annie is back!
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce the return of Annie! Audiences of all ages will enjoy this heartwarming musical during our special one week engagement in the Mortensen Hall February 17-22, 2004 as part of the Robinson and Cole Family Series. Starring in this family classic are Marcia Lewis Bryan as the outrageous Miss Hannigan, Conrad John Schuck as the stalwart Daddy Warbucks, and Christiana Anbri as the irrepressible Annie. Tickets are available now by visiting The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford or by calling (860) 987-5900. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.bushnell.org. Tickets range in price from $16.00 to $54.00. Groups of 20 or more should call (860)987-5959.
Set in New York City during the depths of the Depression in December 1933, Annie is the ultimate Cinderella story. It recounts the adventures of a little girl searching for her lost parents. The musical begins as 11 year old Annie attempts an escape from the municipal orphanage and the clutches of the hilariously scheming Miss Hannigan. During her many exploits, Annie befriends a stray dog named Sandy and crosses the path of some very interesting characters, including billionaire Daddy Warbucks. Ever optimistic, Annie wins the help and the hearts of nearly everyone she meets.
Annie boasts one of Broadway's most memorable scores by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Martin Charnin. Songs include "It's the Hard-Knock Life," "Easy Street," "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," "NYC" and the buoyant signature song, "Tomorrow."
The idea for Annie came from the original "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip that was created by Harold Gray in 1924. The strip ran in papers nationally until Mr. Gray's death in 1968. Various artists continued the story until the late 1970's. Then, in 1979, Leonard Starr began a new comic series simply called "Annie." It has remained in syndication since that time.
Among her numerous Broadway performances, Marcia Lewis Bryan has starred as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago, as Miss Lynch in the revival of Grease, and as Golde in the 25th anniversary production of Fiddler on the Roof. She starred with Vanessa Redgrave in the acclaimed Broadway run of Orpheus Descending and graced the Broadway stage for two years as the crotchety Miss Hannigan in Annie. Marcia's Broadway debut was in Hello, Dolly! with Phyllis Diller and later, Ethel Merman.
Plucked from San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater in 1969 by Robert Altman to play "Painless" in the original MASH movie, Conrad John Schuck is well-known to audiences for his roles on stage, in movies and on television. On Broadway, he starred as Daddy Warbucks for one and a half years in Annie, opposite Charlton Heston in Detective Story, and as "Buffalo Bill" in Annie Get Your Gun with Reba McEntire. This past summer John was featured in the controversial Off-Broadway hit, The Exonerated. His screen credits include Star Trek IV, Star Trek VI, Just You and Me Kid and Blade. Television fans remember John as Rock Hudson's sidekick, Sgt. Enright, on the hit series "McMillan and Wife."
Twelve-year-old Christiana Anbri is thrilled to portray Annie. She has starred on Broadway as the Young Cosette and the Young Eponine in Les Miserables, as Molly in the 20th Anniversary production of Annie, and as Gretl in The Sound of Music. Her credits include acting in videos and commercials as well as modeling. She has appeared on television in ABC's "Turning Point" and "One Life to Live" and has appeared on Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues."
Martin Charnin originated the role of "Big Deal" in the Broadway production of West Side Story in 1957 and played the role for 1,000 performances. It was the only acting job he ever had. He began writing lyrics during West Side and has been the director, lyricist, composer, librettist, producer or combination of the above for over 85 theatrical productions. His Broadway production of Annie, which he wrote the lyrics for and directed, and which had music by Charles Strouse and a book by Thomas Meehan, won seven Tony Awards and has become the 13th longest-running American musical in Broadway history. It opened in April of 1977 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1997 with a return to Broadway. Charnin has received four Tony nominations, two Tony Awards, six Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards, three gold records, two platinum records, six Drama Desk Awards, a Peabody Award for Broadcasting, and most recently another Grammy Award for Jay-Z's rap album "Hard Knock Life," which went triple-platinum in 1999.
Ticket and Performance Information Annie will play The Bushnell February 17-22, 2004. Tickets are available at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. Tickets are also available by calling (860)987-5900 or online at www.bushnell.org. Curtain times are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Tickets prices range from $16.00 to $54.00. Groups of 20 or more should call (860)987-5959.