The greatest gifts come in small packages. From May 14-19, the Keller Auditorium proudly presents America’s spunkiest red-headed hero, Annie! Witness the escapades of the brave little orphan from New York in this three-hour display of unyielding determination. With her trusty canine sidekick, Annie (Ellie Pulsifer) takes off on a daring quest to find her long-lost parents in an escalating series of mishaps and melodies. After hundreds of performances in over sixty cities, the musical finally wraps up its highly successful North American tour. Grab the chance to experience Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse’s Tony Award-winning score LIVE, with legendary hits like “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.” Featuring the original book by Thomas Meehan and direction by Jenn Thompson, this boisterous Broadway classic will let you know that there’s always a hopeful tomorrow to look forward to. Book your tickets now and join Annie for one last hurrah on the third week of May at the Keller Auditorium in Portland, Oregon!
Annie Tickets:
“The ultimate feel-good musical!” – Time Magazine
“Lovable… Charming… Gusty.” – The New York Times
“One of the best family musicals ever penned.” – Chicago Tribune
Leapin’ lizards! America’s favorite little redhead prances her way to Portland’s Keller Auditorium as the cast of Annie wraps up its North American tour with big ol’ smiles and heads held high! The two-year run that launched in October 2022–with hundreds of shows scheduled in over 60 cities–will come to a close on May 14-19, 2024.
Set in Depression-era New York City, this perennial classic follows little orphan Annie in her quest to find her long-lost parents with nothing but half a locket, the clothes on her back, and a relentless can-do attitude! Joined by Sandy, her newfound canine companion, our pint-sized hero skips her way into the good graces of America’s wealthiest businessman, Oliver Warbucks. The billionaire tycoon forms a bond with the audacious girl, pledging assistance to her plights, and for a while, the sun shone brighter on the bouncy curls of red.
But alas, dark clouds loom! Faced with the devious plans of Miss Hannigan–the orphanage’s cruel caretaker–Annie must rally everyone behind her to show the world that with love, hope, and a little pluck, we can always overcome even the stormiest of weather.
The finest talents in theater gather to bring the story of Annie on-stage through its sprawling cast of colorful characters, with some of the child actors celebrating their national tour debut, including lead star Ellie Pulsifer!
- Ellie Pulsifer as Annie
- Stefanie Londino as Miss Hannigan
- Christopher Swan as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks
- Nick Bernardi as Rooster Hannigan
- Krista Curry as Lily
- Julia Nicole Hunter as Grace Farrell
- Mark Woodard as Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Bronte Harrison as Molly
- Skylar Matthews as Pepper
- Vivianne Neely as July
- Izzy Pike as Kate
- Kenzie Rees as Duffy
- Valeria Velasco as Tessie
- Nick Abbott as Drake
- Andrew Scoggin as Bert Healy
- Addison or Georgie as Sandy
Supporting our main players is a superbly exceptional ensemble cast featuring Bradley Ford Betros, Kaitie Buckert, Hana Culbreath, Laura Elizabeth Flanagan, Jaelle Laguerre, Kevin Ivey Morrison, Joel Oliver, Cheyenne Omani, Kaylie Mae Wallace, and Aidan Ziegler-Hansen.
The musical–clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes–will bring back culturally significant songs such as “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life” from the original score by Martin Charnin (lyrics) and Charles Strouse (music). It will also revive the iconic book by esteemed playwright Thomas Meehan in its entire Tony Award-winning glory.
Directed by Drama Desk nominee Jenn Thompson, the behind-the-scenes band of creatives enlists top-notch artists and off-stage professionals:
- Patricia Wilcox – Choreographer
- Wilson Chin – Scenic Design
- Alejo Vietti – Costume Design
- Philip Rosenberg – Lighting Design
- Ken Travis – Sound Design
- Ashley Rae Callahan – Hair & Wig Design
- William Berloni – Animal Direction and Training
- Matthew Smedal – Music Supervision
- Talitha Fehr – Music Coordination
- Dan Delange – Orchestrations
- Elaine Davidson – Music Direction
- Hardt Casting, LLC – Casting
“For decades, Annie has continued to shine brightly, not only as an appeal to our better angels but also as an example of the thrill of hope, hard-won, promising a better ‘Tomorrow’ not only for Annie herself but for all who need her message now more than ever,” director Thompson shares in an earlier statement.
Based on Harold Gray’s 1924 daily newspaper comic, Annie premiered its first Broadway production in 1977 to unanimous acclaim, winning 7 out of 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. It also clinched Best Cast Show Album from the Grammys and 7 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Director.
Since then, the musical spawned two Broadway revivals, a handful of film and TV adaptations, two novelizations, and translations in 28 languages, with countless touring exhibitions in at least 34 countries worldwide.
Fun fact: The first dog to have played the role of Sandy never missed a performance during the show’s run, claiming the title of “longest-running dog on Broadway!”
No matter how dark the clouds turn, you can always bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sun tomorrow! Annie’ll make sure of it, so book your seats now and join her on one last adventure at the Keller Auditorium in Portland, Oregon, from May 14 to 19, 2024!
“Annie delivers a tingle that starts at the spine and wends its way toward the tear ducts.” – The Washington Post
“Meehan’s book is funny and touching. Songs by Strouse and Charnin offer wall-to-wall ear-ticklers.” – New York Daily News
