“Annie” is considered one of the most popular and enduring musicals, and among the longest-running American musicals in Broadway history.
“Annie” is considered one of the most popular and enduring musicals, and among the longest-running American musicals in Broadway history.
Curtain 440 is bringing this feel-good classic to Geauga Theater, 101 Water St., with shows running Nov. 28 through Dec. 14.
“‘Annie’ is such a nostalgic show for so many,” Director Angela Miloro-Hansen said. “I grew up watching the 1982 film weekly, and then there was a 1999 release, a 2014 release and then ‘Annie Live’ most recently. So many generations have their own release catered to them and I think that’s so wonderful.”
The musical connects strongly to the spirit of the holidays through its central themes of hope, family and optimism prevailing over adversity.
The main storyline of the musical is set during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The conclusion, where Annie is officially adopted by Oliver Warbucks and the other orphans find homes, happens on Christmas Day, culminating in the song “A New Deal for Christmas.”
The production features 43 cast members of all ages from Geauga and surrounding counties.
Main roles include Eleanor Krage and Vivien Morrison as Annie (they are splitting the role), Mandi Matchinga as Miss Hannigan, Tony Piotrokowski as Oliver Warbucks, Chelsea Davis as Grace Farrell, Nicole Karpuszka as Lily St. Regis and John Kolar as Rooster.
“I’m very excited to be in this production of ‘Annie,’” Kolar said, a popular area musical theater performer. “This is a classic story, and I am so happy to be a part of it. I’ll be playing Rooster, Miss Hannigan’s brother who is one of the villains of the story. It’s fun every once in a while, to step into the shoes of the bad guy on stage.”
Rooster is a secondary antagonist in ”Annie,” acting as Hannigan’s con-artist brother who schemes to kidnap Annie and collect a reward. He and his girlfriend, Lily St. Regis, impersonate Annie’s parents to trick Warbucks, with the ultimate goal of killing Annie and collecting the reward money.
This is Kolar’s second show with Curtain 440, having appeared last year as Beast in “Beauty and the Beast.”
“‘Annie’ is a classic story and it is definitely a great holiday show,” Kolar said. “We have a talented cast and crew that have worked hard to bring this show to life. The role of Annie is being split between two amazing young ladies, Vivien Morrison and Eleanor Krage. Both have a true gift for acting and each portrays the role in their own unique way. Both give goosebump-worthy performances.”
Hansen said Kolar is always a wonderful presence onstage.
“In this particular role, as Rooster, he is comedic, smarmy and vocally powerful,” Hansen said. “He is a fantastic example to the teen and youth performers on how to fully dedicate yourself to a role. Additionally, our two girls playing Annie are incredibly wonderful. They each bring a different personality to Annie, beautiful and powerful vocals, and are so engaging to watch onstage. They are also so supportive of each other and are always cheering each other on.”
She added, “Though Curtain 440 would love to be in the Geauga Theater full time, we have not taken over at this point. We are renting the theater on a production-by-production basis. City events and other groups may be in there during the off time. Being in the theater full time is definitely a goal that we are working towards.”
Curtain 440 staged “Beauty and the Beast” there last December, selling out every show and adding an additional Thursday performance to meet demand. “Annie” marks its second holiday production in the venue.
“We had planned on a full 2025 season in the Geauga Theater, but plumbing restorations delayed us until August,” Hansen said.
They plan to be in the historic theater for a significant portion of next year as part of their 2026 season.
“‘Annie’ hits all the heartstrings in just the right way — overcoming obstacles, learning how to be a family and how resilient kids can be,” Hansen said. “It also touches on the Great Depression and the effectiveness of President Roosevelt working to guide the country back to normal. Combine that with 20 talented singing and dancing kids, Christmas decorations and the fun of musical theater, and you have theater magic.”
Tickets can be purchased at www.curtain440.com/tickets. Advance sales are recommended, as some performances are expected to sell out.
