by Marie Phelan


No matter what your age, the lovable tale of little orphan Annie and her quest to find her birth parents will touch your heart and put a smile on your face.

Theater of the Stars' Annie, at the Fabulous Fox Theatre through Sunday,  is made up of a talented and entertaining cast, led by Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner, Sally Struthers (Gloria from the 1970s show, All in the Family) as Miss Hannigan, Brad Oscar as Daddy Warbucks and Mary Peeples (a Georgia native) as the adorable Annie.The show is two-and-a-half hours of lively music and dancing, accompanied with lots of laughs and a good time for the whole family. Opening night on Saturday was filled with excited little girls including my nieces (4 and 6 years old). Of course, there were also some young boys and plenty of adults with no children in tow. Booster seats are provided for any young ones who may have a difficult time seeing the stage.
As to be expected, the show is full of all the classic Annie tunes. Everything from “It's the Hard-Knock Life” to “Tomorrow” is featured, plus more. Mary Peeples shines as an outstanding Annie and will blow you away with her sophisticated stage presence and amazing voice. Miss Hannigan is also a crowd favorite as the main comedic relief throughout the show. Giggles erupted at just about everything she did or said.While most of the children were captivated throughout the show, I did notice a few heads begin to droop after the intermission. The show ends at almost 11 p.m.,  and I would suggest one of the two afternoon shows if you are worried that your little one might not be able to stay awake.
We had a wonderful time, singing along to every word and laughing from beginning to end.
The show is definitely worth seeing. Two women seated behind us even told me how they have seen Annie at The Fox for the past 12 years and that this cast might be the best yet.   
Regardless if you are familiar with the story of Annie or not, adults and kids of all ages will enjoy this wonderful production and heartwarming tale.

Shows 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $25-$65. Information: www.foxtheatre.org.

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