Gateway Theatre’s annual holiday musical is always a spectacular experience and this season is no exception as Annie brings the sun and smile to the stage through January 3, 2026.
Adapted for Broadway, from the century-old comic strip “Little Orphan Annie”, with book by Thomas Meehan and music by Charles Strouse & lyrics by Martin Charnin. Director Josh Epstein leads a whole company effort to bring the ambitious extravaganza, written by Thomas Meehan, to the stage. Starring Azaleah Korn as the red-headed orphan, Annie, who lives at a New York Orphanage run by the bitterly cruel Miss Hannigan – wonderfully played like a sinister lush by Jennifer Copping – with a gaggle of other foundlings – Mela Pietropaolo, Mana Nakamura, Katie Bradshaw, Lucia Liberato, Tegan Swain and stand-out Elle Hanson as Molly the youngest orphan. Continually escaping and being caught again Annie meet a variety of characters along the way, including a loveable stray dog, Sandy (played by three different pups; Mylo, Neko & Poco). When the stylish Grace Farrell (Sarah Cantuba), personal secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Charlie Gallant), arrives to invite one of the orphans to spend Christmas at Warbucks Mansion, Annie’s life changes when she is chosen, much to Miss Hannigan’s chagrin. Annie’s precocious nature endears her to Warbucks and the rest of the household including Grace and Majordomo Drake (Katrina Teitz), even winning over the White House of President Roosevelt (Blake Sartin). Along with her ne’er-do-well brother Rooster (Josh Graetz) and his latest girlfriend Lily St James (Manuela Palmieri) Miss Hannigan set out to unsuccessfully thwart Annie’s newfound good fortune.
The immense talents of 13 year old Azaleah Korn command the stage even when sharing scenes with her acclaimed co-stars; charismatic Charlie Gallant’s Warbucks, stellar Sarah Cantuba’s sweet Grace and the over-the-top malevolence of Jennifer Copping’s Hannigan. Annie is filled with iconic tunes including; ‘Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’ and the timeless ‘Tomorrow’, played by the live Orchestra lead by Musical Director Sean Bayntun along with John Bews, Geeta Das, Drew Dumas, Johniel Vinas and Kevin Woo.
Choreographer Nicol Spinla’s work is a highlight of the production from the tightly synced large-scale numbers like ‘Hard Knock Life’ and ‘I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here’ or the dazzling trio of Copping, Graetz and Palmieri in the show stopping ‘Easy Street’. The company of just 19 players portray a seemingly infinite number of characters, whipping on and off the stage in miraculously quick changes of award-winning Designer Donnie Tejani’s costumes, the fastest being just 43 second. Like the costumes, the sets also undergo quick changes, from a grimy orphanage or a downtrodden ‘Hooverville’ shanty town to the opulent Warbucks mansion, Set & Props Designer Ryan Cormack brilliantly brings them all to life. The stage is so filled with the moving sets that the orchestra has move out to the lobby to perform.
From cast to creative, every member of the company of Annie comes together to deliver the perfect gift of a holiday musical. You can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll leave Gateway Theatre with a sunny smile and humming the tunes.
Annie plays until January 3, 2026 at Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond. Find showtimes, special performance and tickets at gatewaytheatre.com
Throughout the run of Annie, Gateway Theatre will be collecting pet food and items on behalf of the BC SPCA to support Sandy’s Pet Food Drive