Timeless Tale of Hope | Annie the Musical

Credit: Joerg Lehmann Photography

One of the world’s most enduring and popular musical theatre productions is being staged by Chookas Entertainment at the Civic Playhouse from 28 August until 14 September.

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Annie The Musical is a heartwarming classic tale filled with hope, love and unforgettable music that has captivated audiences across the globe for decades.

The original Broadway production of Annie opened in April 1977 and was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical and Best Score. It went on to tour internationally, enjoyed several revivals over the decades and has become a staple in community theatre productions worldwide. Based originally on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, the musical was created with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan.

There have been four major film adaptations and several sequels and spin-offs. The very first film version of the story was Little Orphan Annie all the way back in 1932, and the latest was in 2014 with Jamie Foxx starring as Will Stacks, the modern-day Oliver Warbuck.

Set during the Great Depression, the musical follows the adventures of Annie, a spirited orphan determined to find her parents. With the help of her newfound friends, including billionaire Oliver Warbucks and his loyal assistant Grace Farrell, Annie discovers the true meaning of family and home.

Producer and owner of Chookas Entertainment, Jody Miller, is thrilled to bring Annie The Musical to Newcastle, bringing a fresh take to the production since it was last staged ten years ago by the Maitland Musical Society.

"It’s a classic tale of Annie retold with a modern-day twist,” said Jody.

“Our production elements, including lighting, sets and costumes, display a nontraditional version of the show to best use the Civic Playhouse space and emphasise the key storytelling elements of the show.

“Annie The Musical is a story of hope and optimism. The character Annie has an unwavering belief that “the sun will come out tomorrow”.

Each character in this show has a want, need and hope for something greater in their lives, even during difficult times. The story we are conveying is that every person, regardless of their financial status, has needs. With a bit of hope and perseverance, even the smallest acts can make the biggest differences.”

Chookas Entertainment delivers community and pro-am theatre and entertainment across Newcastle and Sydney. It was established by Jody when she was just 17 to create work for herself. Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength with previous theatre works including Musical Chairs, Pippin The Musical, Legally Blonde The Musical, Company The Musical, Clue, Back To The 80s, HeathersThe Musical, and many more. Chookas also won Best Musical Production for Heathers and Best Musical Ensemble for Legally Blonde at last year’s City of Newcastle Drama Association (CONDA) Awards.

Jody Miller

Jody has recently become president of CONDA and has helped set and achieve the organisation's strategic objectives, which are all about accessibility and resourcing – sharing knowledge and resources between operators and creatives and building up the industry.

"I'm passionate about bringing the joy of theatre to as many people as possible. Theatre is a wonderful energy exchange between the audience and the performers. There is nothing else like it. If they're not used to attending theatre, I would encourage everyone to get out of their comfort zone and get along to support a local show," said Jody.

Annie The Musical is directed by Danny Folpp, who also directed Legally Blonde (2023), 12 Angry Men (2023), Jerry’s Girls (2023) and Shrek JR (2023), and the cast is a veritable who’s who of Newcastle's rich talent pool, featuring Emelyn Konz and Sage Brooks sharing the title role of Annie. DJ Konz joins them as Oliver Warbucks, Bridget Glennie as Grace Farrell, and Nicolette Black as the infamous Miss Hannigan. The creative team is rounded out by choreographer Maddie Watts and musical director Mathew Gallimore. Audiences will be thrilled with the incredible score featuring favourites such as Tomorrow, It's the Hard-Knock Life, Maybe, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile and Little Girls.

“This is a great family show for all ages that includes many opportunities and empowerment for women in our industry,” said Jody.

“It’s also wonderful to see multiple generations of performers with a passion for theatre. Many of our children (orphans) cast have parents in the industry, and one of our Annies – Emelyn Konz, is the daughter of DJ Konz, who plays Warbuck. This is the first time dad and daughter will share the stage together!”

To purchase tickets to Annie The Musical at the Civic Playhouse, 28 August to 14 September, visit www.bit.ly/tickets-CPHAnnieTheMusical-2024.