Join Wisconsin Theater Arts for Christmas in July Summer Theater Camp!

Summer Camp Production: ANNIE JR.

The depression-era New York and the “Hard-Knock Life” of an orphan may seem like a dreary setting and circumstance, but not for a spunky girl who never stops believing that “the sun will come out tomorrow!” Annie Jr. tells the tale of Annie, an orphan determined to find her parents who abandoned her as a baby on the doorstep of a New York City Municipal Orphanage - Girls Annex run by the sour and resentful Miss Hannigan.

Annie was left with only half of a locket and a note written by her parents promising they would return some day and their half of the same locket would prove that Annie was their daughter. She dreams that "Maybe" one day she'll find her parents and get out of the awful orphanage. In frustration and determination, Annie decides to escape the cruelty of Miss Hannigan and runs away in search of her parents. Out on the streets of New York she discovers a big world full of many lonely people struck by the hard times of the depression. She also discovers a mutt who is also an orphan and takes as her companion. She chooses Sandy as the dog's name and then continues to look for her parents. Soon after Annie is caught by Officer Ward and returned to the orphanage and Miss Hannigan, who just despises unruly "Little Girls".

One day, Grace Farrell arrives in hopes of finding a child to share Christmas at the home, well...mansion, of her boss, Oliver Warbucks. Annie happens to be just outside Miss Hannigan's office and sees Grace. She is able to help Grace "decide" what child to take home to the Warbucks mansion for Christmas. To Miss Hannigan's disappointment and frustration, Grace bundles up Annie and whisks her away to the mansion.

Awed by the grandeur all around her in "NYC" and the welcoming and kind servants who work at the Warbucks' mansion she truly believes "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here". Oliver Warbucks begins to soften and realizes that Annie "Won't Be an Orphan For Long".  Annie still wishes to find her parents who hold the other half of her locket. Seeing Annie's desire to find her family, Oliver Warbucks promises to do whatever it takes to find her parents. After an exhaustive search by the FBI, it's determined that there's no way to find her parents and Oliver asks Annie if he could adopt her. "I Don't Need Anything But You" is Annie's reply and a party is planned to celebrate.

Back at the orphanage, Miss Hannigan, her brother, Rooster, and his girlfriend Lily devise a scheme to be Annie's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mudge. They show up to the Warbucks mansion to claim Annie and the reward money (and set off to "Easy Street") that has been offered up by Warbucks, but asked to return the next day so that Annie can spend Christmas morning with Grace and Oliver.

Little do they know that Warbucks, with the help of the FBI and President Roosevelt, has found evidence that Annie's real parents had passed away years ago and Mr. & Mrs. Mudge are fakes! When Mr. and Mrs. Mudge arrive (you know, Rooster and Lily posing as the parents) to claim Annie and the reward check, they, along with Miss Hannigan are exposed as fakes and taken away by the authorities.

In the end everything works out. Oliver Warbucks adopts Annie and her wish for a loving family comes true. Annie's "tomorrow" turns out to be "today"!

SUMMER CAMP DATES: July 7-25 (Mon - Fri) from 10am to 3pm.

PERFORMANCES: July 26 @ 6pm and July 27 @3pm

To learn more about the characters in this production and what the acting, singing, and dancing expectations will be click HERE.

Join us for this fun, three week theater camp and learn all about this classic musical!

Use the link below for more detailed information and to register.