
Storyline
Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.”
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations… and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

Schedule
Performances are scheduled April 4-13, 2024 with specific days and times announced about a month before.

Production Team

J. Scott Handley
Artistic Director
J. Scott Handley most recently served as the Executive Director, Founder, Music Director, and Vocal Coach for the non-profit organization, Broadway Method Academy (BMA). The company grew from his private voice studio attracting students from all over the tri-state area seeking elite musical theater training. At BMA, he implemented an educational partnership with the prestigious Westport Country Playhouse. In 2002, Handley became department chair of musical theater at Regional Center for the Arts in Southern Connecticut. Many of his students have won awards including the National Jimmy Awards and have gone on to receive degrees in Musical Theater at the top musical theater programs in the nation. Handley is an accomplished collaborative artist, having worked with Alice Ripley, Klea Blackhurst, Nicholas Rodriguez, Meredith Inglesby, Steve Blanchard and Noah Rickets to name a few! He holds a BA from the Florida State University College of Music.

Julie Kavanagh
Guest Artist - Choreography
Julie Kavanagh is an NYC-based performer and arts educator. Originally from St. Louis, MO, Julie graduated with her BFA in Musical Theatre from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Julie was most recently seen touring the country with the First National Tour of Mrs. Doubtfire in which she was the Dance Captain, Ensemble, and Miranda u/s. Julie has also toured with the First National tours of Hello, Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles and performed at major regional theatres all across the country. Including, Papermill Playhouse; The Old Globe; Bucks County Playhouse; The MUNY; Sacramento Music Circus; Asolo Rep, and Goodspeed Opera House!
Alongside performing, Julie has worked in arts education since 2014 with various programs teaching musical theatre, tap dance, acting, college audition prep, choreographing, directing, and more. Julie is currently the program director for Broadway Vocal Coach’s College Prep Program, BVC Aspire.

Lauren Gillis
Guest Artist - Choreography
Lauren Haughton Gillis is an international director and choreographer who is deeply rooted in the tradition of musical theatre but curious about moving the art form forward in a fresh and contemporary way. She is Director of the FSU BFA Music Theatre Program. She has produced, directed, and choreographed shows for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS all over the US and Canada with the Broadway National Touring companies of Hamilton, Wicked, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, and The Book of Mormon. Lauren is currently a director and choreographer for Virgin Voyages International. She made her NYC directing debut at The Cutting Room with a concert version of the new musical, The Magic Hummingbird. Prior to the Lincoln Center run, Lauren worked on The Gardens of Anuncia with Tony award winning director/choreographer Graciela Daniele at The Old Globe in San Diego, CA. Lauren has directed and/or choreographed at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Musical Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Ripley Grier Studios, Constellation Stage & Screen, Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Forestburgh Playhouse, Okoboji Summer Theatre, Festival 56, Cardinal Stage, Indiana University, San Diego State University, Northwestern University, The Jacobs School of Music Opera & Ballet Theater, and The Broadway in San Diego Awards (Jimmy Awards pre-qualifier). As a performer, Lauren appeared on Broadway in Wicked. She was in the original casts of Turn of the Century directed by Tommy Tune at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Sammy with Leslie Bricusse at The Old Globe in San Diego, and Hans Christian Anderson with Maury Yeston at Maine State Music Theatre. On television she appeared in the Annie episode for Encore! on Disney Plus, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge and choreographed by Melinda Sullivan. She also guest starred as Lori on Guiding Light. Lauren was previously an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at the Indiana University Department of Theatre & Dance where she won the 2022 Trustees Teaching Award. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and is the Head of Dance/Vice President of Conferences for Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance International (MTEA).

Isabel Chistoni
Dance Director
Chistoni has been dancing since the age of three, and has received training from various accomplished dance companies in Connecticut and New York. She made her choreographic debut at YAT with The Addams Family in 2022, and has since choreographed Elf: The Musical, Pride & Prejudice, 13: The Musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, and Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! which was performed at FSU’s Fallon Theatre. In addition to choreographing productions, she serves as a teaching artist at YAT, working mainly with middle and high school aged students. Stage credit highlights include Cabaret (DC), In The Heights (Swing), Legally Blonde, and Newsies (Finch, DC). Rina is currently pursuing a career in performing arts as an independent performer and choreographer, and she is particularly grateful to J. Scott Handley, former teacher, for the opportunity to serve as YAT’s Director of Dance. Thanks go out to family and friends for their continuous love and support!

Sponsor This Show
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For interest in sponsoring contact:
Sarah Roy
[email protected]
