This is your last chance to watch Annie, or any summer musical, at the Leddy Center in Epping.
The musical of an orphan growing up in Depression-era New York City will end its three-week run on Sunday. And at the end of 2017, the center itself will close upon the retirement of its founders.
Annie (Cassidy Green) is a spirited girl living in an orphanage run by the formidable Miss Hannigan (Deirdre Bridge). She lucks out when she’s plucked from the institution by Grace Ferrell (Ashley Bush) to live temporarily with the billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Rob Dionne).
Their newly-formed relationship has its ups and downs, but things really come to a head when the sleazy Rooster (Nick Kalantzakos) and Lily St. Regis (Melissa Ransdell) pretend to be Annie’s parents in order to collect on a substantial reward offered by Warbucks.
Annie won a Tony award for best musical. It was based on the comic strip by Harold Gray, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. The show is directed by Leddy Center founder Mary Gatchell and music director and founder Bruce Gatchell makes an appearance as President Franklin Roosevelt.
Shows will be held Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Annie will be the final summer musical staged at the Leddy Center.
Founders Elaine and Bruce Gatchell plan to retire at the end of 2017, ending 43 seasons of providing theater to the Epping community.
The pair were awarded the Francis Grover Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
The Leddy Center’s year will end with a concert by Mary Gatchell and her New York City band on Sept. 20, a run of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5 and the classic winter show, A Christmas Carol, from Dec. 1 to 10.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit leddycenter.org or call 679-2781.