We bet your bottom dollar you’ll love seeing ‘Annie’

When “Annie” originally opened in 1977, it introduced the world to a phenomenon unmatched by many musicals. The original production of “Annie” won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album, and seven Tony awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score.

Remaining one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of all time, “Annie” has been performed in 28 languages for more than 39 years. Now, “Annie” is stopping in Macon for performances at the Grand Opera House on Monday and Tuesday.

This production of “Annie” will be directed by the original lyricist and director, Martin Charnin, for the 19th time and brings new twists to old favorites, while maintaining the integrity of the original and the charm of the songs that have been in the soundtrack of American life for more than 30 years.

Featuring a 25-person cast, including 11-year-old Tori Bates from Florida in the title role, “Annie” will bring back all the fan favorite songs including “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

Bates, who is making her national tour debut, is a passionate student of jazz, tap and ballet — and her dedication shows in this role. Gilgamesh Taggett portrays Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. Taggett, who is on his third tour of “Annie,” helps complete the story as the orphan wins over the hardened heart of the billionaire tycoon who, it turns out, is not as immune to love as he thought.

In 1970, Charnin read the comic strip captured in “The Life and Hard Time of Little Orphan Annie” and set to work securing two-time Tony-winning composer Charles Strouse, as well as Thomas Meehan, a short story writer for The New Yorker, to help him bring Annie — in all of her red-headed glory — to life on the stage.

“Annie” is the 13th longest running musical in Broadway history, has inspired two films and a made-for-TV movie, and is the source of dozens of interpretations for the stage. Even now, the story continues to thrive because it speaks to the heart of people who want to find a place to belong, the love and support of a family and better days in the future.

This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 4:21 PM with the headline "We bet your bottom dollar you’ll love seeing ‘Annie’."