By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

The sun will come out tomorrow, but the play is set for this Friday and Saturday.
Madison Community Theater (MCT), the county's locally grown drama troupe, will present the much-beloved American classic "Annie" on Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14 at Morgan County High School.
There are about 70 local children and adults in the production, with Morgan County High School senior Laura Margaret Burbach and Morgan County Middle School seventh grader Alissa Benkoski splitting the role of outspoken, orphan girl Annie. In fact, this is Laura Margaret's last production with MCT, and "she is thrilled to get to play Annie," according to Sarah Burbach, Laura Margaret's mother and MCT Board of Directors president.
In addition to the 70 cast members, this production marks MCT's first use of an all-student orchestra.
"'Annie' is making a comeback nationwide, and it is a good show to showcase both the strong older players and the younger kids new to MCT," Sarah writes in an e-mail. "It has good name recognition with a story that attracts people of all ages."
"Annie" is set in New York City during the Great Depression and tells the story of a young orphan's journey from the orphanage – run by the infamous Miss Hannigan – to being chosen to spend the holidays with the uber-wealthy industrialist, and friend of President Franklin Roosevelt, Oliver Warbucks. Much to the chagrin of Miss Hannigan, who is more than bummed that Annie gets to spend time in Warbucks' swank accommodations, "Daddy Warbucks" ends up wanting to adopt Annie, but the orphan remains convinced that her parents will come and find her. Warbucks ends up offering a handsome cash reward for Annie's parents, which ends up drawing many phonies including Miss Hannigan's brother, Rooster, and his ditzy girlfriend. (Spoiler alert! Annie's orphan friends save her, Annie finds a family, Miss Hannigan turns over a new leaf...)
There's quite a bit of bouncing between backgrounds in this production. The MCT crew, also made up of many students, was essential in creating the set. Another first, MCT has purchased a scrim for this production, which will be used in this and future productions for special lighting effects, according to Sarah.
The Madison Community Theater's production of "Annie" will take place Friday, April 13 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Morgan County High School auditorium. All tickets are $5. For more information, call 270-557-6360.
Printed in the April 12 2012 edition.