Based on the classic comic strip, this musical follows Annie, a spirited Depression-era orphan who escapes the clutches of the cruel orphanage matron Miss Hannigan and is taken in, on a trial basis, by billionaire industrialist Oliver Warbucks. As Annie's optimism and warmth gradually soften the hardened businessman's heart, she also becomes entangled in a scheme by Miss Hannigan's con-artist brother and his girlfriend to pose as her long-lost parents for reward money. Set against the backdrop of Depression-era hardship and hope for a brighter future under FDR's New Deal, the show pairs its social backdrop with irrepressibly upbeat songs like Tomorrow and It's the Hard-Knock Life. It remains one of the most popular family musicals of all time for its blend of plucky heroine, rags-to-riches wish fulfillment, and enduring optimism.

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