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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The U.S. National Tour of the iconic Tony Award-winning musical,"Annie," is coming to É«É«À² Michigan University's Miller Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.

Purchase tickets online:

The production features a 25-member company. In the title role of Annie is Tori Bates, an 11-year-old actress from Sarasota, Florida, who is making her tour debut. Gilgamesh Taggett continues to star as Oliver Warbucks. In the role of Miss Hannigan is Erin Fish. Also starring in the tour are West Michigan native Casey Prins as Grace Farrell, Michael Santora as Rooster, É«É«À² alumna Mallory King as Lily and Jeffrey B. Duncan as FDR. Sunny and Macy, rescue terrier mixes, star as Sandy.

The original production of "Annie" opened April 21, 1977, at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win 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 (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin). The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever. It ran for 2,377 performances after it first opened, and has been performed in 28 languages and has been running somewhere around the world for 39 years.

The score for "Annie" includes such classics as "Maybe," "It’s the Hard Knock Life," "You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," "Easy Street," "I Don’t Need Anything But You" and the eternal anthem of optimism, "Tomorrow."

Tickets

"Annie" at Miller Auditorium is part of the PNC Broadway in West Michigan Series and welcomed by Meijer, Zhang Financial, Pepsi and Seat n Sleep. Tickets are on sale now and start at $47. They can be purchased online at , by calling (269) 387-2300 or (800) 387-2312, or in person at the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office.

A 15 percent discount is available to all É«É«À² faculty and staff. Group discounts are available at (269) 387-2312.

É«É«À² students receive a 50 percent discount on most show tickets thanks to a fund established by the Office of the President. É«É«À² students are limited to one discounted ticket per event with a valid Bronco Card. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office or by telephone at (269) 387-2300. É«É«À² students are required to show their Bronco Card when picking up tickets and upon entrance to the theatre.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.