The Country Gate Players will continue its 2003 season, with the beloved family musical, Annie, with performances July 19, 26, and August 2.at 8:00 p.m., as well as, August 3, at 2:00 p.m. The show will be presented at the Country Gate Playhouse, 114 Greenwich Street, Belvidere, New Jersey.

Deserted in a hard-knock orphanage run by the less than kindly Miss Hannigan, Annie escapes to an easier life outside during the Great Depression where tomorrow is always brighter because of hope - and a certain stray dog that tags along for the fun. Annie's luck changes when Daddy Warbucks, a billionaire, chooses her to be his guest for the holidays. The holiday and the musical is a whirl of adventure as Annie charms Warbucks, President Roosevelt, the United States Cabinet, and the entire country!

Turning Harold Gray's comic strip, "Little Orphan Annie" into a musical comedy was the inspiration of lyricist-director Martin Charnin, who convinced composer Charles Strouse and librettist Thomas Meehan to join in creating it. The show, which places Annie, Daddy Warbucks and Annie's mutt, Sandy, in New York City in the midst of the Depression, opened on Broadway on April 21, 1977. It went on to win seven Tony Awards and became the third longest running musical of the 1970s with 2,377 performances. Librettist Thomas Meehan described Annie as "a metaphorical figure standing for innate decency, courage and optimism in the face of hard times, pessimism and despair."

The Country Gate cast is composed of an outstanding ensemble of top New Jersey and Pennsylvania performers. In the title role of Annie, is Marissa Duignam, of Nazareth. Ms. Duignam makes her Country Gate debut as everyone’s favorite orphan. Her partners in orphanage mayhem include: Valerie Kumma, of Phillipsburg; Jenna Tshudy, of Belvidere; Tara Wiseburn of Stroudsburg, Colleen Maurer, of Alpha; as well as, Devan Orr and Alexandra Speirs, of Hackettstown. The villainous Miss Hannigan, is portrayed by Rosemary Kumma, of Phillipsburg. Ms. Kumma is a veteran of many area stages, having most recently appeared as Aldonza in the Country Gate production of Man of La Mancha. Daddy Warbucks, the lovable capitalist extraordinaire, is played by Vic Kumma,of Phillipsburg. Mr. Kumma’s acting credits include: Toby, in Sweeney Todd; Frank, in Merrily We Roll Along; and Sakini, in Teahouse of the August Moon.

Grace Farrel, Warbuck’s gal Friday, is played by Marilou Tshudy, of Belvidere. Miss Hannigan’s evil collaborators, Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis, are portrayed by Charlie Dalrymple, of Easton, and Melissa Molinari, of Mt. Bethel, respectively. President Franklin D. Roosevelt is played by Dean Tshudy, of Belvidere. Other principal cast members include: Mike Benton, of Allentown; Brenda Kull, of Oxford; Becky Lieberman, of Pen Argyl; Juliet Dunham, of Pocono Pines; Gina DiGiovani, of Hackettstown, as well as, Heather LaPointe and Mike Yeley, of Belvidere.

The musical is under the direction of Gina Scurato of Harmony Township, with musical direction by Claudia Revak, of Stroudsburg.

All seats are reserved at $15, with group discounts available. Further information may be obtained by calling Country Gate at (908) 475-1104 or by logging onto the theatre website at www.countrygate.org