This December, Montana TheatreWorks and The Ellen Theatre present ten wonderful performances of the beloved Broadway musical, Annie. Opening Wednesday, December 11th and running Wednesday through Sunday through December 22nd, the show offers a downtown delight for you and your family to get into the holiday spirit. With evening shows starting at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m., it’s the perfect winter evening or afternoon activity!

With incredible crown moldings, eye-catching lights twinkling throughout the theatre, and intricate carvings, The Ellen is the perfect place to enjoy a snowy afternoon while taking in the scenes of Annie. Guests can purchase tickets at theellentheatre.org at prices of $38 each, $48 each or $64 each, depending on which area they’d like to view from. The lower-priced tickets still offer an amazing showing from the second balcony. The mezzanine and main floor come with a higher price tag, but are worth it for the best seats in the house. Anyone interested should secure their tickets as soon as possible, as December productions are known to sell out, and tickets are already going quickly.

Boasting a vibrant voice and outstanding presence, Maddisen Sheedy takes center stage as Little Orphan Annie. Having played the role of Molly in prior productions, she came into the most recent auditions ready to share her talent and dedication to the stage. After a long, grueling audition process, she rose above the 45 others vying for the role, claiming the lead after callbacks. In an added touch of sentiment, Maddisen and her mom, Cheryl Sheedy, will be onstage together this month, starring as Annie and her surrogate mother, Grace Farrell. Having starred in other shows, such as previous productions of Annie and Mary Poppins, her mom inspired Maddisen’s love of musical theater.

When asked about the relevant social issues portrayed in the musical, Maddisen had an encouraging take on the matter. She emphasized the importance of staying positive despite any negativity that may arise. Appreciating Annie’s optimism and encouragement throughout her story, she cites the song, “Maybe” as her favorite part of the show, stating; “It shows who she (Annie) is, what she longs for. [It] shows that she is not going to give up.”

I recently had a conversation with the lead behind the curtain, Director and Producer John Ludin, who was cool and calm, though he spoke with an air of excitement. He has long awaited the opportunity to put on Annie as the winter production, and when the rights became available this year, he knew it was the perfect opportunity. Having written and directed stage shows for Disney Live among other impressive achievements, he is well experienced, and ready to put on an impressive holiday show. Speaking highly of the cast of 24, he credits their dedication and talent for how wonderfully the musical has come together. He admitted that, while the rehearsal phase is long, he loves to watch it grow organically, leading to the most rewarding part—listening as the audience reacts and enjoys the scenes they have worked hard on as a team for months.

John also made sure to give special thanks to every member of the Annie crew, including those behind the scenes: Derek Bannasch, musical director; Roger Castellano, choreographer; Tom Watson, scenic designer; Stacy Hostetter, costume designer; Peter Fedock, lighting designer, and Ashley Milleson, sound designer. He noted that Annie couldn’t have come together without all the hard work of these wonderful members of the cast and crew, including the 16-piece orchestra, and Sandy, the dog.

Montana Theatreworks is pleased to welcome special guest artist, Michael DeVris, who has flown in from New York for the month of December to star as Daddy Warbucks. DeVries is incredibly pleased to be performing in Big Sky Country for the first time. He now has logged 30 States, five Canadian Provinces, and three foreign countries in his professional travels. This is his fifth production of Annie – he has been in the ensemble, and played the role of Rooster; this will be his third portrayal of Daddy Warbucks. Among his many other stage credits, DeVries spent more than ten years in multiple roles on Broadway with Wicked. His TV credits include “Sex & the City,” “Law & Order,” “All My Children,” “The District,” “Philly,” and “Law & Order – SVU.”

With multiple performances nearly sold out already, be sure to secure a seat at Annie this December. With Maddisen Sheedy as Annie, alongside Susan Miller as the main antagonist, Miss Hannigan, and special guest Micheal DeVris as Daddy Warbucks, this year’s musical is sure to please. All the hard work put in by cast and crew alike will certainly lead to an unforgettable holiday experience, a production you don’t want to miss out on.