Annie: casting announced for the orphans

Casting for the orphans features Emily Rosenfeld as 'Molly,' the littlest orphan; Tyrah Skye Odoms as 'Kate,' the next-to-littlest orphan; Junah Jang as 'Tessie,' the cry-baby orphan; Georgi James as 'Pepper,' the toughest orphan; Madi Rae DiPietro as 'July,' the quietest orphan and Taylor Richardson as 'Duffy,' the biggest orphan. Jaidyn Young will be the standby for the roles of 'Annie,' 'Pepper,' 'Kate' and 'July.' Richardson will understudy the role of Annie.

As previously announced, 11-year-old Lilla Crawford (Billy Elliot) will star in the title role of Annie.

Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

Producer Arielle Tepper Madover said, "We saw so many wonderful young girls for these roles. I wish we could have cast them all! The orphans are always a highlight of Annie and we think we have an amazing, unbelievably talented group with Emily, Tyrah, Junah, Georgi, Madi Rae and Taylor. I think audiences will fall in love with each and every one of them. We also are incredibly fortunate to have Jaidyn Young as our standby for the roles of Annie and several of the orphans. She's enormously talented and we're lucky to have her with us."

The production will be directed by three-time Tony Award winner James Lapine ('The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,' 'Passion,' 'Falsettos') and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights).

Annie features music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan, based on the newspaper character "Little Orphan Annie" by Harold Gray.

The musical tells the story of Orphan Annie, a girl whose optimism knows no bounds. Annie lives in an orphanage looked after by the cruel Miss Hannigan, but her life changes when she is selected to spend time in the house of wealthy industrialist Oliver Warbucks.

The score for Annie includes "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".

The team includes scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Donald Holder and sound design by Brian Ronan.

The musical will be produced on Broadway by Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger Horchow, Sally Horchow, Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Debbie Bisno, Stacey Mindich, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Daryl Roth/Jane Bergère and Eva Price/Christina Papagjika.

Annie was a hit when it premiered on Broadway in 1977, winning seven Tony Awards and running for six years playing 2,377 performances. Directed by Martin Charnin it starred Andrea McArdle as 'Annie,' Dorothy Loudon as 'Miss Hannigan' and Reid Shelton as 'Oliver Warbucks.'

Bios:

Emily Rosenfeld (Molly) is eight years old. She is making her Broadway debut, and has appeared 'Gretl' in 'The Sound of Music,' 'Dickon' in 'The Secret Garden,' 'Michael Darling' in 'Peter Pan' and 'Big Jule' in 'Guys and Dolls,' for Random Farms Kids Theater in Elmsford, NY.

Tyrah Skye Odoms (Kate) is seven years old. She is making her Broadway debut, and has performed with the Maple Shade Community Alliance Summer Theatre Program, the MSHS Performing Arts Department and the Bridge Players Theatre.

Junah Jang (Tessie) is nine years old. She is making her Broadway debut, and has performed at youth theaters: 'Seussical The Musical' (Jojo), 'Annie '(Molly), 'The Sound of Music' (Gretl), 'Schoolhouse Rock Live!' (Shulie).

Georgi James (Pepper) is eleven years old. She has played the role of 'Debbie' in the Broadway production of 'Billy Elliot' and was also seen on Broadway in 'A Tale of Two Cities.' She played 'Olive Hoover' in the premiere of James Lapine and William Finn's 'Little Miss Sunshine' at La Jolla Playhouse. James was part of the award-winning ensemble cast who performed Horton Foote's nine-act play 'The Orphans' Home Cycle' at both Hartford Stage and Signature Theatre Company.

Madi Rae DiPietro (July) is twelve years old. She is making her Broadway debut, and has performed s a 'pageant girl' in 'Little Miss Sunshine,' at the La Jolla Playhouse a. She has also appeared in the Lyceum Theatre's 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' and at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in their holiday production of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas.' She made her television debut in the NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives" when she was six.

Taylor Richardson (Duffy, u/s Annie) is making her Broadway debut, and has performed regionally as 'Susan Waverly' in 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas.'

Jaidyn Young (Standby for Annie, Pepper, Duffy, July) is eleven years old. She is making her Broadway debut, and has performed Regionally as 'Annie' in 'Annie' (Performance Riverside), 'Marta' in 'The Sound of Music' (3D Theatricals), 'Child Soloist' at age 7 for 'Glory of Christmas' (Crystal Cathedral), also in the National Merit film "Voice in Silence" as the lead role "Abby."

Emily RosenfeldTyrah Skye OdomsJunah JangGeorgi JamesMadi Rae DiPietroTaylor Richardson