'Annie' kicks off Stratford's 2025 Season!

The sun will come out tomorrow when the Stratford Festival begins its 2025 season with the fabulous musical Annie, directed and choreographed byDonna Feore and led by Harper Rae Asch as Annie, Dan Chameroy as Oliver Warbucks and Laura Condlln as Miss Hannigan.

 Harper Rae Asch as Annie, Annie. Stratford Festival 2025. Photo: Ted Belton.

Ever-optimistic Annie makes it her job to improve the lives of everyone around her – except maybe Miss Hannigan, who has made life a misery for all the little girls in her care at the New York Municipal Orphanage. Fed up and determined to find her parents, Annie makes a break for it one day and learns that even the outside world is tough. Dragged back home by police, she doesn’t have to wait long for her real break. Though it may not be the dream she pictured, a happy ending is in store.

“Where we came from and where we want to go define who and what we aspire to be – our vision shapes us,” says Feore. “Annie has only her ‘imagined’ parents and past to shape her vision, yet her choices always assume wonderful prospects. She embodies the best of every human reaction to adversity and she speaks to us in a language so simple and clear that it’s hard to deny her power.”

Annie also features Amanda Lundgren as Lily St Regis, Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Grace Farrell, and Mark Uhre as Rooster Hannigan, with Cydnee Abbott, Eric Abel, Carla Bennett, Devon Michael Brown, Jarret Cody, Christine Desjardins, Henry Firmston, Jordan Goodridge, Evonny Harker, Hazel Heaney, Harmony Holder, Isla Horner, Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Bonnie Jordan, Alex Kelly, Bethany Kovarik, Derek Kwan, Fae Lewis, Gracie Mack, Anthony MacPherson, Jordan Mah, Jamie Murray, Sofia Grace Otta, Olivia Padfield, Stephen Patterson, Ali Powell, Jessica Reddy, Kirstyn Russelle, Jason Sermonia, Michele Shuster and Addison Wagman.

Laura Burton returns as Music Director, marking her 46th season at the Stratford Festival. Feore and Burton are joined by Set and Costume Designer Michael Gianfrancesco, Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell, Projection Designer Sean Nieuwenhuis and Sound Designer Haley Parcher. The production features new dance music arrangements by David Dabbon.

Annie officially opens on May 27 and runs until November 2 at the Festival Theatre. Tickets are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.

From left: Harper Rae Asch as Annie, Dan Chameroy as Oliver Warbucks and Laura Condlln as Miss Hannigan, Annie. Stratford Festival 2025. Photo: Ted Belton.

The 2025 season also features As You Like It, Sense and Sensibility, Dangerous Liaisons, Macbeth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Anne of Green Gables, The Winter’s Tale, Forgiveness, Ransacking Troy and The Art of War. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.

The 2025 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.

Proud 2025 Season Partners: BMO Financial Group, Canada Life and RBC Royal Bank.

Support for the 2025 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster.

Production Co-Sponsor is RBC Royal Bank.

Production support is generously provided by Robert & Mary Ann Gorlin, Riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen and Peter & Carol Walters.

This production is dedicated to the memory of actor Logan Brideau, who played Tobias Britt in the Festival's 2018 production of The Music Man.

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Cydnee Abbott	Pepper
Eric Abel	Dog Catcher, Hull
Harper Rae Asch	Annie
Carla Bennett	Cecille
Devon Michael Brown	Fred McCracken/Wacky, Kaltenborn
Dan Chameroy	Oliver Warbucks
Jarret Cody	Swing
Laura Condlln	Miss Aggie Hannigan
Christine Desjardins	Swing
Henry Firmston	Bart Healy
Jordan Goodridge	Assistant Dog Catcher, Floor Manager, Howe
Evonny Harker	Clara
Hazel Heaney	Daisy
Harmony Holder	Molly
Isla Horner	July
Sara-Jeanne Hosie	Mrs. Pugh, Perkins
Bonnie Jordan	Annette, Connie Boylan
Alex Kelly	Judge Brandeis, Ickes
Bethany Kovarik	Mrs. Greer, Co-Dance Captain
Derek Kwan	Drake, Mr. Bundles
Fae Lewis	Francis
Amanda Lundgren	Lily St. Regis
Gracie Mack	Ronnie Boylan
Anthony MacPherson	Swing, Co-Dance Captain
Jordan Mah	Morganthau
Jamie Murray	Star-To-Be
Sofia Grace Otta	Duffy
Olivia Padfield	Audrey
Stephen Patterson	President Roosevelt, Lt. Warda
Ali Powell	Swing
Jessica Reddy	Kate
Kirstyn Russelle	Annette, Connie Boylan (Temporary)
Jennifer Rider-Shaw	Grace Farrell
Jason Sermonia	Jimmy Johnson
Michelle Shuster	Understudy
Mark Uhre	Rooster Hannigan
Addison Wagman	Tessie

ARTISTIC CREDITS

Director	Donna Feore
Choreographer	Donna Feore
Music Director	Laura Burton
Set and Costume Designer	Michael Gianfrancesco
Lighting Designer	Kimberly Purtell
Projection Designer	Sean Nieuwenhuis
Sound Designer	Haley Parcher
Additional Dance Music Arrangements and Orchestrations	David Dabbon
Fight Director	Anita Nittoly
Associate Director	Monique Lund
Associate Conductor	James Smith
Associate Choreographer	Stephan Dickson
Assistant Choreographer	Anthony MacPherson
Assistant Set Designer	Freddy Van Camp
Associate Costume Designer	Barbara Morrone-Sanchez
Assistant Lighting Designer	Sruthi Suresan
Assistant Lighting Designer	Mathilda Kane
Assistant Projection Designer	Angel Everett
Assistant Sound Designer	Adam Campbell
Associate Fight Director	David Chinchilla
Stage Manager	Cynthia Toushan
Assistant Stage Manager	Stephanie Bignell
Assistant Stage Manager	Marie Fewer-Muncic
Assistant Stage Manager	Tiffany Fraser
Production Stage Manager	Krista Blackwood
Production Assistant	Katherine Hunter
Child Performer Advocate	Maggie Blake
EDI Consultant	Art & Sound Consulting LLC, Kira Troilo
Dog Wrangler	Furry People Productions, Kathy Zubick
Technical Director	Robbin Cheesman