Leapin’ Lizards! What began as a comic strip in the New York Daily News in 1924 has become one of
the most celebrated stories of the past century on stage and screen. The Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT)
Community Series production of Annie is December 4 th -21 st . This G-rated musical is perfect for children of ALL ages
and generations to experience Annie’s journey together this Holiday season.
The show’s director, Abigail Gilbert, is drawn to the Holiday season productions, bringing her special kind of
whimsy to each project, including MCT’s Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 2023. When asked for her thoughts
on this production of Annie, she remarked that “With seven family units sharing this journey and nineteen debut
performers lighting up the stage, our production of Annie truly captures the optimism and resilience that define
both the story and our community.” In addition to 14 Orphan girls and 22 adult actors are two of the goodest of
‘good boys’-–golden retrievers named Tuffy and Boomkin – who will share the role of Sandy during this 3-week run.
Both are certified Pet Partners therapy dogs, whose work off-stage includes being a calming presence for students
during finals week, visiting hospital patients, and naturally making everyone they meet fall in love with them.
Tuffy will perform at evening performances and Boomkin will focus on the matinees, for the most part. They’ve
been busy with their humans learning their lines for a couple months, aiming to be ‘off book’ soon.
Gilbert offers more comments, saying “The magic of this show lies not only in Annie’s optimism and resilience, but
in the way our cast has come together through friendships new and existing to share that message this holiday
season. We’re reminded that even in the darkest of times, hope can bloom, and this cast truly embodies that
spirit!” For even more fun, join MCT on Saturday, December 6 th for Crafts, Cookies, and Cheer: a very merry
morning with Santa's Elves as part of the Holiday on Higgins celebration. Visit MCTinc.org soon for more
information on times and tickets!
TrailWest Bank is the sponsor of Annie, with performances December 4*-21, 2025. Tickets are on sale now at
MCTinc.org, (406) 728-7529 or Noon-5PM M-F at MCT. *Thursday, December 4 th is Premiere Night with special
offerings and pricing. Visit the MCT website for details.