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Community Voices: Annie's Message of Happiness and Hope "Embodies the Spirit of the Muni"

Bringing a message of hope, happiness, and family to the stage, 'Annie' is set to make its fourth run at the Springfield Muni Opera starting August 3rd. 

Caroline Dahlquist, who plays Annie, says the message of the show speaks to her and she is excited to play  a role she never thought she would get. "'Annie' has an inspiring message about never giving up...and it does show that, sometimes, the most non-traditional families can be some of the best relationships you can have." Says Dahlquist. 

Gus Gordon, a veteran of the Springfield theater community, plays Oliver Warbucks (Daddy Warbucks)  and shares that Director Carly Shank has a lot of passion and love for the show that has been infectious to the cast. "You can be a comedian and do a lot of shows and get the laughs, but if you don't have the heart, that  can really make a difference, and I'd say, this show has plenty of that." Says Gordon.

Tiffany Williams, playing Miss Hannigan, says Annie is the perfect show for the Muni. "We hope all of our audience members will walk away seeing that Annie really embodies the spirit of the Muni itself and the spirit of community theater." Says Williams, "I'm very proud to be an African American playing Miss Hannigan and maybe being a role model for a young girl out there who has roles in mind but sometimes doesn't have the opportunity to see themselves in that role."

'Annie' begins its run at the Springfield Muni Opera on August 3rd. Find more information and tickets here.

Lizzie Roehrs is a graduate of the University of Illinois in Springfield. Her work is featured in the Community Voices program for NPR Illinois. Her passion is human interest stories. In addition to producing Community Voices, Lizzie also worked in development for NPR Illinois as a graphic designer and social media expert.
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