If you saw the “Annie” preview on Jan. 16, there is no doubt in my mind that you left with “It’s the Hard Knock Life” stuck in your head. In addition to the catchy tune, the songs “N.Y.C.” and “Easy Street” were also showcased throughout the day. If they weren’t enough to make you want to see the musical, then I don’t know what is.

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, “Annie” is the uplifting story of an optimistic orphan girl living under the care of the cruel Ms. Hannigan. Her life takes a turn for the better when she is selected to stay with Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, a wealthy businessman who eventually learns to love her as a father.

Trouble ensues when Ms. Hannigan develops a plot to recover Annie and the generous reward which will be given to her birth parents if they reveal themselves. Proven as an exciting story, the original 1977 Broadway show lasted almost six years. Luckily for us, the show will be able to be seen next week at our very own Altergott Auditorium, performed by the talented students of PHS.

The cast encourages everyone to attend the musical that they have worked so hard to perfect.

Michael Weiss (16), who will be playing Warbucks, even agreed to shave his head for the role. He hopes to have a large audience and says, “People should come see ‘Annie’ because it has a wide variety of happy, sad, and funny moments. It’s nothing compared to the typical musical you’d go see at a high school.”

Premiering on Feb. 4, “Annie” will feature several gifted students including sophomore Julianna Hake as the title character and junior Megan Losch as Ms. Hannigan. If you can’t make it on that Wednesday, don’t fret- the show plays from Feb. 4 through 7 with a show at 7 p.m. every night.

Student tickets are only $7 each and can be easily bought through the cast, crew or the school cashier starting Jan. 28. Try to buy tickets as soon as possible, as it is expected to be sold out on all four nights; honestly, it would be a surprise if it didn’t.

With the sublime direction of Ms. Kligner, Ms. Larkin, and Mr. Sivak and the dedication of the cast and crew, “Annie” is bound to make you smile.