Young hopefuls vie for title role in Christmas musical

About 400 girls, aged between eight and 15, were at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds to show off their dancing and singing skills.

The production team were looking for 30 girls – three to play fiery flame-haired Annie and two teams of girls to play the orphans in the musical by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin.

Associate director Nikolai Foster said: “Obviously Annie is branded with this sweet saccharine image, and people think it’s cheesy and brash, but it’s really not.

“It’s about girls in the 1930s at the pinnacle of the Great Depression who have to fight for survival, so we are looking for kids who are full of conviction, confidence and with fire in their belly – not just stage school trained.”

Among those auditioning was Tillie Armatey, aged eight, from Pudsey in Leeds, who chose to sing Nellie The Elephant.

When asked if she was nervous, the youngster who attends Stage 84 performing arts school in Bingley, she replied: “No, just excited.”

The show – featuring the hit song Tomorrow – is scheduled to open on the Quarry stage at the Playhouse on Monday November 21 and run until January 21 next year.