That's Andy

Act One opens on the small mid-western town of Grand Falls which has come upon desperately hard times. But this morning ten year old Andy can’t wait for the day to get started. Today are the auditions for the school production of his favorite musical, “Annie”. And he is sure his lifelong dream of playing the lead is about to come true (MAYBE JUST WON’T DO). Parents and kids gather excitedly at the audition, when in bursts Mayor Utter with big news! He’s written to Betty Sweet, a national T.V celebrity whose “Delicious Dreams” hotline makes dreams come true, about the sad state of affairs in Grand Falls. And Betty has responded with a generous donation! And she is going to fund their production of “Annie”. AND she’s even promised to feature the town on her hit T.V. show “From Here to There”. The town rejoices and everyone agrees IT’S A GRAND DAY FOR GRAND FALLS.

The kids then start the audition, sure of who they’re GONNA BE in the show. When Andy bursts in for his audition dressed in a red Annie dress (ANDY’S AUDITION), he thinks everyone is overjoyed! But his fantasy is soon shattered when he realizes the whole town is laughing AT him. Ms. Frazzle, his mother and the school principal, don’t know what to do and Mayor Utter is enraged, telling Andy he’d never cast “someone like him” as the lead. Andy’s only friend now is Zorah, an African-American girl who’s new in town, and an orphan. She tells Andy that *IT DOESN’T MATTER what they say, which only upsets him more.
That night, Andy dreams of a sassy, chain-smoking Mary Martin, dressed as Peter Pan (I FLEW), who inspires him to stick to his dreams. Later that same night, Mayor Utter comes to apologize for his behavior to Ms. Frazzle who accepts. As they talk, Mrs. Frazzle awakens to her growing affections for Mayor Utter (MIXED UP).

The next day a picture of Andy in the red dress has been leaked to the papers and suddenly Grand Falls becomes the laughing stock of the nation (WHO’S WHO). Betty Sweet arrives in town and convinces the town to vote to send Andy away to her studio in Superior City where she’ll “change” him, and put him on her show “From Here to There”, showing that he’s become a good, little boy (SOUNDS LIKE A HIT TO ME). When it becomes clear that his family is in danger from the angry townspeople and that Betty can help his mother still keep her job as principal, Andy goes with Betty, signing her contract. The town rejoices, drowning out his mother’s cries of protest.

Act Two opens with Andy waking up in a mock-up of his room in Betty Sweet’s TV studio. Betty tries to get Andy through her “Door of Change” and become “the boy he was meant to be” (EVERYONE LOVES BETTY SWEET). When Andy refuses to budge, Betty loses it and tells him that until he does what she says, he’ll be stuck there. Forever! Andy tries to find the courage to stand up for what he believes in (*SHOW ME TOMORROW). Betty Sweet shows up in Grand Falls, fuming over Andy’s insolence. While there, she makes a discovery that she plans to use to her advantage. But she needs the help of the unwilling Mayor (BEING BAD). Seeing something’s up, Zorah rouses the kids to action to SAVE ANDY NOW. Back at her studio, Betty gets Andy to believe that his mother has moved away and abandoned him. Andy, crushed, longs for life LIKE IT USED TO BE. He agrees to do whatever Betty says and walks through the door, changed forever.

Andy appears live on Betty’s TV show to apologize to all of America. But before he does, he is confronted by none other than Mary Martin who wants to know, WHAT DO YOU SAY? She gets through to him but just as Andy refuses to apologize, Betty cuts off his microphone. Suddenly the kids appear on stage too– all dressed as Annie in red dresses (SHOW ME TOMORROW reprise). Mrs. Frazzle appears dressed in a red dress too. She runs to Andy and they are reunited. The town, moved by this gesture, embraces Andy. A furious Betty Sweet is sent plummeting through a trap door and everyone rejoices until they realize their town is in more trouble than ever.

Then Andy gets an idea: the town should put on a show of their own to raise money, written by Andy himself! (MAYBE JUST WON’T DO-FINALE) Of course, this show culminates with Andy and Zorah descending a grand staircase in dazzling red Annie dresses, as they always dreamed they would be. And to top it all off, Mary Martin flies in and leads the town in a rousing curtain call (I FLEW reprise).