America’s beloved little redhead returns to the Cumming Playhouse for a four-weekend run beginning Oct. 19. “Annie,” the classic musical about a spunky orphan girl in her quest to find her long-lost parents, hits the local stage at 8 p.m. tonight with shows continuing on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 11. 

Set in December of 1933, “Annie” tells the tale of a fiery young orphan girl forced to live in a miserable orphanage ran by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situation changes drastically, however, when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks. 

Annie quickly charms the hearts of the household staff and even the seemingly coldhearted Warbucks. So moved by Annie and her plight, Warbucks decides to help her find her long-lost parents by offering a reward if they come to him and prove their identity. However, Miss Hannigan, her evil brother, Rooster, and a female accomplice hatch a plan that puts Annie in great danger. 

This run of the Broadway classic is the second for BK Productions, which also produced “Annie” at the Cumming Playhouse in 2012. Kathy Russell, who manages BK Productions with husband, Bob, portrays Miss Hannigan in the show. She said “Annie” was a big hit six years ago and she is hoping for even better results this time around. 

“That’s pretty much the No. 1 thing that Cumming Playhouse audiences are looking for — family-friendly shows, and this is probably the most family-friendly show out there,” she said. “It’s also one of those shows that pretty much everyone is familiar with and enjoys, which is a great thing when producing a show.” 

She added that the director and cast have worked hard to bring unique qualities to the show, while still remaining true to the classic that everyone knows and loves. 

“Our director, Honey Larsen, has taken a little bit of a different approach with it,” Russell said. “She’s worked hard with the cast to make the characters seem more real, with true human emotions, and less like the comic strip characters they are based on.” 

Live music will again accompany the acting, featuring such well-known favorites as “Hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow.” 

“Anyone looking for a wonderful show to take the kids or grandkids to, should definitely come see us,” Russell said. “They may even learn something since our director has placed some historical information about the 1930s into our programs. 

It’s also a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season since the entire show takes place during December of 1933 and ends with a beautiful Christmas scene.” 

“Annie” runs Thursdays-Sundays, Oct. 19 to Nov. 11, at the Cumming Playhouse, 101 School Street. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., while Sunday performances begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30, or $27.50 for seniors or students, veterans, and groups of 25 or more. They can be purchased at www.playhousecumming.com or by calling (770) 781-9178.