ANNIE Teams with EIF to Support Arts Education for Underserved NYC Students

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) in collaboration with Producer Eva Price and the Broadway revival of the Tony Award winning musical Annie announced a new collaboration to raise awareness and funds for arts education programs for underserved students throughout New York City.

When theatregoers purchase their tickets to Annie, and use a special promotional code, 5% of the ticket price will be used to support EIF's educational initiative, which includes student workshops.

In cooperation with the NYC Department of Education, the workshop program will give students from underserved schools in the five boroughs of New York City a chance to participate in two in-school workshops prior to attendance of Annie, and one in-theatre Talk Back after a Broadway performance.

The public service campaign to raise awareness and funds will be created by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, as part of the industry's continuing commitment to arts education.

The pilot public service campaign will begin in June, with the goal of adding more Broadway shows, with the potential to expand to Broadway touring productions in cities throughout the country.

"We are elated to work with Eva Price and the extraordinary cast and company of Annie to shine a light on the critical need for arts education, not just in our schools but on the Broadway stage, the ideal place to learn about creativity," said EIF President & CEO Lisa Paulsen.

"With its hopeful message and unwavering belief in a better tomorrow, the entire company of Annie is proud to be part of this program for students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to see a Broadway show," said Eva Price, co-producer of Annie.

Founded in 1942 by Samuel Goldwyn and other Hollywood luminaries, The Entertainment Industry Foundation is one of the leading charitable organizations of the entertainment community, harnessing the collective power of the industry to raise awareness and funds for critical health, education and social issues. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives. Notable EIF programs include Stand Up To Cancer, iParticipate, EIF/Revlon Run Walk, Rise and Honor, Women's Cancer Research Fund, National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and Hollywood Unfiltered. For more information, visit www.eifoundation.org.

Eva Price: Named one of Crain's NY 40 Under Forty Rising Business Stars for 2012 as well one of Blouin Art Info's Top 25 Under 35 Emerging Broadway Players. Eva Price is a member of The Broadway League and The League of Professional Theatre Women. Broadway credits include: John Grisham's A Time To Kill (Fall 2013), Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Lewis Black: Running on Empty,Annie, Peter and the Starcatcher (5 Tony Awards), Kathy Griffin Wants A Tony, Colin Quinn Long Story Short directed by Jerry Seinfeld (Drama Desk Nomination), The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critic's Circle Nominations), A Life In The Theatre starring Patrick Stewart and TR Knight, The Addams Family (Broadway, Tour, and Australia), Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Off-Broadway Producing and General Management credits include: Peter and the Starcatcher (at New World Stages), Forever Dusty, VOCA PEOPLE, Judy Gold's The Judy Show: My Life As A Sitcom, Colin Quinn Long Story Short (Off Broadway Alliance Nomination), Circumcise Me, Los Big Names, The J.A.P Show: Jewish Princesses of Comedy, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, All is Love (NYMF) and Joy. International and Touring credits include: The Magic School Bus, Live! The Climate Challenge (National Tour), Ella, a bio musical about the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald (National Tour), 'S Wonderful: The New Gershwin Musical (National Tour), Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona The Musical (National Tour), Irving Berlin's I Love A Piano (National Tour and Japan), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (National Tour), Private Jokes, Public Places (London). For five years Eva worked as an assignment editor and coordinating producer for special projects at ABC News, spending her last year producing and reporting on stories relating to Broadway for ABCNEWS.COM.

Annie, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, opened to critical acclaim on November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Annie features a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, with all three authors receiving 1977 Tony Awards for their work. Annie is directed by Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony Award-winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

Annie stars two-time Tony Award winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie, with Brynn O'Malley as Grace Farrell, Clarke Thorell as Rooster Hannigan, and J. Elaine Marcos as Lily St. Regis. The Orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie, Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly, Brooklyn Shuck as standby for Molly, Kate, Tessie, July, Duffy, Sadie Sink as standby for Annie, Tessie, Duffy, July & Pepper and Jaidyn Young as standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Fred Inkley, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Danette Holden, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, Keven Quillon, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe and Ryan VanDenBoom.

The original production of Annie opened April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). The show was one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the 1970s, running for almost six years and playing 2,377 performances.

Visit www.AnnieTheMusical.com or www.eifoundation.org for more information.