Photo Coverage: 'Life After Tomorrow' Reunion at B&N

On March 20, the production team and cast of Life After Tomorrow held a discussion, performance and signing at Barnes and Noble. Life After Tomorrow, a documentary about the trials and tribulations of several dozen women who were on Broadway and in the road companies of Annie, was co-directed and co-produced by Gil Cates Jr. and Annie alum Julie Stevens. Stevens created the film after starting the website AnnieOrphans.com, which reunited many of the former child stars. They quickly discovered a sisterhood and many found that their post-Annie lives and experiences could only be understood by their fellow alumni. For some, like Broadway Annie Sarah Jessica Parker (who appears in the film) and touring orphans Alyssa Milano and Molly Ringwald (who do not appear), Annie was a springboard to teen and adult stardom. For others, they found themselves overwhelmed by trying to return to the normalcy of home and school. Over 40 women appear in the film, relaying the perks that came with starring in a cultural phenomenon and the hard knocks of growth spurts, stage mothers and the fear that their careers had peaked before adolescence. The film won Best Documentary and Best Director at the Phoenix Film Festival before debuting on Showtime on Christmas Day. It came out on DVD on February 26, 2008.

Stevens planned an orphan reunion to commemorate the Barnes and Noble event. Along with Stevens and special guest Charles Strouse, over twenty former Annies and orphans attended, including Martha Byrne, a former July and Annie understudy who won two Daytime Emmys for As the World Turns, original Broadway cast member Robyn Finn, and Rosanne Sorrentino and Toni Ann Gisondi from the Annie film. Also in attendance will be Emma Rowley (Gypsy) and John Bolton (Curtains).

The event took place at Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Triangle (located at 1972 Broadway).  For more information please visit www.lifeaftertomorrow.com

Photos by Peter James Zielinski