BroadwayCon The Opening and Annie’s 40th Year reunion

Carolee Carmello, Fredi Walker-Browne

Ryan Scott Oliver is called “the future of Broadway. He wrote the music and lyrics for Jasper in Deadland (off-Broadway; the 5th Avenue Theatre), 35mm: A Musical Exhibition; Darling; Mrs. Sharp; Otherbody, a brief musical allegory, and more. Today he wrote the opening ceremony for BroadwayCon.  The BroadwayCon Opening Ceremony featured cameos from Tony winners James Monroe Iglehart and Alice Ripley, Lesli Margherita, Rent Alumn Fredi Walker-Browne and Anthony Rapp and the newest Ms. Lovett Carolee Carmello.

Lesli Margherita

Alice Ripley

Alice Ripley

James Monroe Iglehart

The finale of the day was the Annie 40th Year reunion was moderated by Jennifer Ashley Tepper and featured Martin Charnin, Charles Strouse, Mary Jane Houdina, Steve Boockvor, Shelley Bruce, and Andrea McArdle. Lyricist and director Charnin bought a coffee table book of “Little Orphan Annie.” McArdle talked about working with the great Dorothy Loudon, her Miss Hannigan.“She was a master class in every glimpse.” “We had a lot of Miss Hannigans, but Dorothy Loudon ACTUALLY hated children stated Strouse. Did you know all the dogs for the Broadway productions have all been rescue dogs trained by Bill Berloni? In other parts of the world different dogs get that honor. In Mexico a chihuahua and in China a Sheep dog.

Charles Strouse, Andrea McArdle

Charles Strouse, Andrea McArdle , Martin Charnin

Shelly Bruce, Steve Boockvor, Charles Strouse, Andrea McArdle

Steve Boockvor, Charles Strouse, Andrea McArdle

Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Mary Jane Houdina, Shelley Bruce, Steve Boockvor