The December People’s Choice Award goes to…
The people have spoken… The December People’s Choice Award goes to Sophie Ruf for her play, Lil Ole Orphan Annie, presented as a staged reading at Monday Night PlayGround on December 1, 2025 live at Potrero Stage and simulcast via Vimeo Livestream. Congratulations, Sophie!
Courtesy of Sophie, we’re pleased to share the first two pages from the award-winning script. Enjoy!
Lil Ole Orphan Annie
by Sophie Ruf
Cast of Characters
DADDY WARBUCKS: Millionaire from the musical Annie, any man, 30+
GRACE: Mr. Warbucks’ secretary and closest confidante, any woman, 20+
OLD ORPHAN ANNIE: Dressed as the titular “Annie” but is clearly a full chain-smoking adult woman, any femme actor, 20+
Synopsis
Grace has found the perfect, most youthful orphan for Mr. Warbucks to adopt. Grace is permanently stuck in the musical
Annie and is incapable of seeing how old, rugged, and unkempt this “little orphan Annie” is – Mr. (Daddy) Warbucks sees their new orphan more clearly.
Setting
1930s NYC in Daddy Warbuck’s glorious lobby (within the musical Annie)
GRACE
(to DADDY WARBUCKS, with a slight dance and to the tune of “I Don’t Need Anything But You”)
And then you will sing: ‘together at last…’
(DADDY WARBUCKS gleefully dances along)
GRACE
And she will respond: (sings) ‘together forever’
DADDY WARBUCKS
(cont. singing) ‘we’re tied in a knot’
GRACE
(cont. singing) ‘they never can sever!’
DADDY WARBUCKS
(Stops singing, carries on enthusiastically) Why yes! Indeed! I’ve dusted off my suede dancing loafers for this fortuitous occasion! (twirls GRACE towards him) Ah! We’ve been such cantankerous curmudgeons alone in this drearily senile mansion. I am forever indebted to you, my most committed confidante for finding me a darling little orphan.
GRACE
Oh, Mr. Warbucks, you will be elated with her colorful joy! Annie!! I was astonished, out of breath, out of speech by her
exuberant spunk!!
DADDY WARBUCKS
Ah, my excitement is fluttering from my heart! The energetic caprice of youth!
GRACE
Just you wait, Sir, until you see her dance! (does a little jig)
DADDY WARBUCKS
Ah, Grace – this will be a much-needed boon on my household!
GRACE
You’ve been so lonely, Mr. Warbucks – this darling Annie is a godsend
DADDY WARBUCKS
She will brighten my gloomy skies with her smile!
GRACE
Indeed! Annie is one with the wind as if she were a baby butterfly kissing air for the very first time!
(offstage – SCREEEEEECH – the sound of a car hazardously arriving)
GRACE
Like that of a fawn fresh from a crystal-clear creak!
(offstage – followed by a THUNK of someone falling)
DADDY WARBUCKS
(startled by the cacophony) Oh my!! What was that raucous!?
GRACE
(cheerfully) Oh, goodness me! That must be the driver I sent for our new little orphan Annie! So punctual, so demure!
(SCREEEEEECH – the sound of a car dangerously racing away)
OLD ORPHAN ANNIE
Hey! Cool it, fucker! It’s like you’ve never seen an inverted nipple before?? What are you? A virgin!?
(To be continued)
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