Eight-year-old Sarah Beth has a fondness for a young red-headed orphan girl. The aspiring stage performer has always loved the Annie character, and has attended many renditions of the musical. When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Metro St. Louis asked Sarah Beth what her wish was, she chose to tackle the role that has entertained her for years.

Wish granters from the Metro St. Louis chapter secured numerous resources to make the wish happen. Music Theatre International donated a complete "Annie, Jr." kit from the Broadway Junior Collection. "Annie, Jr." is a version of "Annie" that's reworked to be performed by children. The basic plot is the same, but some scenes have been cut or compressed.

Other businesses donated bunk beds, set materials, and an engraved star for Sarah Beth to hang in her dressing room. Some expenses were picked up by the young actress' peers, who participated in the Foundation's Kids For Wish Kids® program.

The Metro St. Louis chapter joined forces with a local parks and recreation department to produce the performance. A cast of 35 was pieced together. Those performers were paired with hundreds of volunteers, who spent the next two months rehearsing the musical. The end result was a smashing success.

Sara Beth and her co-stars took to the stage for a Friday and Saturday night performance at a local 525-seat amphitheater. Tickets were free, but spectators had to reserve in advance. Both shows were sold out. The production was so popular that several people camped on the lawn Saturday with the hope of getting tickets that had been reserved, but would not be used. The faithful campers got their wish.

Both of Sarah Beth's performances brought the house down. Looking back, the young actress said nailing down such a large part was easy. She's acted in several local productions, but this was her biggest role. With talent like Sarah Beth possesses, she's on the way to stardom.