Annie
Free At Last Players
Unitarian Universalist Society East
Manchester
Oct. 27, 2026
The Free At Last Players, a theater group dedicated to dispelling the myths and misconceptions that surround mental illness, held its final performance of the year at Unitarian Universalist Society East in Manchester Tuesday evening.
The show was the fan favorite Annie, but this was far from a typical production. The Free At Last Players put their own spin on the classic story, reimagining the story of a Depression-era orphan into a tale about Annie and her friends taking on corporate America.
In the updated version, written by the players themselves (and without the use of ChatGPT), Annie and the girls seek employment from Mr. Starbucks in one of his coffee shops. While he is kind to them, he is unwilling to accommodate their mental health needs. Instead of lamenting their fate, the group opens their own coffee shop. When Mr. Starbucks offers them millions of dollars in a buyout, they refuse, telling him there are more important things than money.
The production maintained the musical roots of the original, including one of its most famous songs, “Tomorrow.” The Players' Annie also featured original music, which spoke to the theme of stigma which people with mental illness often face. One song, “B-U-L-L-I-E-D,” was a poignant demonstration of how the abuse and bullying people with mental illness endure evolves over time, from general taunting in elementary school to cruel, personal attacks in high school.
The Free At Last Players used every moment of the play to make the story their own. During one of the scenery transitions, members of the cast shared personal stories of hope and triumph. The message of the stories were simple: <ental illness is real, but it does not make the people living with it any less capable or fully human with help.
It was a refreshing moral to receive. Stories that deal with mental illness can become about personal, individualized triumphs that celebrate overcoming obstacles. Annie was about the collective effort of removing obstacles in the first place, and making the world more receptive to people who are different. Platitudes aren’t enough. Real action that recognizes the worth and abilities of people with mental illness is what’s required from everyone, to make life better for everyone on their own terms.
“We don’t need Mr. Starbucks to prove that we can be successful,” Annie declares at the end of the play.
John Calderbank, who played Mr. Starbucks in the production, joined the group nearly 30 years ago. He said the Free At Last Players are looking not only to educate with their work, but also to invite in new people and show them what’s possible.
“It can be tough,” he said. “People tend to be completely put into a different place once they've received a mental health diagnosis. We just hope to spread the idea that the mentally ill have something to contribute and, at the very least, share a laugh.”
Mission accomplished. This was my first time seeing the Free At Last Players, but I’ll be in the front row when their newest season begins next year.”
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