The sun comes out at the Civic Theatre for the next few days. The beloved musical Annie is back! It’s been in San Diego several times, made into a few movies, and is a favorite of children’s theatre groups. In spite of all this, somehow my son had never seen it, so I was really excited to go with him and show him something that was dear to my childhood. Afterall, what Gen X drama kid didn’t attempt an off-key version of “Tomorrow” at an audition or two? My inability to hit those notes may have been the reason I was never cast in the show, but 12-year old actress Ellie Pulsifer, in her debut role, knocked it out of the park. Looking around the theatre, it seemed that there were many parents like myself who were there with their children, excited to introduce the next generation to such happy songs as “Your Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”, “Hard Knock Life”, and of course, “Tomorrow”. The smiles on the faces of the kids showed that they were just as excited as their parents. [Sandi Masori]