Colorado State University Theatre alum Tara Tolar-Payne has been named the assistant stage manager for the 2024-2025 North American tour of Annie. The tour begins Nov. 12 with limited runs in Chicago and New York City, including Whoopie Goldberg appearing as Miss Hannigan, before embarking on a 20-city run that ends in Los Angeles in May.

The Tony Award-winning musical was written by Thomas Meehan, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

Tolar-Payne (CSU '20; B.A. in Theatre, Design and Technology Concentration) was recently the production stage manager on the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Tolar-Payne, additional professional credits since graduating include Frozen (Disney Theatrical), The Lightning Thief (TYA Version) and The Magic School Bus: Lost in The Solar System (TheaterWorksUSA); Hair and Eureka Day (Asolo Rep); The Rocky Horror Show (Phamaly Theatre Company); and Romeo and Juliet and Wizard of Oz (Colorado Ballet).

Selected CSU credits include Cabaret (Stage Manager), Appropriate (Stage Manager), the student-run production of God of Carnage (Stage Manager), A Man of No Importance(Assistant Stage Manager), and Orfeo ed Euridice (Assistant Stage Manager).