Eleven-year-old Annie sits quietly and pats her sad-faced scruffy dog "Sandy".

Then she stands singing "Tomorrow", with enthusiasm and joy, she is our Ballarat girl-Gemma Bromley.

The curtains have been raised on a brand new production of BroadwayChr(39)s brightest musical-Annie.

Gemma joined the cast of this $6 million production to perform on stage last Saturday evening, which was opening night, at the Regent Theatre in Collins St, Melbourne.

Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Annie is based on the international comic strip "Little Orphan Annie".

Gemma, 12, shares her role with Melbourne girl Nicole Gulasekharam, 9, both playing Annie on alternating performances.

Gemma will star in every second performance from now until May, that is four times a week.

On her road to fame, GemmaChr(39)s starring role in Annie, follows her previous role of Young Cossette in the Melbourne season of "Les Miserables".

Aswell Gemma has a number of television credits behind her, including a role in "Blue Heelers", and "The Channel Seven Good Friday Appeal".

Gemma said she gets a few butterflies singing her solo in Annie, "Tomorrow", the most performed song in the 70s and 80s, "but when you get on stage, the butterflies go away."

Given only the past four weeks to rehearse her role, Gemma and her mother moved into a Melbourne apartment to enable her to balance school work and acting.

Gemma returns to Ballarat where she studies Year seven at Ballarat and Queens Anglican Grammar School between performances, and has received tutoring to help while sheChr(39)s in Melbourne performing.

And itChr(39)s the pool or gym at the apartment Gemma likes to spend time in to relax.

Gemma said yesterday she felt "great", and she was "so happy".

"You canChr(39)t really explain how you feel when youChr(39)re on stage, you canChr(39)t see anyone, itChr(39)s just so much fun, getting up there and singing."

Gemma joins stars Anthony Warlow, Amanda Muggleton, Jane Scali, Philip Gould, Angela Kelly and Brian Bury.

Gemma said she "definitely hoped" Annie was just the beginning of future starring roles for her.

See Gemma perform at the Regent Theatre in Collins St, Melbourne, this Saturday, February 24, at 2pm.

For bookings and information on the rest of GemmaChr(39)s performance schedule, phone Ticketek on 132 849.