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When the TV version of Annie came on, I was drawn to it. It was the struggle of this poor kid in this environment and how her life changed. It immediately resonated.

I grew up in New York till I was 5, and I remember going to see 'Annie' and some musicals as a kid, and I remember my parents being somewhat okay with us watching 'Rocky Horror Picture Show,' which, it boggles my mind that they allowed me to watch it.

While growing up, every sitcom you could think of, I would watch it, and I loved it.

Ethel Merman would stay with a show for years and tour with it. So would Mary Martin, the great stars. They recognized the value of that success and nurtured it. Now, you come from Hollywood, you play 12 weeks and go away. I don't think that's the best policy.

I have three daughters. I wanted them to be raised where there are real seasons and where everyone their age wasn't trying to get into movies.

I'd see movies, comedies, and I loved 'Animal House', I loved all the John Hughes stuff, but I never saw me and my friends totally represented.

My mom took me to see 'Annie' on Broadway when I was little, and I just wanted to be doing what those girls were doing.

We stayed there 24 hours a day. We lived and ate and slept that movie. We were enthusiastic, not just because of the movie, but because we had such a great collaborative team. We had a really good time. It was very much a family.

The idea of the show is that it's active and that children will become involved and watch the show, but also participate in the show. And I didn't know if that would work.

I'd seen 'Punky Brewster,' I'd seen 'Webster,' I saw 'Annie,' and it was time to either be an orphan or an actress.