‘Annie’ actor’s
living a dream

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

"This show has stood the test of time because it tells a story that people of all ages love to hear," David Barton says. "It’s the story of hope and optimism and of dreams coming true. It’s a story that points out that there is a better tomorrow for us if we just hang in there and continue to live for that tomorrow no matter what."
That’s how actor Barton sums up the theme of Annie, one of America’s most beloved musicals, now on tour and coming to the Academy of Music for performances March 21-23.
And he should know. After all, Barton, who plays Daddy Warbucks in the Tony-award winning show, spent 25 years of his life working as a theater-arts teacher with a dream of one day becoming a professional actor. And now here he is, living out his fantasy and proving to himself and others that dreams can come true.
This is Barton’s first professional appearance and, at times, he explained, he can hardly believe it. Barton, who teamed with his wife in 1994 to create the Steeple Players Theatre, a non-profit theater in Hendersonville, Tenn., dedicated to education and community enrichment, was urged by a friend to audition for his new role.
"We did Annie for our own theater, and the mother of the little girl who played the lead saw the notice for Broadway auditions. She suggested I try out," Barton explained. "I guess the timing was just right. Our kids were grown, graduated and out of the house. My wife said if I was ever going to do this thing I talked about doing all these years, I needed to go and give it a shot."
Barton surprised himself by getting picked for the role. "I’m not even sure why, with so many others trying out. It may have been the physical stature. I guess I looked and sounded the part," he said. "But I was completely overwhelmed initially to be chosen. It was very much a dream, and now it was coming true."
Even now there are times when he marvels at his good fortune.
"Sometimes I have to pinch myself," Barton said. "When I hear all those people applauding, I still think, ‘Is this really happening to me?’"
With its musical style and charm — including the ever-optimistic Tomorrow, which easily could be Barton’s own theme song — the original production of Annie took Broadway by storm in 1977. It ran for 2,377 performances and has been produced all over the world, becoming one of the top 20 longest-running shows in Broadway history.
And before this national tour is finished, it will have been staged in 91 cities, making that a rather tedious assignment for any professional actor. "The hardest part for me is being away from my family and friends, although I am enjoying the travel, getting to see parts of the country I’ve never seen before," he said.
Still, Barton concedes that he wouldn’t change it for the world. Even playing the proud "papa" eight times a week is not enough to turn him off. "I’m never bored playing Daddy Warbucks, although, at times, you almost go on auto-pilot. But then you come back to reality when you realize that each audience is different, and we do feed off the audience," he explained. "You can see and hear them, so you’re always responding to what you get from them. In truth, every night is like opening night, because that audience in front of us is seeing this show for the very first time, so we owe it to them to give it our best."
Today, at 48, Barton, who describes himself as just "an ordinary man," firmly believes that it’s never too late to reach for the stars.
"It’s been a hard-fought battle," he said, "but I’m living proof, no matter how old you are, that it can be done." ••
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