A story must be good if it features youngsterss and the cutest dog ever.

Pennsylvania Youth Theatre’s “Annie” with Anya Ferris in the eponymous title role brings the musical to life in a spectacular way. She and her stray dog pal Sandy (Jingles) are terrific.

Annie’s opening number, “Maybe,” is an emotional roller coaster as she pines for her parents who left her at the orphanage. “Maybe in a house, All hidden by a hill, she’s sitting playing a piano, he’s sitting paying a bill ... ”

“Annie,” seen when the “Roosevelt Cast” was on stage, is directed by Darah Donaher. The musical, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, and book by Thomas Meeham, continues through Dec. 15, Charles A. Brown Ice House, Bethlehem.

Edie Rittle (Miss Hannigan) plays the authoritarian, crooked and half-drunk in her role as the overseer of the city orphanage. She expresses her opinion of the job in a wonderful solo, “Little Girls.”

Rittle, Maria Giordano (Lily) and Sloan Bubser (Rooster) excel in the classic show tune, “Easy Street,” which includes the lyrics, “Easy street, Easy street, Where you sleep till noon.”

Rittle expresses Miss Hannigan’s job satisfaction perfectly: “I should be anywhere but here, On the planes, on the stage or on TV, But I find myself here at the Snot House, Little shoes, little socks ... ” Beautiful job.

Max Wetherhold (Oliver Warbucks) is magnificent as a pompous stripped-pants plutocrat straight out of the show’s funny-pages origin. Though pompous, he is a softy at heart.

Matthew McKeown (President Franklin D. Roosevelt) is the essence of kindness as he brings his fireside-chat personality to Warbucks’ mansion where he meets Annie and puts the resources of the FBI into her quest to find her mother and father.

Lily Adams proves her thespian skills by playing three characters: Judge Brandeis, Apple Seller and Woman No. 4.

Kasey Muschrush, as Grace Farrell, Warbucks’ unflappable secretary, is classy, smart and nice.

Dahlia Optof-Cordero shines as Mrs. Greer, head of the Warbucks’ mansion staff.

Kadence Lewis, as Bundles the laundry man and clever kid caper accomplice, has the perfect cover for the perfect crime.

Julian Carnathan, as Lt. Ward, the cop on the beat who rounds up runaway orphans, is superb.

Delilah Bolen (Assistant Dog Catcher, Marine guard) shows her versatility.

Emma Eisenbraun (Dog Catcher) is fun to watch. Graham Webb is the picture of correctness as Drake, Warbucks’ butler.

Logan Meading is believable as Howe, FDR’s trusted aide.

Lochlan McCarthy, as the smooth, slick showman, Bert Healy, shines brightly.

The Bert Healy (Lochlan McCarthy) radio show sketch is terrific and features Reagan Tatlow (Jamie Johnson), Anastasiya Charko (Radio Audience), Kyara Maeding (Sound Effects Girl) and Hailey Ferguson (Star to Be).

Georgia McKeown (Bonnie Boylan) and Delani Dancho (Connie Boylan) are great as the Boylan Sisters. They belt out “Fully Dressed” with Lochlan McCarthy. McKeown and Dancho also appear as the cute duo, the Usherettes.

As Wacky, the ventriloquist’s dummy, Adler Shappell is a scene-stealer. Lachlann Resnikoff is Fred McCracken, the ventriloquist in charge of Wacky.

Tamara Lewis (Morgenthau), Jessie Shappel (Hull), Mike Giordano (Ickes) and Vhada Sharma (Perkins) as FDR’s cabinet bring an air of starchy-pants business to the Warbucks’ mansion as they try to keep the President on track.

Annie’s main crew at the orphanage do a wonderful job as sidekicks, comforters and friends: Elaina Bullen (Duffy), Abigail Emile (July), Hailey Ruhe (Kate), Vivian Lambert (Molly), Wren Allen (Kid), Riley Marra (Tessie) and Veronica DaVino (Pepper) prove their acting chops.

Others in the Orphans ensemble include Erin Birch, Layla Boclan, Violet Dorney, Victoria Josephs, Aryanna Modi, Jenessa Paulino, Hannah Ruhe and Beatrice Ruttle.

Gavin Clough, Lochlan McCarthy and Emma Eisenbraun, as The Servants ensemble, shine like polished silver in Warbucks’ mansion.

The NYC Residents ensemble and the Hooverville Residents ensemble provide gritty character to New York City’s 1930s-era streets: Lily Adams, Delilah Belen, Erin Birch, Layla Bocian, Julian Carnathan, Anastasiya Charko, Gavin Clough, Violet Dorney, Emma Eisenbraun, Victoria Josephs, Kadence Lewis, Kyara Meading, Lochlan McCarthy, Ariyana Modi, Dahlia Opthof-Cordaro, Janessa Paulino, Hannah Ruhe, Beatrice Ruttle, Adler Shappell, Delilah Belen, Maria Giordano and Reagan Tatlow.

Under Music Director Nicholas Conti, the music sets the mood perfectly for the era.

The dance numbers sparkle under the direction of Choreographer Jannelle Castrignano.

The period costuming from elegant formal wear for the rich and their servants to tattered-looking hand-me-downs for the underclass and poor are perfect by Costume Designer Bill Bauman.

Set Designer Ellen Schmoyer’s sets are superb. The high and mighty and the dregs of society all look right at home in Schmoyer’s creations.

Lighting and Sound Designer Anthony Forchielli of City Entertainment provides the dynamic lighting and audio ambiance perfect for the story.

“Annie,” 7 p.m. Dec. 6, 13; 2 p.m. Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. 610-332-1400, https://123pyt.org/