20 Who Count: Annie Bramlage
By Kendra Simpson
Annie Bramlage knew exactly the person she wanted to be by the age of 10. Today, she’s not only living out her dreams but also teaching hundreds of students to live out their own.
Bramlage has lived a life dedicated to theatre. Her father passed on his passion of theatre to Bramlage, who performed in his shows and went on to perform in Central High School’s theatre while attending.
She even met her husband while performing in “The Sound of Music”. Together, they raised their two daughters to appreciate the fine arts as well.
After graduating from Central, Bramlage went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Northwest Missouri State University and then a master’s in School Guidance Counseling.
“I knew in the third grade I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I had Mrs. Patty Roach, who has since passed. She was the best teacher in the world. I wanted to be just like her.”
Bramlage got to work alongside Roach while student teaching. After her schooling, Bramlage went on to work in children’s theatre groups such as the Creative Arts Productions, but wanted to do more. So when her alma mater Central was seeking a theatre instructor and musical director, she knew that was fate knocking on her door.
Bramlage combined her two passions, teaching and theatre, and found there is little that can’t be accomplished when you love what you do. In the fall of 2023, Bramlage directed the semester musical “Mean Girls”. The show went on to be a success, earning 13 Blue Star Award nominations and two victories for Overall Best Production and Outstanding Technical Crew.
“I screamed really loud,” Bramlage said. “We’ll always celebrate it, always. I don’t think we’ll ever not remember that moment.”
Within the countless hours of directing, set-building, rehearsing and teaching, Bramlage has witnessed her third grade dreams have come true.
“I’m 26 years in and I’m still happy about my job,” she said. “I still love what I do. I’m hoping I’m making a difference for kids, like I still tell kids I love them every day. My room is a safe place…I love what I do and I hope that shows.”
