[1] It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won seven Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. Marisa Morell took the role in December 1979, closing the Los Angeles run and continuing on tour with the show through December 1980. Vigard went on to become McArdle's Broadway alternate. Meehan researched by rereading prints of the comic strip, but was unable to find any satisfactory material for a musical other than the characters of Annie, Oliver Warbucks, and Sandy, so he decided to write his own story. The legal name of Rooster's girlfriend Lily St. Regis is given in the book as being Muriel Jane Gumper. Oliver Warbucks' faithful secretary, who loves Annie from the start. The statement also addressed the alleged charges of racism, first published in Thursday's New York Post. In 1980, Macmillan Books published Meehan's novelization of his script for the musical, later reprinted by Puffin Books in 2014. "It hurts a lot", Carter told the Post, "I've asked them nicely to stop it it's insulting to me as a black woman. There is only one version of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile", which is sung by the orphans. However, the ads did mention that Carter was in the show. Meehan used the novel to restore material cut from his original storyline and develop the Annie story into his original concept of what he considered to be a 20th-century female American version of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. There are only two "Maybe" reprises. However, the producers soon decided that Vigard's genuinely sweet interpretation was not tough enough for the street-smart orphan. Grace pays Miss Hannigan a visit to tell her that Warbucks wants to officially adopt Annie. This all-new production with new set designs by Ming Cho Lee, also featured the brand-new song "Why Should I Change A Thing?" [58] Directed by Will Gluck and released in 2014,[59][60] this version of Annie also stars Jamie Foxx as Will Stacks (an update of Warbucks),[61] Rose Byrne as Grace Farrell, and Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan.[62]. Members of the original cast included Kate Winney and Jemma Carlisle as Annie, Louise English (Grace), Vicki Michelle (Miss Hannigan) and Simon Masterton-Smith (Warbucks). At Warbucks's mansion, Grace introduces Annie to the staff and explains that she will have every luxury available ("I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here"). [52][53], A second novelization of Annie, by Leonore Fleischer, was published by Random House in 1982. Kristi Coombs then played Annie until this touring company closed in Hawaii on August 22, 1982. It played in Miami from April 12 to May 13, 1978, then continued for a few more cities until it landed in Chicago where it played for 32 weeks. When six-year-old Molly wakes up from a bad dream, Annie comforts her by singing about her own parents; even though they abandoned her at the orphanage as a baby, she holds on to the hope that they will come back for her ("Maybe"). "[17] Her statement, released by the Associated Press, read: "'Yes, it is true that I and my representatives have gone to management on more than one occasion about the commercial and were told that there was nothing they could do about it,' Carter said in a statement Thursday. This number was added as a showcase for Anthony Warlow in a 2000 Australian production, and has since become an optional part of the show, as it notably did not appear in the 2012 Broadway revival.[49]. Many of the songs have been transposed down a few keys to make them easier for amateur child actors to sing. The next morning, Annie wonders if her life with her parents will really be as good as her life with Warbucks could have been ("Maybe (Second Reprise)"). On March 27, 1981, Bridget Walsh took over as Annie. The production was identical to the 2015-16 UK and Ireland tour. Chicago actress, Alene Robertson, was Miss Hannigan, Annie was played by Marissa O'Donnell, Scott Willis played Rooster Hannigan, Elizabeth Broadhurst was Grace Farrell and McKenzie Phillips performed the role of Lily St. References to the show appear in films such as Austin Powers: Goldmember, where Dr. It starred Ashley Johnson, Joan Collins, George Hearn, and Ian McDiarmid. Carter felt that racism played a part in the decision. The laundry man who initially helps Annie escape. [40] There were many replacements throughout the tour, and by the end of it, Gilgamesh Tagget was the only remaining original member. The shanty town is broken up by the cops, who take Annie back to the orphanage. [70][71] MTI also licenses another youth version of the show, called Annie KIDS, a 30-minute length version meant for elementary-aged performers.[72]. Producers have said it is too expensive to film a new commercial. In April 1979, it continued on the road in with Mary K. Lombardi now in the lead as Annie. The FBI has learned that Annie's parents are actually David and Margaret Bennett, who died some time ago; Annie truly is an orphan. At the orphanage, Miss Hannigan vents her frustration at being surrounded by children ("Little Girls").
Alyssa Milano played one of the orphans in 1981. Roosevelt and his cabinet are inspired by her optimism and decide to make it a cornerstone of their administration ("Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise)"). This incident, coupled with the mixed reviews the new staging garnered, doomed it to a short run, although it was followed by a successful national tour.
Hannigan becomes furiously envious that the orphan she hated so much will suddenly have everything. ', "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) by Jay-Z", "Cowboys' Jones, Parcells sing in Super Bowl XXXVIII commercial", Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Cats: Complete Original Broadway Cast Recording, Les Misrables: The Complete Symphonic Recording, Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Annie_(musical)&oldid=1097998468, Cultural depictions of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. (Reprise) / "Lullaby" Warbucks, "You Make Me Happy" Miss Hannigan, Grace , "Easy Street" Rooster, Miss Hannigan and Lily, "You Won't Be an Orphan for Long" Grace and Warbucks, "Why Should I Change a Thing?" [29][30], A 35th Anniversary production opened on Broadway in 2012. Later, Annie and Sandy stumble upon a Hooverville, a shanty town full of formerly well-off people suddenly rendered homeless by the Great Depression. Warbucks receives a surprise visit from Roosevelt and his Secret Service. The revival closed on October 19, 1997, after 14 previews and 239 performances. Scores Big with Harry Connick Jr. as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in Dec. 2 Live Musical Extravaganza", "Nicole Scherzinger Joins Cast Of NBC's 'Annie Live! Early in 2009, Amanda Balon returned temporarily to play the role of Annie until Madison Kerth was rehearsed to play the title role. Miss Hannigan was originally played by Sheila Hancock, and later by Maria Charles and Stella Moray; Warbucks was played by Stratford Johns and later by Charles West, with Deborah Clarke playing Pepper in the first year and Melanie Grant playing Molly. Annie has been produced professionally in Canada (1978), Argentina (1982[a]), Australia (1978,[a] 2000, 2011,[a] 2012), Denmark (1982), Germany (1999), Hungary (1998), Ireland (2003, 2016[b]), Israel (2001,[a] 2010), Italy (1982, 2006), Japan (1979, 1986present),[c] United Kingdom (1978,[a] 1983, 1998, tours from 2000 to 2010), Mexico (1979,[a] 1991, 2010, 2015), Netherlands (1997-1999,[a] 20052007,[a] 2012-2013[a]), Norway (1991,[a] 2004,[a] 2013), Philippines (1978, 1987, 1998, 2016), Portugal (1982,[a] 2010), Spain (1982,[a] 2000,[a] 2010,[a] 2019[a]), Sweden (1979 (Stockholm), 1999 (Stockholm), 20052006 (Malm)[a]), Peru (1986, 1997, 2002), Zimbabwe (2003), Russia (2002-2009), Colombia (2006), South Korea (1984, 1996, 20062007, 20102011, 20182019), Hong Kong (2012), Belgium (1992, 20082009, 2012), Poland (1989), United Arab Emirates (2009), Denmark (2011), Puerto Rico (2012), Singapore (2012), Greece (1981-1982, 20052007, 20132015, 20182019) and Brazil (2018-2019). The production was directed by Nikolai Foster and produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian, with new orchestrations by George Dyer. Her ne'er-do-well brother Rooster and his girlfriend Lily drop by in hopes of a handout. Meehan saw the character of Annie as a 20th-century American female version of the titular orphan characters created by Charles Dickens in works such as Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, with the mystery of Annie's abandonment and unknown parenthood as consistent with a strand of mysteries in Dickens' tales. The bossiest orphan, who likes to take control and is rivals with Annie. The 1995 London studio cast recording, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra, stars Sarah French as Annie, Kim Criswell as Miss Hannigan and Ron Raines as Warbucks. Also reappearing at the end of the book is Sandy, previously written out of the book while fleeing police during the raid on the Hooverville, who it transpires was successfully traced by agents from Pinkerton hired by Warbucks. (sung by Warbucks). Replacements in the role of Miss Hannigan included Alice Ghostley, Dolores Wilson, Betty Hutton, Marcia Lewis, and June Havoc. Casts Celina Smith in Title Role: 'So Excited for This Journey to Start', "Megan Hilty Steps In As Replacement For Covid-Struck Jane Krakowski In 'Annie Live! The main lyrics of "Tomorrow" are depicted as being Annie's personal motto. The Pre-Broadway Tour was playing the Colonial Theatre. Anthony Warlow starred as Warbucks with Amanda Muggleton as Miss Hannigan. Having noticed a broken locket around Annie's neck, Warbucks buys her a new, more expensive one from Tiffany's. "[16] Later reports stated that "Nell Carter of Broadway's 'Annie' denied Thursday that she called her show's producers racist because they chose to air commercials featuring a previous Miss Hanniganwho is whiteinstead of her. The two present faked documents, as well as the other half of Annie's locket, seemingly confirming their story. [52], A greater emphasis is placed on the sheer drudgery and illegality of the orphans' sewing labours in the orphanage basement. "Sunny 'Annie' Opens Sunday At The Paramount". Other prominent media references include the following: Indicates the production made an official cast recording. As Meehan, Charnin and Strouse were all from New York, and given what he saw as the downbeat mood of the then-current Nixon era and Vietnam War, Meehan set his story in New York during the similarly downbeat Great Depression. Warbucks instructs Grace to take her to a movie while he works, but when he realizes that Annie has never seen New York, he decides to take her there himself, walking the 45 blocks to the Roxy and seeing New York City in all of its glory ("N.Y.C."). It is parodied in Reefer Madness, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt shows up as the deus ex machina at the end of the satirical musical to tell the assembled crowd, "A little orphan girl once told me that the sun would come out tomorrow. A policeman sent after Annie, he finds her in the local Shantytown, Hooverville. Rooster's girlfriend, an egotistical gold digger. The butler at the Warbucks Mansion; a good friend to Grace, Annie and Warbucks. She hates children, but is fond of. A new song, "Why Should I Change a Thing", was written for Warlow. Annie escapes, running into a friendly stray dog. The quietest orphan, who is mother-like to all the other orphans. 'I, Nell Carter, never, ever, ever accused my producers or anyone in the show of racism,' she said. Annie had its world premiere on August 10, 1976, at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut, under the direction of Michael P. Price. Extensive reworking of the script and score proved futile, and the project was abandoned.[48]. The delighted staff get Annie dressed for the formal adoption proceedings, and tell of how her arrival has changed their lives ("Annie"). None of these films contain the songs "We'd Like To Thank You, Herbert Hoover", "You Won't Be an Orphan for Long", "Annie", or "A New Deal for Christmas". Oliver Warbucks returns, and isn't happy to have Annie in his mansion, having assumed all orphans were boys. In fact, they are Rooster and Lily in disguise. It was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won seven, including the Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book. Suzie Kemeys from South Wales also performed two shows in 1980/81. and "Something was Missing" while adding four new songs. In January 2011, Will Smith announced plans for a remake of Annie set in the present day, produced with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and rapper Jay-Z for release by Columbia Pictures. The youngest orphan, Annie's best friend. The musical includes music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan.
The oldest orphan, who often hangs around with Pepper. Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. At the orphanage, the girls are listening to the show. They do a lot of housekeeping and are often supervised by Drake and Grace. Charnin first approached Meehan to write the book of a musical about Little Orphan Annie in 1972. There is also a song from the 1977 Annie Christmas special. [38] This production closed on January 5, 2014, after 38 previews and 487 regular performances.[39]. A 30th anniversary cast recording was released in 2008 on TimeLife Records. Thomas Meehan revised the musical, with James Lapine directing. [43] The three girls who shared the main role were Madeleine Haynes (reprising her the role from the UK tour), Lola Moxom and Ruby Stokes. Franklin Roosevelt's Cabinet members who sing "Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise)" with Warbucks and Annie. Billionaire businessman who opens his home and his heart to Annie. Healy then sings a song with the Boylan Sisters ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"). [41] The 40th Anniversary performance was celebrated in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 21, 2017, with Angelina Carballo as Annie. Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie and loosely based on the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" written by James Whitcomb Riley. Following this, Ann Marie Gwatkin and Jackie Ekers shared the title role, followed by many other casts of Annie. "Legit Reviews, Road:'Annie', Pantages Theater, Hollywood", Annie An Old Fashioned Story by Thomas Meehan, Macmillan Books 1980, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical, "Annie Broadway Musical Original | IBDB", "Annie Original West End Cast - 1978 West End", "Annie Broadway Musical First National Tour | IBDB", "Annie Broadway Musical 1997 Revival | IBDB", "Credits for Annie (London Revival, 1998)", "Annie Broadway Musical 2012 Revival | IBDB", "Annie Yesterday, Today and 'Tomorrow': All About Broadway's Favorite Little Orphan", "Annie Returns to NYC; Kathie Lee Gifford Seeks 'Easy Street', "Heartfelt 'Tomorrow' is here today at Auditorium", "Annie The Broadway Musical on National Tour", "James Lapine Will Direct Annie on Broadway in 2012", "Lilla Crawford Will Be Annie On Broadway", "Breaking News: Two-Time Tony Award Winner Katie Finneran is Miss Hannigan in ANNIE! In May 2021, NBC announced a live television production of Annie with Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron as executive producers as a "holiday event" in 2021. Warbucks requests that she be allowed to stay one more night, and they can take her away on Christmas morning. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre). This particular production toured from 2001 to 2007 and resumed in September 2008. [52][53], In the novel, Annie spends several months on the run from the orphanage, initially spending the winter as a resident staff in Bixby's Beanery, a low-grade caf run by couple Fred and Gert Bixby, before escaping after she finds Sandy. Upon meeting Annie, he is inspired to make a. In the 2009-10 tour, Kerth returned as Annie along with most of the previous year's cast, adding Jordan Boezem (from Spotlight Kids in Sarasota, Florida) in the role of July. Also returning were Barton, Andrews and Meisner. [36][37] On July 30, Taylor Richardson and Sadie Sink both began alternating the role of Annie, replacing Crawford. Miss Hannigan realizes she's gone and chases after the truck. [11] The show closed on January 2, 1983, after a total of 2,377 performances, setting a record for the longest running show at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), until it was surpassed by Hairspray in 2009.[1]. Roosevelt.[47]. A sequel, Annie: A Royal Adventure! They are arrested by the Secret Service, along with Miss Hannigan. In August 1981, Becky Snyder became the company's last Annie, closing the tour on September 6, 1981. ', "Tituss Burgess Joins Cast Of NBC's 'Annie Live!' [57] This version was to star the Smiths' daughter, Willow, as Annie; but as she had aged out of the part before production began, she was replaced by Quvenzhan Wallis. Regis. Replacements in the title role on Broadway included then-child actors Shelley Bruce, Sarah Jessica Parker, Allison Smith and Alyson Kirk. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers. [19], The show was revived at the Victoria Palace, running from September 30, 1998, to February 28, 1999. A documentary film, Life After Tomorrow, was directed and produced by one of the original Broadway and National Tour orphans, Julie Stevens and partner, Gil Cates Jr. In the fall of 1980, Theda Stemler took over the part and was replaced in Boston when she grew too old. For the first two years of the tour, Conrad John Schuck played Warbucks, reprising the role he played in the original run of Annie on Broadway, as well as the 15th Anniversary National Tour and 1997 Broadway revival. An upcoming Broadway star, who sings a solo in "N.Y.C.". They sarcastically toast the former president ("We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"). This production was directed by Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro (daughter of the show's original choreographer, Peter Gennaro). Once back home, Warbucks tells Annie how much he loves her ("Something Was Missing"). The producers then gave Kissinger the next performance. Ann Ungar understudied and played for Dorothy Loudon in the role of Miss Hannigan. From September 19, for a limited 10 week run, Craig Revel Horwood returned to the role of Miss Hannigan, reprising his role from the 2015-16 UK and Ireland tour. They are interrupted by Rooster and Lily in disguise. Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Star-to-Be, Ensemble, "N.Y.C." [35] Notable replacements include Jane Lynch and Faith Prince as Miss Hannigan. Columbia Pictures acquired the film rights in 1977 for $9.5 million, the most expensive at the time for a stage musical. The young girls who played Annie were Charlene Barton, Tasha Gold, Libby Gore and Sophie McShera. [27] This original Equity Tour closed on March 25, 2007, at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland. ", "Taylor Richardson and Sadie Sink Share the Role of Broadway's Annie Beginning July 30", "Broadway Revival of Annie Closes Jan. 5 at the Palace Theatre", "Complete Casting Announced for National Tour of Annie; Itinerary Revealed", "An Unexpected Dream Come True For The New, History-Making Annie", "Miranda Hart to make West End debut in Annie musical", "Meera Syal to play Miss Hannigan in Annie", "Craig Revel Horwood to replace Miranda Hart in Annie", "Michael Arden Will Direct Annie at the Hollywood Bowl", "Hollywood Bowl Annie, With Ana Gasteyer, David Alan Grier, and Megan Hilty, Begins July 27", "Troubled 'Annie 2' Closing Out of Town; Revisions Planned", "Annie Broadway Musical 2012 Revival", "Two-CD Annie Package Includes New Recording of Complete Score, Plus Obscurities", "Will Smith, Sony exploring 'Annie' Redux", "Quvenzhane Wallis' 'Annie' to be released Christmas 2014", "Jay-Z's 'Annie' remake gets Christmas Day 2014 release date", "Jamie Foxx in Talks to Star in Sony's 'Annie' (Exclusive)", "Cameron Diaz Signed For 'Annie' To Play Miss Hannigan After Sandra Bullock Passes", "NBC's "Annie Live!" The show landed in Los Angeles on October 15, 1978, for an open-ended run at the Shubert Theatre. She tells him of better days to come ("Tomorrow"). Annie is adopted by Warbucks, who notes that this Christmas is the beginning of a new life for them, for the orphans (all of whom are adopted by wealthy friends of Warbucks), and for the rest of the country, thanks to Roosevelt's New Deal ("A New Deal for Christmas"/"Tomorrow (Second Reprise)"). The title character. Annie appears on Bert Healy's radio show ("Maybe (Reprise)"), where Warbucks announces that he is offering $50,000 to the couple who can prove they are her parents. Warbucks pledges to find her parents no matter what it takes, calling J. Edgar Hoover to get the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the job ("You Won't Be An Orphan For Long"). Later on, Bundles the laundry man comes in to pick up the blankets, allowing Annie to escape in his truck. To punish Annie's behavior, she forces all the girls to clean, and they lament the terrible conditions of the orphanage ("It's the Hard Knock Life"). [63] It was directed by Lear deBessonet,[64] and starred Celina Smith as Annie, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as Oliver Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Megan Hilty as Lily St. The climax of the animated film Igor involved a giant robot portraying Annie. "[18] Carter was later replaced by another white actress, Sally Struthers. In the spring of 2000, Ashley Wieronski, who had been playing Duffy, moved up to play Annie. The musical transferred to the Bristol Hippodrome for a special Christmas season before touring Britain. Miss Hannigan's younger brother, a convict who escaped jail so he could rob his sister and plot to abduct Annie. In 2000/2001, a tour was staged in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The songs "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover", "A New Deal for Christmas", "Something Was Missing" and "Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise)" were cut.