Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular
Harold Gray comic stripA comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Little Orphan AnnieLittle Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924 in the New York Daily News...
, with music by
Charles StrouseCharles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist.-Life and career:Strouse was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ira and Ethel Strouse...
, lyrics by
Martin CharninMartin Charnin is an American lyricist, writer, and theatre director. Charnin's best-known work is as conceiver, director and lyricist of the hit musical Annie....
, and the book by
Thomas MeehanThomas Meehan is an American writer, best known for Annie, The Producers and Hairspray.-Life and career:Meehan grew up in Suffern, New York, and graduated from Hamilton College...
. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster seems to indicate, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre (now the
Neil Simon TheatreThe Neil Simon Theatre, formerly the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway venue built in 1927 and located at 250 West 52nd Street in midtown-Manhattan....
). It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard-Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers.
Act 1
It is 1933 and eleven-year-old Annie is in the Municipal Girls Orphanage, along with Molly, who is six, Kate, who is seven, Tessie, who is ten, July, who is thirteen, Pepper, who is twelve and Duffy, who is thirteen. When Molly awakes from a bad dream at 3:00AM, Annie comforts her. Molly then asks her to read the note Annie's parents gave her in 1922, when she was left at the doorstep of the orphanage. The note says that her parents will come pick her up, so Annie is always hopeful that they are still out there ("Maybe").
Annie decides to escape to find her parents, but is caught by the orphanage supervisor Miss Hannigan, who is currently suffering from a hangover. Miss Hannigan is angered by this and forces all the girls to vigorously clean the orphanage ("Hard Knock Life"). Shortly after, Mr Bundles, the laundry man, comes in to pick up the blankets. While Miss Hannigan is flirting with him, Annie climbs into the laundry basket and the orphans cover her up with blankets. Once Miss Hannigan realizes Annie is gone, the other orphans express their frustration ("Hard Knock Life Reprise").
Annie successfully escapes, running into a friendly stray dog. As she comforts him, she tells him of better days yet to come ("Tomorrow"). The dog catcher is after him, so Annie pretends he is hers by calling him Sandy. Though at first unsuccessful, he is convinced, and she continues. She later finds a
HoovervilleA 'Hooverville' was the popular name for shanty towns built by homeless people during the Great Depression. They were named after the President of the United States at the time, Herbert Hoover, because he allegedly let the nation slide into depression...
, where people made homeless by the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
have come together as a community ("Hooverville (We'd Like To Thank You, Herbert Hoover)"). However, a cop sent by Hannigan catches her and brings her back.
Grace Farrell, assistant to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks, comes to the orphanage asking for an orphan to come to his house for the Christmas holiday. Because Annie was in Miss Hannigan's office, Grace asks to take Annie, and Hannigan reluctantly agrees. Once Grace has left, Miss Hannigan explodes with her hatred for all the girls in the orphanage ("Little Girls").
Meanwhile, at the Warbucks Mansion, the servants and staff welcome Annie with open arms ("I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here"). When Oliver Warbucks comes back though, he is very moody and not too happy to have an orphan in his house. He asks Grace to take Annie to a movie, but she persuades him to come. As Annie and Warbucks begin to like each other, they enjoy a fabulous night in New York City ("NYC").
Back at the orphanage, Miss Hannigan's brother, Rooster, and his floozy girlfriend, Lily St. Regis, pay a visit. Miss Hannigan mentions that Annie is staying at a billionaire's house, and Rooster and Lily think they could use this situation to get rich, though they don't yet know how ("Easy Street").
Warbucks sees the locket around Annie's neck, and buys her a new one from
Tiffany & Co.Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
However, Annie bursts into tears saying it was the only thing left by her parents, and refuses to accept a new one. Grace and the Warbucks' staff then pledge to find Annie's parents no matter what it takes ("You Won't be an Orphan For Long").
Act 2
Annie soon appears on the radio, on a show by Bert Healy, singing Maybe. On the show, Warbucks announces that he is offering 50,000 dollars to the couple that proves to be her parents. Healy then sings a song for everyone with the Boylan sisters ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"). The girls in the orphanage happen to be listening, and decide to have fun and dance around and sing the song they've just heard ("Fully Dressed Children"). When Miss Hannigan hears, she barges in and demands to know what was happening. Molly announces that Annie was on the radio, and that there is a $50,000 reward for her parents. Miss Hannigan is anything but pleased. Shortly after, a couple named Ralph and Shirley Mudge come in, saying they left a little girl here eleven years ago and have come back for her. Miss Hannigan is shocked. The Mudges soon reveal themselves to be Rooster and Lily, and explain their plan for the reward. They request information about Annie from Miss Hannigan for one third of the money, though she demands one half for this service, and tells them about the note and the locket. They develop a complete plan ("Easy Street Reprise").
Warbucks brings Annie to Washington D.C. where she requests to meet the president. FDR asks her to stay, and she begins to sing Tomorrow, though shushed by the cabinet. Roosevelt however, believes that people must be optimistic during tough times, and commands his cabinet to sing ("Cabinet Tomorrow"). Once back at the mansion, Warbucks tells Annie how much he loves her ("Something Was Missing"). Because Annie's parents have not shown up, Warbucks announces he would like to adopt Annie ("I Don't Need Anything But You"). They decide to throw a Christmas party, and Annie wants to invite Miss Hannigan and the orphans. While preparing, the delighted staff tell of how Annie's arrival has changed their lives ("Annie").
Judge
Louis BrandeisLouis Dembitz Brandeis ; November 13, 1856 – October 5, 1941) was an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1916 to 1939.He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Jewish immigrant parents who raised him in a secular mode...
shows up to begin the adoption proceedings, but is interrupted by Mr. and Mrs. Mudge (Rooster and Lily in disguise) who come to pick up Annie. Grace and Oliver are shocked, because they know about the note and the locket. Still, Warbucks doesn't think they are Annie's real parents. Warbucks requests that Annie be allowed to stay one more night for the Christmas party, and then be taken away to their supposed Pig Farm in New Jersey. Early that morning, she wishes she could have been adopted, and not sent off with her "parents" ("Maybe Reprise"). However, it is revealed by FDR, who shows up, that her parents are actually Margaret and David Bennett, who died when she was a baby. They then figure out that Mr. and Mrs. Mudge are really Rooster and Lily just as they show up to claim Annie and the money. They, along with Miss Hannigan, are arrested by the
Secret ServiceThe United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
, and everyone is delighted by FDR's new deal for the economy ("New Deal for Christmas").
Characters
| Characters |
Description |
| Annie |
An 11-year-old redheaded orphan girl, optimistic and spunky, whose only wish is to find her parents |
| Miss Hannigan |
The alcoholic orphanage matron, disillusioned, she hates children, but is fond of alcoholic beverages |
| Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks |
Billionaire businessman who opens his home– and heart– to Annie |
| Grace Farrell |
Warbucks' faithful secretary, who loves Annie from the start |
| "Rooster" Hannigan |
Miss Hannigan's no-good brother, out for the quick buck |
| Lily St. Regis |
Rooster's girlfriend, is smarter than she appears |
| Molly, Pepper, Duffy, July, Tessie, and Kate |
The orphans at the orphanage, ages 6 to 13 |
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
|
President of the United States, he aids Warbucks in the search for Annie's parents |
| Louis Brandeis Louis Dembitz Brandeis ; November 13, 1856 – October 5, 1941) was an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1916 to 1939.He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Jewish immigrant parents who raised him in a secular mode...
|
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, he is called upon to assist in Annie's adoption |
| Bert Healy |
Radio announcer who agrees to broadcast Annie's search for her parents |
| The Boylan sisters |
Singers on the Bert Healy Show and hope to be famous someday |
| Lt. Ward |
A policeman sent after Annie, he finds her at the Hoovervilles |
| Sandy |
An abandoned mixed–breed dog that Annie rescues, he becomes her faithful companion |
Pre-Broadway tryout
Annie had its World premiere on August 10, 1976 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Kristen Vigard was the first actress to play the title role. However, the producers soon decided that Vigard's genuinely sweet interpretation was not tough enough for the street-smart orphan. After a week of performances, Vigard was replaced by
Andrea McArdleAndrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for playing Annie in the Broadway musical Annie, as well as for her alto range and strong vocal belt.-Career:She was born in Philadelphia...
, who played one of the other orphans, Pepper. Vigard went on to become McArdle's Broadway
understudyIn theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
.
Broadway original
The original
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production opened at the Alvin Theatre on April 21, 1977 and starred
Andrea McArdleAndrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for playing Annie in the Broadway musical Annie, as well as for her alto range and strong vocal belt.-Career:She was born in Philadelphia...
as Annie,
Reid SheltonReid Shelton was a Broadway and television actor.He appeared in over 31 TV shows from 1974 to 1990; and 9 Broadway shows from 1952 to 1983....
as Daddy Warbucks,
Dorothy LoudonDorothy Loudon was an American comedy actress and singer. She won the 1977 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan in Annie.-Early life and career:Loudon was born in...
as Miss Hannigan, and
Sandy FaisonSandy Faison is an American actress and singer.In 1977, Faison made her Broadway debut as Grace Farrell, secretary to Daddy Warbucks, in Annie. Additional theatre credits include Charlie and Algernon, Is there life after high school?, and You Can't Take It With You.Faison's feature film credits...
as Grace Farrell.
Danielle BriseboisDanielle Anne Brisebois is an American actress, producer, songwriter and singer. In the 1990s she recorded two solo albums, Arrive All Over You and Portable Life, and was a member of the New Radicals...
was one of the orphans. It was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won seven, including the
Best MusicalThis is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
,
Best ScoreThe Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. The score consists of music and lyrics...
, and
Best BookThe Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken, non-sung dialogue, and storyline of a musical play. Eligibility is restricted to works with original narrative framework; plotless revues and revivals are ineligible...
. Replacements in the title role on Broadway included then-child actors Shelly Bruce,
Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Allison Smith and Alyson Kirk. Replacements in the role of Miss Hannigan included Alice Ghostly,
Dolores WilsonDolores Mae Wilson was an American coloratura soprano who had an active international opera career from the late 1940s through the early 1960s. Beginning her career with major theatres in Europe, she performed in six seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City during the 1950s...
,
Betty HuttonBetty Hutton was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedienne and singer.-Early life:Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg, daughter of a railroad foreman, Percy E. Thornburg and his wife, the former Mabel Lum . While she was very young, her father abandoned the family for...
,
Marcia LewisMarcia Lewis was an American character actress and singer. She has been nominated twice for the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical and twice for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical .-Biography:Lewis was born in Melrose, Massachusetts and raised in...
, and
June HavocJune Havoc was a Canadian-born American actress, dancer, writer, and theater director. Havoc was a child Vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother. She later acted on Broadway and in Hollywood and stage directed . She last appeared on television in 1990 on General Hospital...
.
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 TheatreThe Neil Simon Theatre, formerly the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway venue built in 1927 and located at 250 West 52nd Street in midtown-Manhattan....
), until it was surpassed by
HairsprayHairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
in 2009.
United States National touring companies
During the Broadway run of
Annie, there were four touring companies that were launched from the original production to tour to major U.S. cities:
The 1st National Touring Company opened in Toronto in March 1978 with Kathy-Jo Kelly in the title role, Norwood Smith as Daddy Warbucks, Jane Connell and Ruth Kobart as Miss Hannigan and
Gary BeachGary Beach is an American actor, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.-Biography:Beach was born in Alexandria, Virginia and later went on to graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, the same school as Terrence Mann, his Beauty and the Beast costar.Beach and his partner, Jeffrey...
as Rooster. 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. In April 1979, it continued on the road in with Mary K. Lombardi now in the lead as Annie. In the fall of 1980, Theda Stemler took over the part and was replaced in Boston when she grew too old. On May 15, 1981,
Louanne SirotaLouanne Sirota is an American actress. She played the title role in Annie in the 2nd National Company in Los Angeles in 1979. After her breakthrough in the film Oh, God! Book II, she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actress in 1981. She went on to play Annie again in the 1st National...
, who had played Annie in the long-running Los Angeles production (see below), took over the role for four months. In August 1981, Becky Snyder became the company's last Annie, closing the tour on September 6, 1981.
The 2nd National Touring Company (sometimes referred to as the West Coast or Los Angeles Production) opened in San Francisco on June 22, 1978 with Patricia Ann Patts starring as Annie and the then-unknown
Molly RingwaldMolly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
playing one of the orphans. The show landed in Los Angeles on October 15, 1978 for an open-ended run at the
Shubert TheatreShubert Theatre or Shubert Theater may refer to:Theatres*Shubert Theatre , New York City, built in 1913.*Shubert Theatre , Connecticut, built in 1914.*Shubert Theatre , California, demolished in 2002....
. On June 12, 1979, Sirota, just 9 years old (up until that time, all Annies had been 11 years old), took over the role from Patts. Marisa Morell took the role in December 1979, closing the Los Angeles run and continuing on tour with the show through December 1980.Kristi Coombs then played Annie until this touring company closed in Philadelphia on January 23, 1982.
Alyssa MilanoAlyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
played one of the orphans in 1981.
The 3rd National Touring Company opened in Dallas on October 3, 1979 with Roseanne Sorrentino in the title role. This company toured to 23 cities playing mostly shorter runs of a month or less. On March 27, 1981, Bridget Walsh took over as Annie. Becky Snyder (who had closed the 1st National Tour) joined this company in the summer of 1982 and stayed with it until it closed in September of that year.
The 4th National Touring Company opened on September 11, 1981 with Mollie Hall playing Annie. This production was a "bus and truck" tour, with a slightly reduced cast, that traveled the country and often played in two cities a week. This company was still touring when the original Broadway production closed in January 1983, making Kathleen Sisk the final performer to play Annie from the original production team. This tour closed in September 1983.
West End original
The musical premiered in the
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the
Victoria Palace TheatreVictoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station.-Origins:The theatre began life as a small concert room above the stables of the Royal Standard Hotel, a small hotel and tavern built in 1832 at what was then 522 Stockbridge...
on 3 May 1978. Though
Andrea McArdleAndrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for playing Annie in the Broadway musical Annie, as well as for her alto range and strong vocal belt.-Career:She was born in Philadelphia...
played the title role for 40 performances, British 12-year-old Ann Marie Gwatkin was also cast in the title role and appeared on the Original London cast recording. She alternated with Christine Hyland and five other Annies were cast at this point: Anne O'Rourke, Tracy Taylor, Jacinta Whyte, Helen Thorne and Gillian White, who were all to play the role over the next three years. Miss Hannigan was originally played by
Sheila HancockSheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
, and later by Maria Charles and Stella Moray; Daddy Warbucks was played by
Stratford JohnsStratford Johns, born Alan Edgar Stratford-Johns, was a popular British stage, film and television actor who is best remembered for his starring role as Detective Inspector Charlie Barlow in the innovative and long-running BBC police series Z-Cars, created by Troy Kennedy-Martin.-Early life:Johns...
and later by
Charles WestCharles West , British crime novelist, is a former actor. He studied at RADA and performed in the West End in London, including Daddy Warbucks in Annie at Victoria Palace beginning in the 1970s and on Broadway. He wrote "Destruction Man", featuring Australian detective Paul Crook, when acting in...
, with Deborah Clarke playing Pepper.
Annie closed on 28 November 1981, after 1485 performances.
UK tour
The musical transferred to the
Bristol HippodromeThe Bristol Hippodrome is a theatre in the centre of Bristol, England with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features West End theatre shows when they tour the UK as well regular visits by Welsh National Opera, and an annual pantomime.- History :The theatre was...
for a special
Christmas seasonChristmastide is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. It tends to be defined as the period from Christmas Eve to the evening of 5 January, the day before Epiphany...
before touring
BritainThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Because of strict British employment laws for juvenile actors, a succession of actresses took on the lead role every four months. One of the last girls to perform the role at the Victoria Palace before the show went on tour was 10-year old Claudia Bradley from
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
who was featured on a 1981
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programme called Fame.
West End revival (1998)
The show was revived at the Victoria Palace, running from 30 September 1998 to 28 February 1999. It starred Lesley Joseph and then Lily Savage (the female alter ego of comedian
Paul O'GradyPaul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
) as Miss Hannigan and Kevin Colson as Warbucks.
Further UK tours of the show were also staged, including a one-month run at The Theatre Royal in Lincoln in 2001. Members of the original cast included Annie's Kate Winney and Jemma Carlisle,
Louise EnglishLouise English is a British actress with many roles in West End plays and nationally touring musical theatre productions, and was a regular performer on the The Benny Hill Show from 1978 to 1986 ....
(Grace),
Vicki MichelleVicki Michelle MBE , is an English actress best known for her role as Yvette Carte-Blanche in the television comedy series Allo 'Allo! - a role which she has reprised in both 2008 and 2009 as a cast of the stage show based on the television series.After spending much of 2008 on tour with the Allo...
(Hannigan) and Simon Masterton-Smith (Warbucks). The show proved to be a success, and so for the first two tours and the Malaysian
Genting HighlandsGenting Highlands otherwise known as Resorts World Genting is the flagship integrated resort developed by Genting Group. It is nestled on a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia...
Production, the role of Annie was then shared by Faye Spittlehouse and a young
Lucy May BarkerLucy May Barker is a British stage and screen actress. She was born and brought up in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.-Career:Most notably, Lucy played Ilse in the original London cast of the four-time Olivier Award-winning Spring Awakening which opened in February 2009 at the Lyric Hammersmith...
. This particular production toured from 2001–2007 and resumed in September 2008.
Broadway revival (1997)
A 20th anniversary Broadway revival in 1997 entitled
Annie, the 20th Anniversary starred
Nell CarterNell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television...
, and later
Sally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
, as Miss Hannigan, but controversy surrounded the casting of the titular character. The original actress cast in the role,
Joanna PacittiJoanna Pacitti is an American singer and lead vocalist in the band City State.-Theater:In 1996, at age 12, Pacitti was chosen to star in the 20th anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the department store Macy's...
, was fired and replaced by her understudy, Brittny Kissinger (who usually played July) while battling bronchitis. Public sentiment seemed to side with Pacitti as she was the winner of a highly-publicized contest to find a new Annie sponsored by the department store
Macy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
. 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. Kissinger, then 8, became the youngest actress to ever play Annie on Broadway.
More controversy surrounding the show involved
Nell CarterNell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television...
. Carter reportedly was very upset when commercials promoting the show used a different actress, Marcia Lewis, a white actress, as Miss Hannigan. The producers claimed that the commercials, which were made during an earlier production, were too costly to reshoot. Carter felt that racism played a part in the decision. "Maybe they don't want audiences to know Nell Carter is black", she told the New York Post. However, the ads did mention that Carter was in the show. "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." 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 Hannigan--who is white--instead of her." 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. 'Therefore, I have resigned myself to the fact that this is the way it is.' The statement also addressed the alleged charges of racism, first published in Thursday's New York Post. Carter is black. 'I, Nell Carter, never, ever, ever accused my producers or anyone in the show of racism,' she said. Producers have said it is too expensive to film a new commercial." Carter was later replaced by another white actress,
Sally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
.
1999-2000 United States tour
Starting in August 1999, the post Broadway National Tour continued with Meredith Ann Bull as Annie. In the spring of 2000, Ashley Wieronski, who had been playing Duffy, moved up to play Annie. In July 2000, Dana Benedict took over as Annie.
2000-2001 Australian tour
In 2000/2001 a tour played Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
Anthony WarlowAnthony Warlow is an Australian opera and musical theatre performer, noted for his character acting and considerable vocal range ....
starred as Daddy Warbucks with Amanda Muggleton as Miss Hannigan. A new song, "Why Should I Change a Thing", was written for Warlow. Appearing as Annie in the Sydney production was
Rachel MarleyRachel Claire Marley is an Australian singer and actress. She is the daughter of Grant Marley and Kathy Marley. Marley graduated St Vincent's College, Potts Point in Sydney and is currently studying at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore.Marley grew up in Sydney and was inspired to become a...
. A publicist noted that "each time the show moves to a new city two casts of seven orphans plus two Annies have to be found to join the adult cast."
2005-10 United States tours
Starting in August 2005, a 30th anniversary traveling production of
Annie by Networks Tours embarked on a multi-city tour. This production was directed by
Martin CharninMartin Charnin is an American lyricist, writer, and theatre director. Charnin's best-known work is as conceiver, director and lyricist of the hit musical Annie....
. For the first year of the tour,
Conrad John SchuckConrad John Schuck Jr. is an American actor, primarily in stage, movies and television. He is best-known for his roles as police commissioner Rock Hudson's mildly slow-witted assistant, Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife, and as Lee Meriwether's husband, Herman Munster...
played Daddy Warbucks, Alene Robertson was Miss Hannigan and Annie was played by Marissa O'Donnell. Throughout the run of the show, there were a couple of replacements, including
Amanda BalonAmanda Balon is a professional, American, child actress vocalist and dancer. She is best known for playing the title role in the nationwide Broadway tour of the musical Annie. Amanda initially joined the 30th anniversary cast as the youngest orphan, Molly...
, who took over as Molly. For the 2nd year of the tour, Annie was played by Marissa O'Donnell again. This Equity Tour closed on March 25, 2007, at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland.
The 2007-2008 cast included Amanda Balon, returning as Annie, David Barton as Oliver Warbucks and Lynn Andrews as Miss Hannigan. The 2008-09 cast for the tour featured Tianna Stevens as Annie. Early in 2009, Amanda Balon returned temporarily to play the role of Annie until Madison Kerth was rehearsed to play the title role. Also returning were Barton and Andrews. Other cast members included
Mackenzie AladjemMackenzie Aladjem is an American child actress. She is currently co-starring in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie as the titular character's daughter Fiona Peyton, for which she won a Young Artist Award...
(Molly). In the 2009-10 tour, Kerth returned as Annie along with most of the previous year's cast.
Planned Broadway revival (2012)
A 35th Anniversary production has been announced to open on Broadway in Fall 2012. Thomas Meehan is expected to revise the musical, with
James LapineJames Lapine is an American stage director and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for Into the Woods, Falsettos, and Passion. He has frequently collaborated with Stephen Sondheim and William Finn.-Biography:Lapine was born in Mansfield, Ohio and graduated...
expected to direct, at a Nederlander theatre to be announced.
International productions
Annie has been produced professionally in Argentina (1982
1), Australia (1978
1, 2000, 2011), Denmark (1982), Germany(1999), Hungary (1998), Israel (2001
1, 2010), Italy (1982,2006), Japan (1979, 1986, 2004, 2010)
2,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(1978
1, 1983, 1998, tours from 2000–2010),
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(1979
1,1991, 2010), The Netherlands (1997
1, 2005-2006
1), Norway (1991
1, 2004
1), Philippines (1978, 1987, 1998), Portugal (1982,
1, 2010), Spain (1982
1, 2000
1, 2010), Sweden (1979 (Stockholm), 1999 (Stockholm), 2005-2006 (Malmö)
1), Peru (2002), Zimbabwe (2003), Colombia (2006) Miami (2006), Belgium (2008–2009), Poland 1989 North America (1978, 2003), Denmark (2011)
1Indicates the production made an official cast recording.
2In Japan, a special demo recording of selected songs is made each year, with the new actress playing Annie.
Stage sequels
The first attempt at a
sequelA sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
,
Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge, opened at the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsThe John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in December 1989 to universally disastrous reviews. Extensive reworking of the script and score proved futile, and the project ended before reaching Broadway. In 1993, a second attempt (with a similar plot and score), entitled
Annie WarbucksAnnie Warbucks is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. A sequel to the 1977 Tony Award-winning hit Annie, based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, it begins immediately after Annie ended.-Plot:On Christmas morning in 1933,...
, opened at the Off Broadway Variety Arts Theatre, where it ran for 200 performances.
Musical numbers
Act l
- Overture — Orchestra
- Maybe — Annie & Orphans
- Hard Knock Life — Annie & Orphans
- Hard Knock Life (Reprise) — Orphans
- Tomorrow
"Tomorrow" is a song from the musical Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, published in 1977.-Production history in the musical:...
— Annie
- Hooverville (We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover) —Hooverville-ites
- Little Girls — Miss Hannigan
- Little Girls (Reprise) — Miss Hannigan
- I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here — Grace, Annie & Servants
- N.Y.C. — Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Star-to-Be, Chorus
- Easy Street — Rooster, Miss Hannigan, Lily
- You Won't Be an Orphan for Long - Grace & Warbucks
- Maybe (Reprise one) — Annie
Act ll
- Maybe (Reprise two) — Annie
- You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile — Bert Healy, Boylan Sisters
- You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (Children) — Orphans
- Easy Street (Reprise) — Rooster, Miss Hannigan, Lily
- Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise) — Annie, Roosevelt, Warbucks, Cabinet
- Something Was Missing —Warbucks
- I Don't Need Anything But You — Warbucks & Annie
- Annie — Grace, Drake & Servants
- Maybe (Reprise three) — Annie
- New Deal for Christmas — Warbucks & Servants
Recordings
The Original Broadway Cast recording was released in 1977; a CD containing bonus tracks was released on September 15, 1998 by Sony (ASIN: B00000AG6Z). The 1998 London studio cast recording, featuring the
National Symphony OrchestraThe National Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1931, is an American symphony orchestra that performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.-History:...
, stars Sarah French as Annie,
Kim CriswellKim Criswell is an American musical entertainer and actress.- Life and career :Criswell was born in Hampton, Virginia, but grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After she graduated from high school, she studied musical theatre at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music...
as Miss Hannigan and
Ron RainesRon Raines is an American actor. He is known for the role of Alan Spaulding on the long-running television soap opera Guiding Light. Raines also performs in musical theatre and in concert with symphony orchestras....
as Oliver Warbucks.
A 30th anniversary cast recording was released in 2008 on Time–Life Records. An all-star cast of former
Annie cast members includes
Carol BurnettCarol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...
,
Sally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
,
Kathie Lee GiffordKathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin...
, Andrea McArdle,
John SchuckConrad John Schuck Jr. is an American actor, primarily in stage, movies and television. He is best-known for his roles as police commissioner Rock Hudson's mildly slow-witted assistant, Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife, and as Lee Meriwether's husband, Herman Munster...
,
Harve PresnellHarve Presnell was an American actor and singer. He began his career in the mid 1950s as a classical baritone, singing with orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States...
,
Gary BeachGary Beach is an American actor, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.-Biography:Beach was born in Alexandria, Virginia and later went on to graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, the same school as Terrence Mann, his Beauty and the Beast costar.Beach and his partner, Jeffrey...
and
Amanda BalonAmanda Balon is a professional, American, child actress vocalist and dancer. She is best known for playing the title role in the nationwide Broadway tour of the musical Annie. Amanda initially joined the 30th anniversary cast as the youngest orphan, Molly...
. The rest of the cast is made up of the members of the 30th Anniversary Tour. This recording is a double CD set and includes the entire show as it is performed now on the first disc. The second disc includes songs from the sequel to Annie, "Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge" as well as songs that were cut from or added to the original production. There is also a song from the 1977 Annie Christmas special. The booklet is made up of original drawings by Philo Barnhart, who is the creator of the characters of Ariel and Ursula in "The Little Mermaid", and is presented in a comic book style.
Film and television
Main article: Annie (1982 film)Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,...
Main article: Annie (1999 film)Annie is a 1999 American made-for-television musical-comedy film from The Wonderful World of Disney, based on the 1977 stage musical Annie and its 1982 film adaptation, which themselves were based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray.The film stars Kathy Bates, Victor Garber,...
The
Columbia PicturesColumbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
film was released in 1982, with
Albert FinneyAlbert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
starring as Daddy Warbucks,
Carol BurnettCarol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...
as Miss Hannigan,
Ann ReinkingAnn Reinking is an American actress, dancer, and choreographer. She has worked extensively in musical theatre, both as a dancer and choreographer, as well as appearing in film.-Biography:...
as Grace Farrell,
Tim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
as Rooster,
Bernadette PetersBernadette Peters is an American actress, singer and children's book author from Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Over the course of a career that has spanned five decades, she has starred in musical theatre, films and television, as well as performing in solo concerts and recordings...
as Lily, and
Aileen QuinnAileen Marie Quinn is an American actress. She is best-known for having played the title role in the film Annie .-Biography:...
as Annie. A
sequelA sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the 1982 movie,
Annie: A Royal Adventure!Annie 2: A Royal Adventure! is a TV sequel to Annie . It was released in the United States in 1995 and internationally in 1996, and is approximately 93 minutes long...
was made for television in 1995. The sequel starred
Ashley JohnsonAshley Suzanne Johnson is an American actress, best known for her two-season role as Chrissy Seaver in the TV show Growing Pains, and for her voice work in television series such as Teen Titans and Ben 10 Alien Force....
,
Joan CollinsJoan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
,
George HearnGeorge Hearn is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.-Early years:Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on a career in the theater, training for the stage with actress turned acting...
and
Ian McDiarmidIan McDiarmid is a Scottish theatre actor and director, who has also made sporadic appearances on film and television.McDiarmid has had a successful career in theatre; he has been cast in many plays, while occasionally directing others and although he has appeared mostly in theatrical productions,...
. Aside from a reprise of "Tomorrow", there are no songs in the sequel.
A made-for-TV
Wonderful World of Disney movie version, produced by
The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, was broadcast in 1999; it starred
Victor GarberVictor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
as Daddy Warbucks,
Kathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
as Miss Hannigan,
Audra McDonaldAudra Ann McDonald is an American actress and singer. She currently stars in the ABC television drama Private Practice as Dr. Naomi Bennett. She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas, such as Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun...
as Grace Farrell,
Alan CummingAlan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, singer, writer, director, producer and author. His roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, Mr. Elton in Emma, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
as Rooster,
Kristin ChenowethKristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
as Lily, and newcomer
Alicia MortonAlicia Morton is an American actress and singer.-Biography:Morton started singing when she was 18 months old. When she was 6, she played Molly in Annie at her school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was 7 when she landed the part of young Cosette in Broadway's Les Misérables in 1996. Costar Ricky...
as Annie.
A documentary film, "Life After Tomorrow", was directed and produced by one of the original Broadway and National Tour orphans,
Julie StevensThis article is about the American actress, singer, director and producer. For other Julie Stevens, see Julie Stevens .Julie Stevens is an American actress.-Biography:...
and partner, Gil Cates, Jr. The film reunites more than 40 women who played orphans in the Broadway show “Annie” and reveals the highs and lows of their experiences as child actresses in a cultural phenomenon. The film premiered on Showtime and was released on DVD in 2008.
In January 2011,
Will SmithWillard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
announced plans for a redux of
Annie for
SonySony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
. This version will star Smith's daughter,
WillowWillow Camille Reign Smith , often known simply as Willow, is an American child actress and singer. She is the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and the younger sister of Jaden Smith. Smith made her acting debut in 2007 in the film I Am Legend and later appeared in Kit Kittredge: An...
, as Annie.
Jay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
is in talks to collaborate on the music score. It is unknown whether this version will be a contemporary retelling of the musical, or if it will contain original songs.
GleeGlee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
series creator Ryan Murphy was announced as a top choice of Sony Pictures to direct the film.
Annie Junior
Annie Jr. is a musical licensed by
Music Theatre InternationalMusic Theatre International, often abbreviated MTI, is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. The League of American Theatres and Producers calls MTI "A leader in the theatrical licensing industry."-Description:...
's
Broadway KidsThe Broadway Kids is a concert group based in New York.The group consists of a rotating company of children, aged 8 to 16, who have performed in at least one...
, specially edited to be performed by youngsters in a shortened version. It is performed internationally every year by acting academies, programs, schools and camps.
Stage differences (1977 musical)
The songs "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover", "A
New DealThe New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
for Christmas", "Something Was Missing" and "Tomorrow-Cabinet Reprise" were cut. There is only one version of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile", which is sung by the orphans. Also, there are only two "Maybe" reprises. The songs "I Don't Need Anything but You" and "You Won't Be an Orphan For Long" only feature Annie and Warbucks.
Pop culture references
Annie's popularity is reflected in its numerous mentions in popular media. References to the show appear in films such as
Austin Powers: Goldmember, where Dr. Evil and Mini-Me sendup Jay-Z's version of the song 'It's The Hard Knock Life For Us'; and in the 1994
John WatersJohn Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
black comedy
Serial MomSerial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional...
, where a woman is bludgeoned to death with a leg of mutton by the titular serial killer while watching the 1982 film of
Annie and singing along.
Annie is parodied in
Reefer MadnessReefer Madness premiered on April 16, 2005 on the Showtime cable network. It is a television movie version of the 1998 musical, and stars Alan Cumming as the Lecturer, Ana Gasteyer as Mae, and Kristen Bell as Mary. The movie also stars siblings Christian and Neve Campbell as Jimmy Harper and Miss...
, where President
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
shows up as the
deus ex machinaA deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
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. Her adopted father was a powerful billionaire, so I suppressed the urge to laugh in her face, but now, by gum, I think she may have been on to something!"
References in television series include
Pushing DaisiesPushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
, where Emerson referred to Chuck's father as "Daddy Dead-bucks" in the episode entitled "The Norwegians" (Season 2: Episode 10).
Zoey 101Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
, where Marc wants the school production changed to
Annie;
Full HouseFull House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, where Stephanie Tanner sings the song in several episodes; the
Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "
Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater"Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater" is the first episode of season two of Family Guy, originally aired on Fox on September 23, 1999. It guest-stars Robin Leach as himself, and Fairuza Balk as Connie D'Amico...
" (1999), where the Griffin family inherits a luxury mansion, and the staff puts on a large-scale production number spoofing the song "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here". The same song is also spoofed in the
Drawn TogetherDrawn Together is an American animated television series, which ran on Comedy Central from October 27, 2004 to November 14, 2007. The series was created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein, and uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting...
episode "Alzheimer's That Ends Well". In the first episode of
Boston LegalBoston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, Alan Shore representes a black girl who was not hired as Annie in the national tour, and wins the case with the help of
Al SharptonAlfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
. In the
South ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode "
Ginger Kids"Ginger Kids" is the 136th episode of Comedy Central's series South Park. It originally aired on November 9, 2005. The episode caused a controversy after its ironic premise was misunderstood by people who acted violently against gingers...
",
Eric CartmanEric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
and his group of Ginger Supremacists protest against Annie being played by a non-freckled, non-red-haired girl. In
Yes, DearYes, Dear is a television sitcom that aired from October 2, 2000, to February 15, 2006, on CBS. It starred Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, Mike O'Malley and Liza Snyder....
, Dominic and his new friend Ronnie put on a show for the parents including "Hard Knock Life", to Jimmy's horror. In
30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, Liz Lemon is discovered in her office after hours listening to music on her headset and singing "Maybe." The stop-motion comedy show
Robot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
parodied Annie in episodes including "Maurice Was Caught" (2009).
The song "Tomorrow" is sung in many media references, including by Joe's aunt in a scene in the movie
You've Got MailYou've Got Mail is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It was written by Nora and Delia Ephron based on the play Parfumerie by Miklós László. The film is about two letter-writing lovers who are completely unaware that their sweetheart is in...
; in
DaveDave is a 1993 comedy-drama film written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Co-stars include Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, and Ben Kingsley. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay...
, by
Kevin KlineKevin Delaney Kline is an American theatre, voice, film actor and comedian. He has won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards, and has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards and an Emmy Award.- Early life :...
and
Sigourney WeaverSigourney Weaver is an American actress. She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition .Other notable roles include Dana...
; by
LewisRyan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
on
The Drew Carey ShowThe Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
; by
Jane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
in the fourth season of
Ally McBealAlly McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
; in
RoseanneRoseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
, by Darlene and Becky; in
FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, by
Chandler BingChandler Muriel Bing is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television sitcom Friends, portrayed by Matthew Perry.-Background:Chandler Muriel Bing was born on April 8, 1968, the son of an erotic novelist mother and a cross-dressing Las Vegas star and is of Scottish ancestry. Chandler was Ross...
, who has two copies of the
Annie soundtrack (season eight's episode "The One With The Tea Leaves"); by
Reese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
in
Just Like Heaven; by Donkey in the
CGIComputer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
movies
Shrek II (although he passes out halfway through the second line) and
Shrek Forever AfterShrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
when he is pulling the witches' cart to Rumpelstiltskin with an unconscious Shrek inside after making the deal with Rumpelstiltskin; in a commercial for
Lowe'sLowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
Hardware promoting their next-day delivery; by the Royle Family in the episode "The Queen of Sheba" of the
eponymous seriesThe Royle Family is a popular, BAFTA award-winning television comedy drama produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series between 1998 and 2000, and specials from 2006 onwards...
; by contestant Teresa Cooper on an episode of
Survivor: AfricaSurvivor: Africa is the third season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed during 2001 and aired from October 11, 2001 - January 10, 2002 on CBS. It was set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve on the African continent....
; in a
Duel Mastersis a franchise based on a manga, anime and a trading card game. There is also a video game.-Trading Card Game:The card game originated in Japan, marketed by Takara Tomy. It was produced in English by Wizards of the Coast, who purchased the rights to the name Duel Masters from , which ran a...
episode, it is recited by Shobu; by Marta in
School Of RockSchool of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black...
; in
Like MikeLike Mike is a 2002 film, directed by John Schultz and starring Lil' Bow Wow, Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Lipnicki and Brenda Song. It was produced in association with NBA Entertainment and features many cameo appearances by NBA stars...
, by a couple hoping to be Calvin's adoptive parents; and in
Addams Family ValuesAddams Family Values is a 1993 sequel to the 1991 comedy The Addams Family. The film was written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and many cast members from the original returned for the sequel, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci...
. In the
Ugly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
episode "Loss the Boss" the song can be heard playing in the bedroom of
Justin SuarezJustin Suarez is a fictional character on the American comedy-drama series Ugly Betty which is an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Betty la fea. He is portrayed by actor Mark Indelicato. Justin lives with his mother Hilda, his aunt Betty, and his grandfather Ignacio...
after he was sent there for fighting in school. Pastiche versions of the song are sung in the Disney theme park attraction
It's Tough to be a Bug!It's Tough to Be a Bug! is a 9-minute long 3-D film based on the Disney·Pixar film, A Bug's Life. The film, created by Rhythm and Hues Studios, is the main component of a theme park attraction at several Walt Disney theme parks...
and in the Rooms To Go next-day delivery ad campaign. The long-running Broadway parody production of
Forbidden BroadwayForbidden Broadway is an Off-Broadway satirical revue conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini. The original version of the revue opened on January 15, 1982 at Palsson's Supper Club in New York City and ran for 2,332 performances. Alessandrini has rewritten the show over a dozen...
took up "Tomorrow" as sung by an adult Annie ("I'm thirty years old . . . tomorrow") pleading for a sequel to the original musical.
The climax of the animated film
IgorIgor is a 2008 computer animated family comedy film about the stock character Igor. The plot revolves around the grotesque title figure Igor and his dreams of winning first place at the Evil Science Fair. The movie was released on September 19, 2008...
involved a giant robot portraying Annie.
Other prominent media references include the following:
- Rapper Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
made heavy use of samples from the Broadway cast album's version of "It's the Hard-Knock Life" in his single "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"Hard Knock Life " is a single from rapper Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It samples the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway musical Annie. The song was produced by The 45 King and at the time of its release, was the most commercially successful Jay-Z single. The RIAA...
". In turn, Jay-Z's take was also parodied by Sudden DeathSudden Death is a comedy rap trio from Hardyston, New Jersey consisting of members Tom Rockwell , Steve Fernino , and Thom Uliasz .They formed in 1986 and started releasing their music in 1991....
with their song "Star Trek Life" from their album Die Laughing.
- The NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
produced two Super Bowl adsThe Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League in the United States, is known for the high-profile advertisements that air during its television broadcast in the U.S. The broadcast typically ranks very highly in the Nielsen ratings, reaching more than 90 million viewers...
in 2004Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
and 2005Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
featuring "Tomorrow." A series of football celebrities who were retired or didn't make it to that year's Super Bowl would sing the song, ending with the caption, "...Tomorrow, we're all undefeated again."
- Comedian Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
lip-synched to a recording of "Tomorrow" during his monologue on the March 12, 2011 episode of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. He was dressed as Little Orphan Annie.
Awards and nominations
1977 Tony Awards:
- Best Musical (WINNER)
- Best Leading Actor in a Musical - Reid Shelton
Reid Shelton was a Broadway and television actor.He appeared in over 31 TV shows from 1974 to 1990; and 9 Broadway shows from 1952 to 1983....
(nomination)
- Best Leading Actress in a Musical - Andrea McArdle
Andrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for playing Annie in the Broadway musical Annie, as well as for her alto range and strong vocal belt.-Career:She was born in Philadelphia...
(nomination)
- Best Leading Actress in a Musical - Dorothy Loudon
Dorothy Loudon was an American comedy actress and singer. She won the 1977 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan in Annie.-Early life and career:Loudon was born in...
(WINNER)
- Best Direction of a Musical - Martin Charnin
Martin Charnin is an American lyricist, writer, and theatre director. Charnin's best-known work is as conceiver, director and lyricist of the hit musical Annie....
(nomination)
- Best Choreography - Peter Gennaro (WINNER)
- Best Book of a Musical - Thomas Meehan
Thomas Meehan , was a noted British-born nurseryman, botanist and author. He worked as a Kew gardener in 1846–1848, and thereafter he moved to Germantown in Philadelphia...
(WINNER)
- Best Original Score - Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist.-Life and career:Strouse was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ira and Ethel Strouse...
and Martin CharninMartin Charnin is an American lyricist, writer, and theatre director. Charnin's best-known work is as conceiver, director and lyricist of the hit musical Annie....
(WINNER)
- Best Scenic Design - David Mitchell (WINNER)
- Best Costume Design - Theoni V. Aldredge (WINNER) tying with The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
1997 Tony Award
- Best Revival of a Musical (nomination)
1999 Olivier Awards:
- Best Theatre Choreography (nomination)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Musical - Andrew Kennedy (nomination)
External links