Everybody Loves Annie!

Okay.  We love her.  Everyone loves her.  Little Orphan Annie has captured imaginations from the time she first appeared in the comic strips in 1924.  While her adventures had been captured on film several times over the years, and Shirley Temple’s “Curly Top” was strongly reminiscent of the high-spirited orphan, it wasn’t until 1977 that Broadway entered its first musical production of the world’s favorite curly headed waif.

Annie always hopes to reunite herself with her parents, who had left her on the orphanage steps as a baby, along with a promissory note that someday they would come back to get her.  She makes numerous escapes from the mean, hard drinking Miss Hannigan, whose favorite occupation seems to make the young girls remain diligently at work.  During one of her escapes, she finds a friendly stray dog, and convinces the dog catcher the animal belongs to her.  Together, she and her dog, Sandy, discover a community where people have been made homeless by the Great Depression and unite to help each other out.

Her stay isn’t long.  A policeman recognizes her as the escaped girl and returns her to the orphanage, where she meets the billionaire, Mr. Warbucks.  Her adventures with Warbucks take her on a journey to meet the president, Franklin D. Roosevelt and sing the now famous song, “Tomorrow”.  Warbucks offers a reward for the discovery of Annie’s parents, and almost loses her to the wicked schemes of Miss Hannigan.

The musical blends all the magic of the original cartoon strip, along with a wonderful variety of song and dance.  This year’s production marks its 35th anniversary, with Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Anthony Warlow as Daddy Warbucks, and Lilla Crawford as Annie.  Featured songs include, “Tomorrow”, “I Think I’m Going to Like it Here,” “Little Girls”, “Why Should I Change a Thing”, and “Hard Knock Life”.  It has played in countries around the world and won the Tony Award for Best Musical.

For all you dog lovers out there, Pedigree has teamed up with the musical cast in a partnership to create more food for dogs at shelters across the country.  For each musical ticket bought between now and December 31, 2013, Pedigree will donate two dollars to help raise a million dollars for dogs needing a loving home.  Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds?

Categorized in: Theater