Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin’s classic musical Annie, with a fun book by Thomas Meehan (later, The Producers),is all too often considered a children’s/family musical. Of course, it is that. But the current revival has lots of great songs and humor – including in jokes – to satisfy adults.
At the performance I attended, it wasn’t particularly surprising to hear several adults saying they were at the revival because it was the first show their parents took them to or a show they saw when a kid and still vividly remember.
The current production benefits from an Annie, Lilla Crawford, who has no problems projecting. She’s got an Ethel Merman belt! A winning performance, too, comes from Australian actor and recording artist Anthony Warlow (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miz), who’s making his Broadway debut in the role of Daddy Warbucks. Warlow, the recipient of many awards from Down Under, has the distinction of being named a Living National Treasure. He certainly is a treasure in this revival.
Orphanage matron Miss Hannigan is drunk throughout, but as over-the-top played by Tony and Drama Desk winner Katie Finneran (of the Promises, Promises revival), her bits come over mostly as prodigious slapstick.
Sometimes a featured actor can easily steal moments in a show. Annie has two scene-stealers – well, okay, three: eight-year-old (looking years younger) Molly Rosenfeld as the precocious Molly; Broadway veteran of numerous musicals Merwin Foard as President Roosevelt, whose brief rendition of “Tomorrow” late in Act Two puts a new spin on the long-popular tune; and, then, there’s that two-year-old Sunny, the terrier mix straight to Broadway from an animal shelter. [Sunny’s understudy followed the same route.)
Theatergoers of a certain age can appreciate sets and have even been known to leave some musicals humming the set. Annie benefits from the extraordinary talent of Drama Desk and Obie winner David Korins, who has an additional seven Drama Desk nominations (it’s hard to believe there hasn’t been a Tony nomination). Thanks to Korins, The Phanton of the Opera isn’t the only show with a dazzling chandelier. And get this: in a bit of stage magic, his chandelier becomes a Christmas tree! Korins’ “turning pages” concept of Daddy Warbucks’ mansion is not only unique but will be long remembered – and may get him that Tony nomination.
One thing no one, except someone terribly hearing-impaired, will complain about is not hearing the show. The musical numbers are tremendously over-amplified. Sadly, because today’s new performers don’t enunciate when they sing out over all that amplification, sung dialogue sounds mumbled.
