The revival of the musical Annie, book by Thomas Meehan, is a great show in all departments. The songs by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin are memorable; all the singers, including Lilla Crawford in the title role and Anthony Warlow as Daddy Warbucks, are vocally and musically strong; Katie Finneran has a great comedy physicality as the verbally coarse Miss Hannigan; the set by David Korins, which, with simple lines, brilliantly defines bridgescapes, cityscapes, streetscapes and indoor scapes; the perfect lighting by Donald Holder gently slips color in to modify moods, and the period costumes (‘30’s) by Susan Hilferty all help lift this revival to the highest level of Broadway Musical. We hardly notice that the show, directed by James Lapine, choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, is a bit long because the entertainment level never drops.
Extra fun for the oldies like me is to see Franklin Delano Roosevelt depicted onstage by Merwin Foard – another reason to leave this fine production smiling.
