Musicals101.com

History of Musicals
-What is a musical?
-Stage
-Film
-TV
-Bibliography

Musicals 101 Blog

Special Features
-Broadway Postcards
-Broadway Theatres
-A Chorus Line 101
-Cabaret 101
-A Life in Show Business
-George M. Cohan 101
-Noel Coward 101
-Dance in Musicals
-G&S 101
-Historic NY Theatres
-History of Theatre in NY
-How Musicals Are Made
-How to Put on a Musical
-Al Jolson 101
-Ethel Merman 101
-The Merry Widow 101
-Vaudeville 101
-Ziegfeld 101

Site Index
Site Search

Reference Resources
-Performance Rights Index
-Finding Recordings/Scripts
-Suggested Links
-Musical Film Index
-Musical Theatre Research
-Musicals as History
-Musicals Calendar
-Photo Galleries
-Sample Scenes
-Sample Lyrics
-Stage & Film Chronology
-Vaudeville Research
-Who's Who in Musicals

Reviews
-Stage/Screen Reviews
-CD Reviews
-DVD Reviews
-Book Reviews
-Flops on CD

Essays
-Gays and Musicals
-How Musicals are Made
-Deans List Awards
-Musicals101 Blog

Guest Sites
-LOOM Homepage
-Miller-Seldin Homepage
-NYC Restaurants

About the Author
-
Complete Idiot's Guide
 to Amateur Theatricals

-Upcoming Events
-Lecture Topics

-Disclaimer

Contact Us

Annie
ABC (Disney) - Nov. 7, 1999
Review by John Kenrick

I have to confess that I am a sucker for Annie – have been ever since seeing a preview performance at the Alvin Theatre back in 1976. A good performance of this tuner always leaves me a giddy, sentimental mess. Like most Annie fans, I deplored the big screen version, which cast aside or trampled practically everything that makes the show work. The recent Broadway revival was another big disappointment thanks to woeful miscasting and an ugly physical production. The original stage version of Annie was so special to me (and to millions of others) that it breaks my heart when people are subjected to lesser versions of it. So I approached the new TV version with the skepticism of one who has all too often been burned. Besides, this was the same team of producers who responsible for the recent woeful TV remake of Cinderella.

What a delight to find myself once again swept up in Annie's warm and hopelessly illogical combination of sentiment and hilarity. By the time the broadcast was over, I was beaming and cheering just as helplessly as I did for the original stage show twenty-three years ago. Yes, the Disney team removed some fine songs and scenes from the script, but the spirit of the show was intact.

Disney had the good sense to use people with solid Broadway credentials. Director Rob Marshall (the Tony-nominated choreographer of the recent revivals of She Loves Me and Damn Yankees) did a great job, keeping the laughs and tears in healthy proportion. The physical production was lavish without being obtrusive, with some excellent period New York settings, and the cinematography was attractive throughout.

As Miss Hannigan, the brilliant Kathy Bates proved herself a more than capable singer and dancer. Only occasionally over the top, (which is perfectly appropriate for this role) she made this a surprisingly strong musical debut. Since most of her co-stars were seasoned musical theatre pros, their expert performances were far from surprising but delightful all the same. Victor Garber's Oliver Warbucks made the transition from cold businessman to loving foster "Daddy" with ease, and Audra McDonald was superb as secretary Grace Farrell. This new version had them engaged by the finale - an interracial coupling that would have been unlikely in 1939, and I expect it rattled a few closed minds in 1999 too. Newcomer Alicia Morton was unaffected and charming in the title role, with a solid singing voice as well - qualities the girl in the last Broadway revival sadly lacked. Ms. Morton's furry co-star was pleasantly cuddly, but he was no match for Broadway's original Sandy - a performance I have never seen even remotely matched.

Recent Tony winners Alan Cumming (Cabaret) and Kristin Chenoweth (You're a Good Man Charlie Brown) were perfect as Rooster and Lilly, milking every scene-stealing moment. I was delighted to see Andrea McArdle give a socko rendition of "NYC" as The Star To Be. The original Annie still has the voice and star quality that make her one of the last of that dying breed - a genuine Broadway musical star. The original "Star To Be," the late Laurie Beechman, would have been very proud of her onetime costar. On the down side, the orphans were kept in overdrive for every scene, making them obnoxious rather than charming - perhaps the one serious directorial misfire in this production.

The broadcast included an ad for Gepetto, Disney's first original TV musical. Set for a broadcast debut in the Spring of 2000, I can only hope it holds to the high standards set by this delicious production of Annie. While nothing will ever erase or eclipse my memories of the original Broadway cast, this was an Annie to treasure.

Back to Theatre/TV Reviews