Annie Documentary

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 2:58pm

So I finally got to see the Annie documentary on tv last night. So why didn't Andrea McArdle contribute an interview? If they could get Sarah Jessica Parker, surely they could get McArdle.

I thought it was interesting that some of the girls were let go because they began growing up and it was pretty much well noted that McArdle was too old for the role when she did it on Broadway.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 3:05pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=920741

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 3:06pm

Andrea did not do it because she was lead to believe the film was going to bash the subjects.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 3:59pm

And Andrea McArdle is the only person who escaped this trash unscathed.

Even Charles Strouse, who is as lovable as (and resembles) Charlie Brown, came off badly!

A Good Nightmare Comes so Rarely,
P

[lisa902652]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 4:43pm

Sarah Jessica Parker participated becasue Julie Stevens let her to believe all five annies were participating. Julie knew Andrea wanted no part of it.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 5:57pm

I wondered that too.
A big reason I would bet that Andrea got the part (inspite of her age) was her voice. By far, the best sounding Annie that has ever been featured on anything.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 6:42pm

No doubt Andrea got the role because of her voice. Like Judy Garland, she had a mature voice at a young age. However, poor Reid Shelton always looked like he was grimacing when he had to pick her up. Physically she was wrong for the role. I think she was around 14 when the show premiered.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 10:46pm

Technically, McArdle was 12 when the show premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in the fall of 1976. McArdle turned 13 on November 5, 1976. ANNIE opened on Broadway on April 21, 1977... therefore she was still 13 years old when the show 'premiered' on Broadway.

Reid didn't start having problems lifting/carrying McArdle until late in her run.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 10:50pm

Is it me, or does Andrea McArdle not age?

[chiuptown]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 10:56pm

i saw her in a revival tour of State Fair with Donna McKechnie, John Davidson, and Kathryn Crosby. She was absolutely sensational . her voice didn't need miking.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 11:17pm

^ Who's, Donna's or Andrea's or both?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 11:22pm

Either one. Donna and Andrea are 'old school'. They didn't need mics back in their day. ANNIE wasn't even miked during its original Broadway run.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/14/09 at 11:35pm

Aw, Annie at the Alvin (before it became the Annie Theatre)

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 9:23am

Thanks BrodyFosse123!

I like the pigtails on her in that picture, it helps her to look younger if they were having a problem with her look.

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 9:31am

Actually i saw it several times and i do not think it is manipulative - it merely says the obviouse - that joy and grief go together.
Did they have some bad, defining events? yes but it is clear that none of them would have passed up what they experienced.
Julie Stevens did not do a hatchet job on the show, she showed the glaring pettiness and insensetive decisions involved with putting on such a production.

I came away thinking just how little things had changed for child stars from the early days of film.

As for Andrea, she is always talking about ANNIE - how much is there for her to contribute without it becomming all about her?
Besides, she wants to eventually write a book (it would take an encyclopedia to contain her experiences) leave some things for the future.

The way it stands the documentary is what it should have been : the memmories and experiences of all the other girls who are NEVER asked what it was like for them.

Julie Stevens should be applauded for being honest, reminding us that when nostalgia ends real life begins.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 9:33am

Also, I can't believe that they were allowed to go to Studio 54...although after realizing that it was probably a few doors down then it did make a little more sense of how they could all get there, but still...why?

P.S.
I'm actually re-watching it NOW on my DVR :)

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 9:44am

I fully recommend seeing the DVD incarnation of this documentary as it contains longer interviews not included in the actual documentary.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 9:52am

I watched this on Instant viewing with Netflix last night, but now hearing about the extended interviews on the actual DVD, I think I'll add this to my Netflix list.

I posted some thoughts on the other thread about the documentary, but I did find it an interesting perspective worth watching. I would have like to hear more positive notes, but perhaps there really weren't any. The Studio 54 tidbit was intriguing, as was the comment Sarah Jessica Parker made about a house of Prostitution down the block that they would skate around and taunt the (love her pause) hookers.

[Elphie3]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 10:25am

You can actually watch the whole thing, plus bonus interviews on "the site"

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 10:40am

Speaking of that site......

I want to see the documentary...or more likely the news clip from the 1970's that featured in this documentary that show the girls auditioning for Annie.

I not sure what to search under. Can anyone help me?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 11:08am

Scary that I remember this, but that news piece on the ANNIE auditions was featured on NBC in 1980 and it was done by the late Jessica Savitch. Allison Smith was chosen from this audition. She was Sarah Jessica Parker's replacement.



Sarah Jessica Parker (Annie 3), Andrea McArdle (Annie 1), Shelley Bruce (Annie 2) and Allison Smith (Annie 4):

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 11:13am

"Also, I can't believe that they were allowed to go to Studio 54"

I question that too. Sarah Jessica Parker made the comment "I don't know where my parents were." I would think that Studio 54 would have been a bit more careful just for the fact that why would their clientele want to party with a bunch of kids hanging around.

I have to rent the video because obviously the broadcast on Ovation was cut to fit in the time with commercials.

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 11:29am

Well, the ANNIE girls held a lot of authority back then, don't forget that it was an era in which fame came with a certain amount of power - unlike now when fame brings little influence,
those kids were "happening", they were "the in thing" of course they would be allowed in.
If you want to ask why they were allowed in you may as well ask why Drew Barrymore was also allowed in.
The girls had a bouncer to keep them safe so i would simply call it a silly adventure for them - they could go where other kids couldn't go - we were ALL kids once upon a time, who among us could have resisted the oppratunity to go just as they did?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 11:34am

Yes, but Studio 54 tried to keep a certain amount of discretion. What was to stop one of the children (or more likely their parents) selling a story to the National Enquirer about "I saw Liza at Studio 54 with the nose candy."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/09 at 11:41am

Interesting to see Shelley Bruce. Wasn't she the one that caused a big flap because they announced to the press that she was leaving the show, but either hadn't told the producer or hadn't allowed the producer to make the announcement. Was she leaving because she was sick, had cancer or something? I remember there being an article in the NYT about it.