Annie Get Your Gun - Prince Theatre; Philadelphia

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:00pm

I attended the opening of "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Andrea McArdle last night in Philadelphia. Though I will admit the show per se is not one of my favorites, the performances of Andrea McArdle and Jeffrey Coon (Frank Butler) were outstanding. The only time I had seen this show was the dreadful 1999 revival. My main reason for going was to hear Andrea McArdle sing so many of the wonderful songs throughout the show.

I knew I would enjoy her singing, but I was pleasantly surprised by her take on the character. She was both spunky and absolutely charming throughout.

My only complaints are that the first act just seemed to drag. At the beginning of the show, the producer explained the reasons for staying with the original script (as opposed to the edited, politically correct 1999 revival). In light of that, I felt that "I'm an Indian, Too" and the adoption sequence/dance went on for too long.

If they were to make a CD with Andrea as Annie Oakley, I would definitely buy it. I have been a huge fan of hers since I first saw her in Annie (my first Broadway show), and her vocals in the show definitely did not disappoint!

Theatre is alive and well in Philadelphia and how encouraging it was to see the various "shows" logos and advertisements throughout town.

Updated On: 12/10/06 at 12:00 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:02pm

wow great review. I am glad that Andrea was so great.

[mikem]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 5:27pm

Dottie, what reasons did the producers give for staying with the original script? And (I guess this is a spoiler request), what was the ending of the 1999 revival? I thought the Prince Theater ending was horribly dated, and I'm wondering if that ending was changed for the 1999 version.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 6:18pm

Mikem, I remember absolutely nothing about the 1999 revival with the exception that I did not like it one bit and that the show began with, "There's No Business Like Show Business". It came off like a 2nd rate production with what seemed like a synthesizer based orchestra. I couldn't even tell you how it ended.

If I may paraphrase the producer from Prince, she stated that after doing some research into the original 1946 production, some things that people thought of as not being politically correct, weren't perceived as offensive to those of American Indian descent. In referencing, "I'm an Indian, Too", she said to be adopted by a tribe was an extreme honor, and she wanted to highlight that particular honor in this production (whereby Annie Oakley is adopted by Chief Sitting Bull).

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 6:31pm

I know I read somewhere that the Director was working very hard with real American Indians to make sure everything in the production was historically accurate.

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 7:43pm

i was annoyed watching this performance seeing how dated it is....it bothered me how frank only loves annie when he sees she isn't the best...

i was talking to my mother about it, who i saw the 1999 revival with. she feels strongly that they made it a tie in the 1999 revival as opposed to declaring him the winner and her the loser...she said it felt less dated...of course she could be wrong. 1999 was a while ago....

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:09pm

the Director was working very hard with real American Indians to make sure everything in the production was historically accurate. "

Great, but I guess he didn't see the importance of making them look like real native American Indians. I think Sitting Bull looked German/Polish ...anything but native Indian!

BUT Andrea indeed made the production worth the admission price. She was absolutely 'perfect' in this. One of the Barrymore voting members was there...If she doesn't win or at least get a Barrymore Nom.....I'll eat my cowgirl hat!

I will work up a BWW review early this week. Took some pics of the entire McArdle clan. What a wonderful family. Hi Mama McArdle! Yes. Andrea's mom LOVES BWW!

Philly Folks, check out Walnut's42nd Street and AGYG NOW before they're gone!

Dottie, dear. check your pm.

Updated On: 12/10/06 at 08:09 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:18pm

Was Andrea's brother, Michael there?

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:34pm

Yes, yes yes...photos to come!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:37pm

There are several "original scripts". Is this the one that includes "Old Fashioned Wedding"?

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:48pm

Yes it does, DP. They do a nice job if it too.

[Horton]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:07pm

I really love Andrea, I think she is a true testimate to somebody who is not selling out at all, because lets face it she could without a doubt work on broadway, but is doing a show she rather do, and is proalby getting paid less, but is really doing it for the art. That inspires me.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:14pm

Right you are! Her mom said, she is having a ball playing a role she's always wanted to do. Plus Andrea is a Philly, philly.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:08pm

It'd be great to get a studio recording with McArdle headlining the cast, I believe she has such a great ability to make songs you've heard 1000 times to sound as if you were listening to them for the first time.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 12:25am

In the revival script they tie. She Throws the match by missing, and he does the same thing when he realizes what she is doing. That is how they both find out how much they love each other They make up and say that they are going to stay with the show and continue to have matches to see who is the best.

Posted: 12/11/06 at 9:23am

Philadelphia, the city of 'brotherly love' (cough,cough)
Updated On: 12/11/06 at 09:23 AM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 9:56am

American indians didn't find the original offensive?! How many native americans were watching annie Get Your Gun in 1946? I can't imagine it being the most racially sensitive of times.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:07am

The 1966 revival script has been the general standar one used for the past 40 years (until the Peter Stomne rewrite, which I felt was NOT in any way an improvement.)

AGYG 1966 introduced "Old Fashioned Wedding" but cut "I'll Share it All With YOU" and "Who Do You Love I Hope?"

The 1946 version has those 2 songs but, obviously, not "Old Fashioned Wedding."

When the show was done in Toronto in 2005 they used the 1966 version but dropped "I'm an Indian Too."

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:58am

I saw Andrea do this role at her high school! She was great in that, so I can just imagine how wonderful she is, now. She should have been doing it on Broadway.

[adamized88]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 1:52pm

hey guys there's another thread about this going so i figured i'd share it with you and post what i wrote here too

i saw the show two nights ago - andrea is fabulous and makes the show completly worth while - the costumes are great too - other wise i found the production a bit lacking - i also had friends who attended expecting to see the the same thing as the revival with bernadette peters they had seen when they were little - i warn you that this is the original version - complete with "i'm an indian too" and without "who do you love i hope" - in fact those characters don't even exist in the orginal

congratualtions to andrea though - she is still incredible - it was wonderful to see her on stage!!
http://broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=919422#2676895

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:08pm

I didn't like the Peters revival, so this is good news, indeed!

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 4:09pm

The BWW article just went live. Thanks for those who read it. Better yet, come on down to see it!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=14312

Updated On: 12/11/06 at 04:09 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 4:31pm

Great review. At least now I know who to look for next time I'm there. I didn't see any of the McArdle clan even though I was at that same performance.

[Mercution1]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:11am

Great review?

The writer spent the entire time kissing up to the McArdle family AND put photos of the family in the review. It read like a review written for the Mayberry Daily News -- printed on Gomer's mimeograph machine in his basement.

Hardly journalistic theatrical writing.

You stayed for a post show party and youre a theater critic? Whether you like the show or not that is clearly not an ethical or objective practice. One would believe that your partiality is impaired in more than one way.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:53am

Bitter bitter bitter.