Annie Preview Thread — Page 6

I saw the original Broadway production (original cast intact) when I was 14 years old. Annie was my first Broadway show. To say that I was excited would be an understatement. What I remember about the wonderful overture was that the audience (adults included) talked throughout it!! I kept wondering why everyone was talking. To this day I remain completely silent once the lights go down and the orchestra begins. It's all part of the show.

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I saw the show tonight and really enjoyed it. I thought Katie had some very funny moments and I'm sure she will only get better as previews go on...I think her grasp on the character is pretty good right now and I can't wait to go back and see her after they've opened and she's solidified what she's doing because I think the makings of a truly excellent performance are there.

Lilla Crawford and the girls who played the orphans were adorable. I thought Lilla's acting was very good, and her singing is fantastic. She has a really strong, clear voice and she's not screaming her head off which tends to be a problem and a particular irritation of mine with Annies/kid actors in general. She also had great chemistry with Anthony Warlow.

Brynn O'Malley was also very good in what is pretty much a throwaway role...great singing voice, very engaging and very present even when she wasn't the focus of the scene.

J. Elaine Marcos has stopped doing the Asian stereotype and is now doing what seems to be a sort of Jersey accent in the first part of the show, but it still isn't funny which is a shame to me. I also thought Clarke Thorell was weak and that "Easy Street" didn't hit with the bang that it should, which is a shame because that is probably my favorite song in the score.

The ensemble numbers sounded thin to me...I'm not sure if it was just where I was sitting but there seemed to be not very many people onstage except for "A New Deal for Christmas," which I thought was great. I also hate that they cut the overture and hope that they add it back at some point, it's such a great one and it should be there in full.

Overall though I think they are in very good shape for a second preview and the problems they have are for the most part pretty easily fixable.

Based on what I have "heard" of the production (don't ask), it sounds absolutely smashing. The orchestra in particular sounds phenomenal. The fact that the orchestra sounds so great makes me miss the overture even more. They play the slow brassy Tomorrow segment, then it goes right into the news reel. I REALLY miss the overture. I am praying that it gets put back in during the previews.

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I was not a fan of Katie Finneran's performance in PROMISES, so she is not the draw for me with this production. If the Annie is good and the Daddy Warbucks is good, and the orphans have a lot of personality, I'll probably like it. But my real question is, how is Sandy? I saw the original production and couldn't get over how adorable the dog was!

^ I would love to hear about that as well! It looked pretty awesome from that video with David Korins showing the model!

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The set is very interesting. Visually quite appealing. I'm horrible at describing these things, but picture all of the rooms in Warbucks' house (during the first scene there) as a giant book with pages being turned by the house staff. I was mildly annoyed that Annie wore her orphan sweater the whole show until the final scenes, but it wasn't the worst thing ever, as I'm sure some people will say.

Again, a very charming production.

^ There are so many things wrong with that post that I don't even know where to begin.

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I saw the show yesterday afternoon and enjoyed it. Lilla Crawford was, as many people have said, fantastic, as was Anthony Warlow. Both have great voices and "I Don't Need Anyone But You" was probably my favorite song of the night.

I didn't think Finneran was bad, but it definitely wasn't the performance I was hoping for after PROMISES, PROMISES and even the NY Phil's COMPANY. The audience didn't seem to love her, either. The only time she got a huge laugh was when she went to shake hands with FDR.

I wasn't a fan of the design. The sets for the Warbucks mansion were too flat (although it did look nice for Christmas), and I wanted more in NYC -- I think the audience should be wowed during this scene, just the way Annie is as she sees it all for the first time. The choreography was pretty sloppy, but I'm sure they're working on polishing that up.

Overall, it was a cute afternoon (though the audience was a nightmare). Not the best production of Annie I've seen, but good enough to satisfy the tourists for a while.

BroadwayGuy12, which production did you like better?

I don't prefer overtures, you got me. That doesn't make me rude, I don't talk during the show. I've been going to Broadway a long time, and in my life, I just don't really love overtures. I saw Annie last week, and I didn't miss the overture. I like how it jumps into the newsreel, personally, I think it is creative. The original Annie was amazing, truly. I like this interpretation as well.

There's no paddle. Hannigan handles the orphans and Annie a little roughly, but there's no physical violence.

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It is two and a half hours (including intermission).

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"A lackluster "Easy Street"? No Overture? Those are deal breakers for me."

Sounds like this show needs A New Deal for Christmas. Ok, I need more sleep...