Annie Questions

Hey all, I have recently gotten into an Annie mode since really listening to the OBCR, and I know there was a revival some years ago that failed miserably. I just wanted to know why people think it failed, besides that it wasnt making money. I know it involved a late Annie replacement. Also, has anyone heard of the new national tour? I have heard they plan to bring it back to Bway, but that hasnt been confirmed. At least to my knowledge. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks!

My biggest problem with it was Nell Carter as Miss Hannigan - she played it with a complete lack of humor, so the character was no fun to watch at all.

---

Personally I think Charnin should let someone new and innovative direct it. It needs to feel fresh again.

See, I thought Nell Carter was the best thing in that show! I thought she was funny but then again, I love me some Nell.

---

She honestly disturbed me. I wish Sally Struthers had done it on Broadway - I heard she was fabulous on the road.

---

In The National Tour....

ALENE ROBERTSON (Miss Hannigan) tours throughout the U.S., but calls Chicago home, where she is a nine-time Jefferson Award recipient. She made her Broadway debut in Annie and Off-Broadway debut in Annie Warbucks creating the role of Commissioner Doyle (Drama Desk Nomination). Alene also recorded the original Annie Warbucks cast CD. She is delighted to be sharing the stage with children and animals!?!?

nm

Updated On: 6/22/05 at 03:02 PM

The 1997 revival had troubles from the very beginning. Even before the replacement of Joanna.

Nell Carter was offered the role but would only accept it on one condition that they write a new song for her and that she'd be the only one to perform it. She also had some backing in the show as well.

The pre-broadway natnl started at TUTS with the wonderful Roz Ryan filling in until Nell was ready. The show got off to a good start but there was trouble in the orphanage early on. It was rumored that none of the girls would make it to Broadway. Some realized...or were informed of this by their managment and shiped up before they were shiped out.

Joanna was an amazing singer but something was honestly missing between her and John Shuck. Brittny was already cast in the show as July and had never really considered being Annie until she was bumped up to the second understudy after Alexandra Keisman.

In Boston Joanna got sick with Bronchitis. She was out for a day. Against Equity rules she was phoned and encouraged to take another day off. Instead of Alexandra going on for Annie Britty was asked to go on and unknown to everyone it was decided that night that Britty would take over the role.

Managment contacted Joanna's "team" with an offer to split the role between the girls. Pondering who would open on Broadway or be on the album her managment declined. She was faxed at about 2am stating that her "services at Annie 20th were no longer needed".

The show moved on to CT with Brittny as Annie, performing in store bought clothes because at this time she had never been fitted for the Annie track. Her hair was cut and died and that's when the trouble started.

The news hit the media like wild fire comming just days after the 20/20 special that gave the show MAJOR publicity from it's Macy sponsered auditions. At this point Nell had been in the show for weeks and tickets were selling well.

There was the idea that Equity would intervene and Joanna would be brough back in but that never happened. The producers payed Joanna out her contract the middle of June 97.

The show then moved to New York and opened with only $262,879.00. The running cost per week was $300,000.00 It only went below that mark 3 times. The producers honestly thought they were doing a good thing for themselves with letting Joanna go...not fully realizing the back lash that would insue.

The reviews weren't glowing but tickets were selling. Brittny Kissinger won over legions of new fans. Like her or not she is the youngest girl to play the role on Broadway to date at 8 years old. The show was nominated for a Revival Tony but lost,,,like every thing else,,,to Chicago.

The Producers also thought the show should be more kid freindly and cut out most of the historical facts and ommitting Hooverville. Before the show closed in October the radio scene was supposed to be thrown out with the Smile song just starting with the Orphans.

Stories of fights between Nell Carter pushing around 6-year old Christiana Anbri too rough in scenes were printed. Young Mellissa O'Mally, probably scared out of her mind, muffed a line that had been cut that day and was not allowed to bow with the orphans that night...again another Eq. no no...

Then came plans to open a revival in London. The producers didn't know whether to send Brittny to London and bring in a new girl to maintain the show in New York. It was decided to close the Broadway show with hardly any announcement. At the final show there was no annoucement of speech...just "business as usual"...the cast thought other wise and most of the girls spent the show fighting back tears.

The tour opened with Nell signed on for only a while. When Sally Struthers got wind that Nell was leaving she was hell bent on getting the role...and she did...with one condition Nell's "song" be removed.

The tour ran strongly for a good 2 years. Two inches is the contractual growth alloted. Brittny was never asked to leave and it is quite clear that the producers and Martin liked her.

8 Years old is pretty young for someone to carry a Broadway show. She may not have been ready then but she sure carried her self like a little pro. After a few months of performing she really came into the role.

I too would like a new directorial effort for a future revival. Martin has done the same thing over and over again...while it is good it is not new. For todays Broadway it needs to be looked at from a fresh eye...and possibly have Dakota Fanning in it...i don't know...I just don't think it is going to do well on the boards again...I love the show as you can tell...Like Chey Jackson I was supposed to be the first male Annie but i grew up too fast.

SORRY TO BORE YOU ALL

Updated On: 6/22/05 at 03:35 PM

Interesting tidbit. North Carolina Theatre promptly cast Joanna as Annie in their production which opened shortly after the "scandal" hit. I didn't see the production but I know several people who were in it and worked it and they said that it was obvious why she was fired from the show. I believe there was a lot of press about her getting the chance to play the show in NC.

---

they should record a new CD since Nell's song "You Make Me Happy" and the new song for the current tour "Why Should I Change A Thing" have never been recorded. I'd like to hear them...

There were two specific problems with Joanna's firing as far as I'm concerned. The first (and the reason why the family was able to sue Macy's and reach a settlement) is that Macy's sponsored the search for the new Annie. The idea of the contest was that the winner would get to go to Broadway as the lead in the show and Joanna's lawyers argued that she won the contest and never got her prize. The second is the way it was handled. I do not think that a Broadway show should be required to stay with a performer that they are clearly unhappy with. However, there are ethical ways to go about getting rid of a performing. Faxing a 12-year-old girl is not the way to do it. I've always found it suspicious that Brittny Kissinger was even under consideration for the part at all just given her height and age alone. She wasn't all that much taller than Christiana Anbri (Molly) and Joanna already had an understudy. Something must have triggered the producers to audition Brittny in the first place. Not all of the orphans were asked to audition for the understudy placement position.

There are also two reasons why it failed on Broadway, I think. First of all, Macy's sponsoring the talent search was an absolute publicity nightmare for the show. Barbara Walters featured a special on the casting that ended with Joanna playing the role and then re-aired it a few months later with an edited ending about Joanna getting fired and Brittny taking over. The problem was that people had already grown to like Joanna's back story and the public doesn't really care if she was fired for being a bad actress or not. They were on her side. I know people who called the box office demanding refunds when they found out that Joanna had been fired. The second, I think, is the same reason why the original show eventually closed. "Annie" is one of those shows that plays in every regional theatre around the country and tours every few years or so. Even if people want to see a production of higher quality than community theatre, it's playing everywhere all the time. It's not a musical that tourists need to come to NY to see.

She was also probably a better actress then Joanna, but I think what the producers liked in Brittney Kissinger was primarily her size.

She was so tiny that she seemed really vulnerable. Kathryn Zaremba who did ANNIE WARBUCKS Off Broadway was also tiny, but she had this huge voice and was really tough.

Brittney Kissinger seemed like this little 8 year old. And that was, for me, also part of the problem -- the character isn't written to be an 8 year old. She's written to be 11. Casting someone so little and sweet played into the "cutsey" thing that can potentially make ANNIE unbearable.

No, there was no recording. But I remember reading in Variety around 1997 that there had been consideration. (The same article said it was also considered that Brittny and Joanna would alternate.)

---