'Daddy' Warbucks being written a new song in ANNIE

Anthony Warlow is reprising his very unexciting role 'Daddy' Warbucks in an upcoming Australian production of ANNIE, and apparently Martin Charnin (the show's lyricist - just putting it out there in case you're not familiar with the name - I wasn't) is writing him a new song??

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/ANNIE-Returning-to-Sydney-Australia-Starring-Anthony-Warlow-and-Nancye-Hayes-20110627

I assume that this change, if successful, could filter to the upcoming Broadway revival and encourage a name for this thankless role..(hopefully not Warlow, not that he is a name for US audiences- but he needs a stronger Broadway debut than this).

I wonder what the song will be about. Perhaps audiences are ready for a Judge's Johanna part 2, where Warbucks has to consider how much he really loves Annie. This is the kind of climax the show needs.

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Updated On: 7/7/11 at 06:26 AM

Hopefully it's the same song from last time? I don't see why they would need to write him another new song. And I really, really like it. The song is called "Why Should I Change a Thing" and it's on the 30th anniversary recording for anyone who hasn't heard it, though it's not sung by Warlow.

It is the same song. And if he does come to Broadway, it will most likely be with DR ZHIVAGO which he's currently performing in Australia and was written for him by the SECRET GARDEN team.

I saw a community theatre production that added this song. It's really not bad, but yeah, it slows everything down. It didn't help that it forced the incredibly hammy Warbucks I saw to suddenly become serious.

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Updated On: 7/7/11 at 11:57 AM

I'm in a Production of Annie right now and the song " Why Should I change a thing" is currently being offered in the script as optional sadly our warbucks couldn't hit his high register our Musical Director decided not to use it. I'm not very fond of the lyrics in the song but I think strouses melody is beautiful, Just a side note I know on the MTI site it says that they rent out the Original Broadway Script but there now renting out the most recent tour's script which features some minor updates to the script and score.

I played Warbucks last year and thankfully the director liked the song "Why Change A Thing" so we kept it. That song is very nice, and tho the character does not have any big belty songs, I think "Something Was Missing" and "NYC" are nice songs.

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