NBC's ANNIE LIVE! (2021) - News & Discussion Thread

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:10pm

LizzieCurry posted this in the Birdie thread, so it will eventually need its own once more news and casting pops up. Thanks, Lizzie! 

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/annie-live-nbc-christmas-holidays-bob-greenblatt-neil-meron-1234971627/

Tony winner (Ain’t Too Proud) and Olivier winner (Memphis) Sergio Trujillo will choreograph the production. Paul Tazewell will design the costumes and Jason Sherwood will handle the scenery. Tazewell won an Emmy award for The Wiz Live! and most recently designed costumes for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story” remake; Emmy winner Sherwood’s production design credits include “Rent: Live” and the 2020 Oscars.

Also joining the team is music supervisor and orchestrator Stephen Oremus (The Wiz Live!), who will head the music department for Annie Live! Chloe Productions is the producer of the live event.

Updated On: 8/26/21 at 03:10 PM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:14pm

I’m so happy this is happening. I’ve been a fan of this classic since I saw a middle school Annie Jr when I was 12. And Neil Meron who produced the 1999 Disney version is even more awesome

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:15pm

This will be great! Perfect for the holidays and totally uplifting, just what we need. Can't wait to hear the casting.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:16pm

I grew up with the fantastic 1999 adaptation, but I was unimpressed by the most recent B'way revival. Assuming this thread will grow big-time in the months to come, I'm just going to paste what I previously said on the "Bye Bye Birdie Live" (still in talks?) thread:

 

Say what you want about Annie, but I think this could work very well as a live broadcast, especially during a time when optimism is growing for the future.

I'm very curious to see who will be casted as Miss Hannigan. I saw the 2012 James Lapine revival and Katie Finneran was inexplicably underwhelming. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:18pm

Damn, if this wasn't right when "Company" was starting, I'd say I need Patti as Hannigan.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:19pm

Good choice for the broadcast.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:25pm

This is honestly a very welcome surprise. I am looking forward to it. But, yes, definitely interesting on who they could cast to play Hannigan. Some ideas that pop into my head are Yvette Nicole Brown, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph... now more SNL/NBC names are coming up. :)

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:26pm

This is a great pick to restart the yearly live musicals.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:26pm

Oh Maya would be great.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:26pm

Dear G-d ,  please no Queen Latifah as Hannigan.  Thats what tends to happen in these things.  

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:28pm

I am very excited for this! Interestingly enough, I was never a huge Annie fan until I saw the last revival (which I loved).

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:30pm

Would love to see Solea Pfeiffer as Grace!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:32pm

I really do like Annie (and I'm glad the revival brought us Anthony Warlow). This should be fun!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:34pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh Maya would be great.”

Oy!  Not one-trick-pony Maya.  She literally has only 2 modes: silly/goofy or trying-to-be-normal/bland.  One too many folks have told her she’s musical, due mostly to her lineage (she’s Minnie Riperton’s daughter) but all of her musical attempts have tanked colossally.  Stick to your pop-ins on SNL, chica. 

 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:35pm

DAME said: "Dear G-d , please no Queen Latifah as Hannigan. Thats what tends to happen in these things."

Literally came here to post the same thing!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:37pm

Melissa McCarthy?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:41pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "Some ideas that pop into my head areYvette Nicole Brown, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph... now more SNL/NBC names are coming up. :)"

The entire staff could be (distracting) cameos. I can hear Kate McKinnon in my head as Mrs. Pugh now!

[SeanD2]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:42pm

Ana Gasteyer as Hannigan. Easy choice for me.

[pmensky]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:42pm

Margaret Cho for Hannigan.

[smallvillefan16]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:43pm

This is a fantastic idea and, hopefully, will do really well for the network.  I really hope they keep fairly faithful to the stage version (including songs cut from the various films) and am excited to see the young talent they get for the lead.  I

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:43pm

If this were much sooner I would have loved for the ladies of Girls5Eva to cameo as the Lovely Boylan Sisters in "...Never Fully Dressed...". 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:44pm

Kathryn Hahn as Hannigan, fresh off her run in WandaVision

(It was Hannigan all along...!)

[smallvillefan16]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:44pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "This is honestly a very welcome surprise. I am looking forward to it. But, yes, definitely interesting on who they could cast to play Hannigan. Some ideas that pop into my head areYvette Nicole Brown, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph... now more SNL/NBC names are coming up. :)"

While I love all those actresses, I sincerely hope they do not cast anyone from SNL.  It's never inspired casting when they do that.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:47pm

Yay! I’ve always thought this was such an obvious choice for a one of their live musicals. And it’s pretty hard to mess up.

Hannigan presents a lot of fun casting opportunities. Can JK Simmons play Warbucks? And can Cheno reprise her Lily St. Regis? Who says Lily can’t have been around the block a few times?

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 3:49pm

The one issue that this may face, which I hadn't thought about before, is length. The show's like 3 or 4 hours long, which is odd, as there isn't that much score. It's a very talky book. Don't the NBC Live! broadcasts tend to be around 2 hours? Wonder if they'll expand the time or cut the show (as was done with the Annie t.v. movie).