NBC's ANNIE LIVE! (2021) - News & Discussion Thread- Page 3

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 6:21pm

I have a feeling that that they're gonna for a black actor to play Warbucks. I don't know why, but it's a gut feeling.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 6:30pm

Well if we are going with a black warbucks. Can it be Brian stokes Mitchell or Morgan freeman If we aren’t going black then Patrick page

Lily - Megan hilty
Rooster - Cheyenne Jackson
Grace - Kelly ohara
Robert De Niro - FDR
Hannigan - Meryl Streep

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 6:36pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Huh? ANNIE has always run a little over 2 hours including the intermission. Where on Earth has it ever had a running time of 3-4 hours?! Impossible. Even the 1982 film adaptation, which expanded a bit, is 2 hours 6 minutes. The 1999 ABC Disney movie, that closely followed the stage version, was 90 minutes."

Nope, and if "the 1999 ABC Disney Movie" was the Rob Marshall one, it reached 90 minutes by ditching some of the score and trimming the book. It's 3-4 might be hyperbole on my part, but I think it's longer than "a little over 2 hours," unless you mean like 2 and a half hours. its a longer show that a lot of the previous Live! presentations, and I wonder if that's going to result in cutting the book or cutting the songs (or both).

Updated On: 5/12/21 at 06:36 PM

[SoCalDirector]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:09pm

I directed Annie and have been in the show twice. Nothing was cut in any of those productions and it was basically the standard length of a musical something like 2 1/2 hours. A three hour time slot would be easy.

They could get a big name for the one scene one song roll of Star To Be. The Boylan sister could be all former Annies.

I was actually cast in the shell another time that never got produced because the rights were pulled because they were planning a TV show where the audience votes who should be Annie. and of course that never aired. Didn’t bother me but a couple years later I ran into a girl and she came up to me and she said she recognized me from the auditions. She got the role of Annie and never got to do it. The child casting was brutal and they did it all in one day cutting cutting cutting cutting till they were going to the final four for each part then half of them were told Thank you. Those who remained were double cast for the children’s parts.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:18pm

Just here to upvote Dominique Jackson as Hannigan.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:25pm

Sound of Music and The Wiz were broadcast in a 3-hour block. Which comes out to about 2:20 of actual show + commercials. Totally reasonable for ANNIE.

With the announcement coming this late, I suspect they have at least one star (Hannigan or Warbucks) attached already.

Expecting an SNL lady (or other sitcom star) as Hannigan, a mid-level "name" POC actor for Warbucks, perhaps a POC for Annie + some of the other supporting roles, and internet rioting and "canceling" if a wheelchair-using actor is not cast as FDR. This'll probably be kind of trashy like the other NBC musicals but...at least it's a musical!

[morosco]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:37pm

Beth Leavel for Hannigan.

[missthemountains]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:57pm

After three film versions, haven't we suffered enough? Who is asking for this? Sorry, I'm biased, but I hate this show.

That being said, if it must be done, whoever suggested Allie Stroker for Grace is totally onto something - I think she'd be wonderful. Maybe Bonnie Mulligan for Lily? For Hannigan, as much as I would love to see Toni Collette in anything, someone like Ana Gasteyer really fits the bill. I too have a feeling they will try and subvert casting expectations and have a black man play Warbucks (which, tbh, doesn't really seem helpful in terms of representation, but what do I know?) -- again, if it must be done, I'd love to see someone like Billy Porter or maybe even Manu Narayan take a stab at it.

Updated On: 5/12/21 at 07:57 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 7:58pm

I really hope they don’t cut the vagrants and the FDR stuff. Even as a kid, I found those songs very important and inform the story. They are also very relevant.

I don’t think this will illicit A list talent like Midler or Streep. Plus, personally I’d like a break from both of them. Midler is really tired and it shows.

I think Glenn Close would be a great Hannigan. She has a terrific sense of humor and great comic timing. She is rarely given comedy to do but she’s such an exuberant and joyful person. Plus she can nail the pathos and facial expressions. I think she’d kill it.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:00pm

David Alan Grier as Warbucks? He did The Wiz and was great.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:02pm

Bettyboy72 said: "I really hope they don’t cut the vagrants and the FDR stuff. Even as a kid, I found those songs very important and inform the story. They are also very relevant.
"

To be honest, "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover" is my favorite song in the score.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:02pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "David Alan Grier as Warbucks? He did The Wizand was great."

Just remembered he did it at the Hollywood Bowl (with Ana Gasteyer as Hannigan, Lea Salonga as Grace, Megan Hilty as Annie, and Ali Stroker as Star to Be).

 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:12pm

joevitus said: "Bettyboy72 said: "I really hope they don’t cut the vagrants and the FDR stuff. Even as a kid, I found those songs very important and inform the story. They are also very relevant.
"

To be honest, "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover" is my favorite song in the score."

Mine too. As a kid I loved doing all the voices  :)

 

[Tag]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:17pm

Y'all are thinking way too big for Hannigan, Toni Collette? Meryl Streep? LOL
It'll end up being Rosie O'donnell.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:19pm

How was Gasteyer's voice? I know she was in Hair, but don't remember hearing her on that cast recording. Of course she sang comically on SNL as Bobbi-Mohan Culp. Comedically, she seems a great Hannigan. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:21pm

If she sang Elphaba, she can sing Annie no problem

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:22pm

joevitus said: "How was Gasteyer's voice? I know she was in Hair, but don't remember hearing her on that cast recording. Of course she sang comically on SNL as Bobbi-MohanCulp.Comedically, she seems a great Hannigan."

Her voice is very good. She doesn’t have the Elphaba range anymore but she can deliver Hannigan  

I’d take Emmy nominee Jackie Hoffman as Hannigan too  :)

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:29pm

Bettyboy72 said: "joevitus said: "How was Gasteyer's voice? I know she was in Hair, but don't remember hearing her on that cast recording. Of course she sang comically on SNL as Bobbi-MohanCulp.Comedically, she seems a great Hannigan."

Her voice is very good. She doesn’t have the Elphaba range anymore but she can deliver Hannigan

I’d take Emmy nominee Jackie Hoffman as Hannigan too :)

"

Thanks!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:30pm

With all the back and forth on who is too old to play Rose Hovick or Eliza Doolittle, some of you are dreamcasting these parts with actors who are way too old for them. Hannigan should at least pass for 40's. 

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:35pm

Didn't Cameron Diaz play Hannigan in her late 30s? I watched that movie right before my HS production of Annie and it was a big mistake as the actual show was totally different😬😬😬

I wanna see Tina Fey as Hannigan . Shed be so great as it and Sara B as Grace ,lol

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:36pm

VintageSnarker said: "With all the back and forth on who is too old to play Rose Hovick or Eliza Doolittle, some of you are dreamcasting these parts with actors who are way too old for them. Hannigan should at least pass for 40's."

I think Hannigan can be an old hag lol

 

[beatofthedrum27]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:38pm

WAYNE BRADY AS WARBUCKS!!!!!! I SAID IT!!! I SAID IT!!!

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:39pm

Bettyboy72 said: "joevitus said: "How was Gasteyer's voice? I know she was in Hair, but don't remember hearing her on that cast recording. Of course she sang comically on SNL as Bobbi-MohanCulp.Comedically, she seems a great Hannigan."

Her voice is very good. She doesn’t have the Elphaba range anymore but she can deliver Hannigan

I’d take Emmy nominee Jackie Hoffman as Hannigan too :)

She was the tree on The Masked Singer a few years back and was amazing ! 

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:43pm

[beatofthedrum27]

Posted: 5/12/21 at 8:44pm

I can almost guarantee they’ll update the score to make it more “popish”. Kinda like they did for The Wiz especially with the success of the movie from a few years ago.