NBC's ANNIE LIVE! (2021) - News & Discussion Thread- Page 5

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 11:39am

JBroadway said: "CarlosAlberto said: "missthemountains said: "After three film versions, haven't we suffered enough? Who is asking for this?"

Apparently we haven't suffered enough so on top of a pandemic they're torturing us with this.My first reaction was, "This again...?" Ugh."



Literally no one is forcing you to watch this. If you want, you can completely ignore than this is even happening. I know from experience because I'vebeen ignoring these broadcasts for years. There are some where I totally forgot they even happened. The only reason I'm paying attention to this one is because it happens to be one that I might enjoy. Otherwise I probably would have just skipped over the thread and moved on with my life. If this sounds like such torture to you, you should probably do the same.

 

First of all thank you for your concern, that is too sweet. I am well aware that no one is forcing me to watch this. But, I do have a right to post my opinion on a very public, internet message board, and so I did. So with that being said, no one is forcing YOU to read my posts and YOU can ignore every single one of them regarding this or any other subject by (a) scrolling past them or (b) using the handy-dandy ignore feature provided by our friendly BWW administrators, take your pick.

Thank you, have a nice day. ​​​​​​​

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 11:51am

@Carlos

My telling you to skip over this thread wasn't a request or a demand - of course you can post whatever you want. It was a genuine suggestion for how to alleviate your "suffering."

I wasn't trying to suppress your right to express your opinions, I was pointing out what I saw to be an error in your logic. You can hate the idea of this, and post about that hatred, until the cows come home. But calling an optional piece of media "suffering" is simply not accurate. 

EDIT: And I have no interest in blocking you simply because of a single disagreement. I don't get that mentality. It's not like I can't stand to read your posts on this, or any topic. I'm just pushing back on a single thing that you said. (There are some users on here whose posts I ACTUALLY hate to read in any thread, and I don't even block them, because I like to be in the loop lol) 

Updated On: 5/13/21 at 11:51 AM

[bdn223]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 11:56am

Jordan Catalano said: "To those talking about the movie, don’t forget it was such an awful film it made Cameron Diaz retire from acting."

Weirdly enough despite critic's tearing apart her singing, I thought Cameron Diaz was one of the few things that worked about the 2014 Annie movie. Her voice I will admit was not the best and the autotune only made it worse, but her acting was actually really great. 

2014 Annie's biggest flaw was their reimagining of Daddy Warbucks's as Stacks. Making him a Billionaire turned Politician somewhat defeats the purpose of Warkbucks' character arch. Yes they are both out of touch with the everyday New Yorker, but the political subplot simply makes everything Stacks does literally feel calculated especially since we are shown most of it is. Thus nothing he does feels geniune. This was especially apparent with N.Y.C being replaced by The City is Yours. NYC gives the audience a glimpse into Warbucks through cold perspective of NYC as old money, compared to Grace's more rundown perspective as a "Working Class New Yorker", and then we get "A Star to Be"'s overly optimistic view as someone just arriving to the City. In the "The City is Yours" is basically trying to simultaneously show off his work and its impact on NYC to Annie to impress her, while also giving her this weird pep talk. The taking of the political subplot of Annie and making it the main plotline just make the plot and the relationships feel forced. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 12:53pm

santeFEEE said: "Jessica Lange for Hannigan? "

Thank you sooo much for this! HILARIOUS!!! I would probably pay good money to see her in the role!


 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 12:57pm

CarlosAlberto said: "santeFEEE said: "Jessica Lange for Hannigan? "

Thank you sooo much for this! HILARIOUS!!! I would probably pay good money to see her in the role!

Since the casting choices on here are clearly aging the characters up I suggest:

Michael Douglas for Daddy Warbucks

Al Pacino for Rooster

Beverly D'Angelo as Lily St. Regis

Kathie Lee Gifford as Grace

Amanda Seyfried as Annie


 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 12:59pm

Chita Rivera as Molly

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 1:36pm

1. I hope they keep all of the political subplots (something that was omitted in the Disney Adaptation.) Herbert Hoover could be a rousing number on the broadcast.

2. I hope they give the maybe/tomorrow reprise to Grace.

2. Alicia Morton is still around. It would be a treat if she was the star to be.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 2:01pm

She’s no powerhouse belter and more of an actor who kinda sings, but nobody projects Star to Be energy like Eden Sher.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 3:21pm

Yes, Maya, please.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 3:25pm

JBroadway said: "(There are some users on here whose posts I ACTUALLY hate to read in any thread, and I don't even block them, because I like to be in the loop lol)"

Because of the archaic nature of this board's software, you can see a blocked person's posts when on the reply page for a thread anyway. I missed vast swaths of this discussion because of it, but... I wasn't really surprised at what I missed until I hit reply (to someone else).

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 3:27pm

I'm just glad it's not "Hair". I wonder,,  will they think to have understudies?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 3:54pm

I can't imagine they wouldn't when there are kids. Plus they don't need a second Brennin Hunt incident!

[rg7759]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 4:30pm

As much as I was looking forward to...any announcement..i was just the same before the Grinch live. That can't be erased from nbc's repertoire just because of Rona. So I don't blame anyone who has a bad taste in their mouth. Going to London to film something doesn't inherently make it good. I'm not saying Annie will be filmed there. Just as someone who wants all of these to be good, there's reason to be skeptical.

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 5:48pm

I know it's unlikely, but Norm Lewis for Warbucks! Get Audra to reprise Grace and we'll have the perfect reunion of actors. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 11:28pm

Tapping23 said: "Surprised nobody has mentioned Andrea McArdle for Hannigan"'

She played it and was terrible. YouTube has recorded moments of the tragedy.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/13/21 at 11:30pm

sabrelady said: "I'm just glad it's not "Hair". I wonder,, will they think to have understudies?"

I love Hair, but NBC would botch it and the censor would smother it.

 

[Loopin’theloop]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 3:37am

Mr Roxy said: "Better choice was the little seen Annie Warbucks

Instead of a yearly revival of Annie I wished for a full Broadway staging of Annie Warbucks."

If by better choice you mean commercially wrongheaded then sure 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 9:14am

It was never really tried commercially. Variety Arts is a bad example

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 9:49am

I hope they film this live from New York. It would be a great welcome back for Broadway too. (Use the Today show set, Theatre district, New York STREETS, Carnegie Hall/RADIO CITY, Rockefeller centre, it could all be quite thrilling)

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 11:42am

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I hope they film this live from New York. It would be a great welcome back for Broadway too. (Use the Today show set, Theatre district, New York STREETS,Carnegie Hall/RADIO CITY, Rockefeller centre, it could all be quite thrilling)"

I imagine the streets of New York look somewhat different than they did in the 1930s.

Updated On: 5/14/21 at 11:42 AM

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 2:13pm

dp 

Updated On: 5/14/21 at 02:13 PM

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 2:13pm

Never been a huge fan of Annie but I think this is a good choice for a family musical after the year we’ve had. Casting thoughts for me:

- Miss Hannigan - Kristen Chenoweth or Renee Elise Goldberry (she’s shown her comedy chops in girls5eva and think could kill this role!). Please no to Rebel Wilson. She’s great at doing RW things but I think her Hannigan would almost be too ott and parody like. Alison Janney and Christine Baranski would probably kill this role also.

- Daddy Warbucks - if they’re going for an older actor, then Norm Lewis or Brian Stokes Mitchell would be good. I could see them going for a well know tv / movie actor though.

Grace Farrell - Laura Osnes, Kat McPhee or Philippa Soo would be great choices. All look the part and can sing and dance in spades. Not sure Laura is a big enough mainstream name. Nicolette Robinson would be great also but no idea if she can dance? If that’s a requirement for this live?

- Lily St Regis - Actual Rebel Wilson would be good for this part! If going for musical stars, Megan Hilty or Laura Benanti?

- Rooster - Leslie Odom Jr, although couldn’t see him doing this based on interviews I’ve read and the types of projects he wants to be doing. Christian Borle would be perfect but he’s going to be doing Little Shop of Horrors so that’s out!

Annie - I really don’t know many child actors I’m afraid!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 2:20pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I hope they film this live from New York. It would be a great welcome back for Broadway too. (Use the Today show set, Theatre district, New York STREETS,Carnegie Hall/RADIO CITY, Rockefeller centre, it could all be quite thrilling)"

YES- just imagine how thrilling “NYC” would be if this were the case.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 3:24pm

One thing I'm hoping is that, unlike the Rob Marshall version, they follow the thrust of the work in creating, by the end of the evening, the comic book characters. The move from a rather grim Depression setting and more realistic looking characters, to a lighter toned look at the Warbucks mansion, to finally Daddy Warbucks coming out in his tuxedo and diamond stick pin and Annie showing up in the cartoon look of tight curls and the red dress with the white collar and belt, and for the first time uttering "Leapin' lizards!" are essential parts of the work that have been somewhat lost. This is one time that costume and hair are essential. The two characters need to look like the 30's comic strip characters at that point. It's got to be specific because the musical essentially poses itself as presenting the strip's origin story (though it actually isn't). Somehow, Annie has stopped having any connection to Little Orphan Annie in some of the adaptations, and to me that's a mistake.

Updated On: 5/14/21 at 03:24 PM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/14/21 at 3:32pm

^ As I much I enjoyed the 1999 version, I know what you mean. Should have kept the red dress for the finale