Playbill's Dozen Dream Miss Hannigans- Page 2

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 12:00am

Beth Leavel is clearly the best pick in the non-star category.

I'd love to see Jane Lynch do this, just because she knows how to infuse terror and comedy so well..

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 9:33am

My top choice from their list was Andrea McArdle and then Patti LuPone. I actually rather liked Kathie Lee Gifford as Hannigan.

Givesmevoice-
I saw Ellen Harvey play Hannigan at Casa Mañana a few years back (She was actually the only reason I went, having loved her in Mamma Mia!), and she was really fantastic. She played it like a mix of Loudon and Jackie Hoffman.

The big issue I have with Playbill's article is that they keep mentioning Hannigan as a drunk. Aside from the occasional nip at a flask, I never really viewed her as a drunk, just a sex-starved woman who came up out of the gutter as far as she could and hates her job.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 10:13am

No Terri White?

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 10:24am

Patti and Bernie would both be amazing

I have a feeling Rosie would be great, too.

I love Cheno, but... I just don't see her as Ms. Hannigan.

Beth Level would knock it out of the park, too.

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 11:02am

Lynch and Daly would be the only ones from Playbill's list to inspire me to see a revival of Annie. Goth's brilliant suggestion of Kelly Bishop would also get me to go, but no producer is going to use her as Hannigan on Broadway unless there's some other draw. I'd also add Harriet Harris to the list.

Updated On: 2/24/12 at 11:02 AM

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 11:57am

How bout Nancy Opel?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 12:10pm

I said in my post that I would love to see Nancy Opel, so good call, SondheimFan.

Goth's brilliant suggestion of Kelly Bishop would also get me to go, but no producer is going to use her as Hannigan on Broadway unless there's some other draw.

Isn't Annie enough of a known product that you don't really need a star to sell it?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 12:59pm

Given that the 96-ish production only ran a few months, maybe not.

[Actor2]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 1:14pm

Just put Jackie Hoffman, Mary Testa, Andrea McArdle, Nancy Opel, Jane Lynch, Andrea Martin, Beth Level, and Allison Janney in rotation. They can all do other projects while they do the show, and it'd sell a ****load of tickets.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 1:17pm

A free American Girl Annie doll with every 2 tickets purchased.

Updated On: 2/24/12 at 01:17 PM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 1:28pm

Nice additions, Actor2! Jackie, Mary and Alison... Three more who could really soar with the role.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 1:39pm

I don't know why they have to star cast Miss Hannigan. Dorothy Loudon wasn't a star when she did the original.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 1:41pm

Given that the 96-ish production only ran a few months, maybe not.

They had Nell Carter, who was a star. I saw that production (twice, I believe) and loved it, but I don't think it was really well-received.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 4:24pm

That revival was, if I recall correctly, a pretty standard recreation of the original production, which, in my opinion, often come off feeling stale and tired. It also had that bit of controversy surrounding it with the whole competition to cast the title role, and then the firing of the winner and replacing her with her understudy just prior to the show opening in NY. I would imagine that the negative publicity around that event didn't help the show's ticket sales.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 4:47pm

The 96 revival was definitely not a recreation of the original; it was nowhere near as lavish. Most people feel like the real secret weapon behind the success of the original ANNIE in 1977 was Mike Nichols, who not only produced, but apparently strongly influenced and guided Martin Charnin in directorial decisions.

A lot of people seem to feel like Charnin's weak direction (along with some lackluster casting choices) is what made the last revival feel pretty workmanlike and uninspired.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 4:54pm

Sorry, MB, I was probably getting it confused with the fact that Martin Charnin has been trotting out that scaled-back feeling of the original production for so many regional productions and lackluster tours.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 5:02pm

Cheno and Bernadette?

I second the Jane Lynch mentions but Andrea McArdle would be an awesome coming full-circle choice. Buckley and Ebersole would be wacky that I now cannot get the visualizations of them in the role out of my head.

[random person 112]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 5:15pm

i love the ebersole idea and i get where they're going with Chenoweth and Bernie. Bernies voice would fit pretty well in the score but i don't think this is her role. Cheno would also be coming full circle, she was heavily considered for the first movie for the part of Annie, she'd be laugh out loud, but all wrong.

[Overkill]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 5:27pm

Here's Rosie performing "Little Girls" and "Easy Street" on her cruise. I think with better direction in both acting and singing, she could be good. This is just her being Rosie in a cabaret type performance, so I don't know if it's fair to see it as her in a fully realized character...all that being said, she basically screams Little Girls...

Little Girls:
http://youtu.be/IcmaEr5FZXk

Easy Street:
http://youtu.be/5UWoANt0Wkc

Then there's Andrea McArdle in North Carolina Theatre's production. She actually played Hannigan already...and stunk. She's just too attractive and the fact that she was Annie already kind of ruins it. The performance just seems like "I was Annie! Now I'm Hannigan! Isn't that FUN?" Don't get me wrong, I love her, and she's amazing, just so wrong for the part. I

Little Girls:
http://youtu.be/VdcSZockL4U

Easy Street:
http://youtu.be/hxSXhh0cUuE

Seems like a young Ann Margret...

My favorite mentioned is Andrea Martin. She seems to be just a big enough "name", and she's just perfect for the role. Christian Borle would be the perfect Rooster, if SMASH weren't in the way...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 5:40pm

"It also had that bit of controversy surrounding it with the whole competition to cast the title role, and then the firing of the winner and replacing her with her understudy just prior to the show opening in NY."

The original had the same drama sans the competition. Andrea McArdle was not the original Annie, and in fact was really too old for the part. Every night Reid Shelton looked like he was about to get a hernia when McArdle jumped into his arms.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 7:00pm

I love the suggestions of Jane Lynch and Andrea Martin. Kelly Bishop would be simply divine! She's got such great comedic timing.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 7:00pm

I love the suggestions of Jane Lynch and Andrea Martin. Kelly Bishop would be simply divine! She's got such great comedic timing.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/25/12 at 7:21am

I'm not a fan of Annie. Too much "cute" in all the kids, and I can only imagine what the audience will look like and I just hate having my seat kicked by little feet. (So do my kids.)

That being said, there are some great suggestions, both in the article and on the thread.

My favs: McArdle, Leavel, Ebersole, Buckley, Martin.

Given her "audience interaction" of the past, he thought of LuPone with a housefull of kids is frightening.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 2/25/12 at 7:44am

Jessica Walter?

"You gave us cereal in an ashtray"

[tjjster]

Posted: 2/25/12 at 9:31am

Andrea McArdle has done the role twice and and has gotten poor reviews both times.
The first was in North Carolina and the Second was in Southern California.

Side note, I was at a party with the artistic director for the theatre in Southern California where he told me that he wanted Harriet Harris for Hannigan, but there was pressure from the rights holders to hire McArdle. Just an interesting tidbit.