So will Daddy Warbucks be a name?- Page 3

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 6:37am

Chris Sieber? I think he'd be fine in the part, part hardly a "name" that will sell tickets.

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 11:51am

Mitt Romney as Daddy Warbucks or Donald Trump
Sarah Palin as Grace

[rja16]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 1:29pm

Hugh Laurie would be the best

[smallvillefan16]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 2:14pm

Is Victor Garber on a show? Why not have him? If he added more life to his Daddy Warbucks than in the 99 film he'd be pretty good.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 2:26pm

I think the reason Annie needs at least one name in the cast is that so many people have mixed feelings about the show Annie. It's an institution, but it's not one that is universally beloved like Wizard of Oz or even Grease.

Annie will draw people, but it needs a performance people decidedly want to see to make them come, I think.

(There's a joke in my theatre community that Annie is a one-timer. Audiences want to see it, but they only really want to see it one time. Actors only want to do the show one time. It's probably the most "popular" one-timer, joining It's A Wonderful Life, for an example of another one.)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 5:49pm

Names names names.

This is ANNIE. People know the show. There doesn't NEED to be a name to make for a financially successful production. It's smart to cast the original company as they see fit. They can always replace them later with "names" when contracts are up and they need to sell more tickets. But they don't need to have that have those expensive salaries right off the bat.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 9:02pm

"There doesn't NEED to be a name to make for a financially successful production."

Shows don't get Tonys
without names or ponies

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 9:17pm

I have to disagree. In today's economy, there's no guarantee that ANNIE will sell tix based on name alone. It helps to have a name attached.

It may start strong with sales, but unless reviews are raves, the grosses will dwindle quickly.

Also, we live in very different times. Young kids like spectacle now, so Annie better shoot fireworks out of her a@# or fly or something.

Kids and families are primed for spectacle especially if they are spending big bucks. They are used to Disney stage shows, Wicked, and Spiderman, etc.

So unless something amazing is happening on that stage (and that means more than Finneran being a scream) its gonna need a lot of good word of mouth to keep selling.

I think there will be more interest in people my age (almost 40) who are going back to revisit a special piece of nostalgia.

[alovingfan]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 10:10pm

I had also heard about Chris Seiber.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 11:28pm

My mom has announced that George Donaldson will be Daddy Warbucks. I'm pretty sure she has no say though.

Halifax Town

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 11:41pm

I disagree 100%. You can have a successful production that doesn't have spectacle. Case-in-point right now is PETER AND THE STARCATCHER.

Of COURSE it *helps* to have a name, but you don't NEED one. And kids are not going to buy tickets. Parents are. Parents who want to expose their kids to ANNIE for the first time. The visual engagement of live entertainment will come with the design and choreography, just as it has been in musical theatre for decades. Spectacle elements do help, sometimes, but with ANNIE it won't matter. This is the proper time for a revival. If it is done well, people will come see it and enjoy it. That'll be enough to get it through one year. Then cast names if you need to.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 5/27/12 at 11:48pm

Last I heard, if they didn't get the big name they wanted for Hannigan (and they didn't) they were hoping for a big name for Warbucks, but with time winding down they might go with a different route.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 12:04am

"You can have a successful production that doesn't have spectacle. Case-in-point right now is PETER AND THE STARCATCHER."

Not to be a negative Nelly, but as of right now it still remains to be seen whether Peter and the Starcatcher will be remembered as successful, at least on financial terms. While its business has been picking up, as of last week it still hasn't cracked 50% of its gross potential and its average ticket price over the entire run so far is $52.71. While I wouldn't say the writing is on the wall yet, as it has been making some small improvements in the past few weeks, it wouldn't be all that shocking if they don't make it past Labor Day.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 6:50pm

I still say make Annie fly over the audience and you'll have a hit.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 10:33am

I'd rather see a flying Sandy. The people in the orchestra would be sitting there wondering "When was that dog last fed?" Now that's entertainment!

Updated On: 5/29/12 at 10:33 AM

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 10:51am

Someone like Sieber may not be a ticket-selling tourist "name" but he is an industry name that brings a lot of respect and tony nominations. It seems Lapine and company are trying to show the theatre/Broadway community that they're not just throwing Paris Hilton and Mario Lopez up on stage in a ho-hum production just to sell tickets. I think the shows they're treating the piece in a way to get a well directed and acted show instead of "come see Annie with McKensie Phillips!"

[Jon]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:24am

Billy Zane!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:40am

Has there every been a big 'name' Daddy Warbucks in a stage production of ANNIE?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:48am

I stand by my endorsement of Danny Burstein for Daddy Warbucks, though I have a feeling it's not the type of role he's interested in playing after the career breakthrough he's had with FOLLIES. Seiber would be a strong choice as well, and would certainly be different from the mold of how the part is traditionally cast (much like Katie Finneran is for Hannigan.)

I'm more curious if Lapine is going to depart from the image of the character as bald. That seems like the type of bold choice he would make in attempting to differentiate this production from the imagery related to the show that's come before it.

Updated On: 5/29/12 at 11:48 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:53am

Has there every been a big 'name' Daddy Warbucks in a stage production of ANNIE?

Anthony Warlow.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 12:06pm

"I'm more curious if Lapine is going to depart from the image of the character as bald. That seems like the type of bold choice he would make in attempting to differentiate this production from the imagery related to the show that's come before it."

Doubtful, given Warbucks's distinctive bald image in the comic strip.

Updated On: 5/29/12 at 12:06 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 12:06pm

Are we sure we are calling Anthony Warlow a big name?

I second or third whoever mentioned that whoever they cast as Warbucks, its going to be a tall actor. Several mentioned in this thread would be great but are likely too short for the usual aesthetic they go for. All the adults in ANNIE are usually cast with actors on the tall side

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 12:14pm

"Doubtful, given Warbucks's distinctive bald image in the comic strip."

Well if we're going by the comic strip, then they need to cast a blind Annie, beacause she didn't have any eyes.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 12:27pm

I think Harve Presnell was a pretty big name, at least in the Broadway community. I think he took over from Reid Shelton.

[keb2]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 12:28pm

Rod Gilfrey was mentioned a few days ago, but looking at his calendar, I do believe he is engaged to teach at USC in the fall again.
Rod Gilfry's website