What was wrong with the new Annie Revival??

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:28pm

In February, I saw the new Annie revival. I absolutely loved it... I liked it so much I went to go see it again a couple weeks ago for the 2nd time. I've seen people bad mouthing it on this site and am wondering why. The only problem I had with this show was the lack of choreography with the orphans but thats pretty much it... WHAT WAS SO BAD ABOUT IT?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:31pm

People bad mouth everything on here. If you take them seriously you wont get out alive.

[behindthescenes2]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:34pm

just two words: James Lapine.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:38pm

"People bad mouth everything on here. If you take them seriously you wont get out alive."

You seem to get out perfectly fine every single day! In fact, you return for more every time.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:39pm

^ you both do. Personally, having not been able to see it, I know my problem was Annie having an accent. Why?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:48pm

People don't like the show cause its a mess. Simple

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 6:31pm

It wasn't as good as the original production I never saw and can never see again.

[jackieoh]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 6:53pm

I was expecting very little when I went to see it but ended up enjoying it very much. The accents were a questionable creative choice but I loved the choreography, the story book set, and the cast. Lilla Crawford has a very bright future and this won't be the last we hear from her. She has incredible stage presence.

Oh wait, I just remembered... The way they chose to portray Lily was archetypal and offensive. I can't believe it wasn't fixed in previews, especially since I have heard the same complaints about the character from so many people.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 6:58pm

So, Bway Guy, you chastise the board for trashing everything, then two posts later you trash it -- and with no specifics. Yes, the problem is "the board".

[mb87]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 7:23pm

The accents and choreography [or lack thereof] seems to be the biggest problem with the show.

Lilla Crawford is fantastic in it, and as a previous poster mentioned she will definitely have a broadway career ahead of her. I'm just sad she won't be taking the role on the tour.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 7:31pm

Cue goldenboy calling this production an abortion in 3-2-1.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 6:16pm

It was one of the okay-est shows I've ever seen. I didn't think there was anything particularly wrong with Finneran, except that she didn't milk it nearly as much as she could. The main problems I had were the cartoonish NY accents, the bizarre, racist Lily St. Regis, and the fact that the brilliant Brynn O'Malley has been directed to play Grace as a prissy bitch.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:01pm

Dramamama: No offense or anything but I can't take anything you say seriously anymore after your Lea Michele confession. The credibility you SORTA had went completely down the toilet.

Anyway Back on topic: Annie fell into the trap of what most revivals fall into.. It didn't have a new take on the piece. It was just..ANNIE. Nothing was added from another angle and nothing was inspired that warranted a Revival. Just like the phantom movie and the Into the woods revival.

Headband enters from stage left in 3..2..



Updated On: 6/22/13 at 07:01 PM

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:28pm

"Dramamama: No offense or anything but I can't take anything you say seriously anymore after you're Lea Michele confession. You're credibility went completely down the toilet."

Because you have a different opinion..?

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:28pm

*your

[ArtMan]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:31pm

I completely agree, Broadway Guy. I saw it with Jane Lynch and only paid $40. I enjoyed it. But without Jane, I would have thought average at best. Nothing new was added to it. It's how I felt about the A Chorus Line revival from a few years ago.

Updated On: 6/22/13 at 07:31 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:33pm

Hmmm...maybe. I didn't hate Annie..I just didn't love it.

But in a way, it did have a new take ^^ - just not a good one. They decided to make it grittier and more Noo Yawk - but the accents were more annoying than effective.

They decided to eliminate the "famous, well known" choreography and create new stuff - which for the most part was dull and disappointing. I thought the orphans were charming - but I don't think the choreography did them any favors. I personally hated that little Emily Rosenfeld was running around in "Ms. Hannigan's huge bra" (which was obviously not even accurate, since Katie wasn't even slightly the same size as the garment). I mean kids are sexualized enough today - why couldn't they just leave the kids with some amazing dancing and acting instead of a stupid gimmick?

I liked the new set - the storybook turning the page was pretty effective. But I really missed the gorgeous Christmas tree instead of new electric one. Some sets worked better than others. But you can tell that the set was not as "rich" as the original one, which is pretty common in revivals - everything seems to be put together to save money.

Lily was awful - not the performance, the direction..... Katie was just not my vision of Ms. Hannigan...I thought Grace was pretty blah (but I have to say I liked her so much better when I saw it again 6 months after the first time)...a lot of it felt a little empty.

That said, Anthony Warlow was probably the best Daddy Warbucks I have ever seen, Lilla was probably the closet Annie to Andrea McArdle - not a cute little cookie-cutter Annie but one with substance...and definitely talented. The relationship Lilla and Anthony developed on stage was fabulous. Oh and the orchestra was amazing. The music sounded GREAT. I have musician family and friends - so that element is always important to me.

Anthony, Lilla and the music were worth the price of my admission. I have seen Annie more than once in spite of its faults...and I probably will go again when Jane leaves to see Faith.




Updated On: 6/22/13 at 07:33 PM

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 7:51pm

"Because you have a different opinion..?"

Yep. I am of the opinion that if Lea Michele played Sally in Cabaret I am ALMOST POSITIVE that i wouldn't start crying over something so small. Call me crazy...

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 9:43pm

I would GLADLY call you crazy. Ya crazy. Ya all sorts of crazy.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 9:46pm

[Kad]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 9:48pm

"Dramamama: No offense or anything but I can't take anything you say seriously anymore after your Lea Michele confession. The credibility you SORTA had went completely down the toilet."


You once had to "take a couple hours off here cause [you] just have a headache from worrying about the sanctity of ITW."

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 9:57pm

I never "confessed" anything. It was a pretty blatant distate for the possibility of Lea Michele being cast in a show I consider to be my favorite.

And, truth be told, I could care less if you find me credible at all.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 10:00pm

You mean, you're going to continue posting here after a troll questioned your credibility?

You're a brave woman.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 10:03pm

I mean. It's fair to call broadway baby a "troll" now, right? It's become pretty obvious.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 10:04pm