The musical had its world premiere in August 1976 at the Goodspeed Opera House, with Kristen Vigard in the title role. She was replaced by Andrea McArdle, who would go on to originate the role on Broadway in 1977.
Annie won the 1977 Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as a Best Actress Award for original Miss Hannigan Dorothy Loudon. It ran 2,377 performances, closing in January 1983.
Over the next 35 years, the show would go on to enjoy multiple national tours and stagings in London and countries all over the world. It was revived on Broadway in 1997, in a production starring Nell Carter.
There have been two attempts at stage sequels: Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge opened in 1989 at the Kennedy Center, and Annie Warbucks ran for 200 performances at the Off-Broadway Variety Arts Theatre in 1993.
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The new revival began previews at the Palace Theatre Oct. 3.
Annie will star two-time Tony Award winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie. The musical that gave the world the songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" is based on the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," about a billionaire who adopts an orphan in Depression-era New York.
Brynn O'Malley (Wicked, Hairspray) will play Grace Farrell, Daddy Warbucks' devoted personal secretary; Clarke Thorell (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) will be Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan's crooked brother; and J. Elaine Marcos (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line) will be Lily St. Regis, Rooster's floozy girlfriend.
Opening night is Nov. 8.
The orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie, Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly and Jaidyn Young as standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Ryan Kasprzak, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe and Ryan VanDenBoom.
Annie, the Tony Award-winning 1977 musical by composer Charles Strouse, lyricist Martin Charnin and book writer Thomas Meehan (who all won Tonys for writing the show), will be directed by three-time Tony Award winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler.
For tickets, call (877) 250-2929 or visit Ticketmaster.com.
Visit AnnieTheMusical.com.
