Good review of current production + Whoopi Goldberg as Ms. Hannigan
Michael Poteet
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/17/theater/annie-review-whoopi-goldberg.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jU4.jr0V.L4N3PMgVfM1f&smid=url-share
Tricia T
I went to see four performances of this production, and wrote some observations in great detail.
TLDR: I liked this production a lot! But if you've got an hour...I hope you enjoy reading my observations.
December 8 11am and December 8 5pm, 2024 and December 29 11am and December 29 5pm, 2024
The Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC — five week run of the Crossroads Live Tour.
None of the four performance I attended was a complete sell-out, although a couple were pretty close. This production handed out official Playbill programs.
I was in four audiences who did not know or abide by live theater etiquette. Because theaters now have to allow people to bring in food/beverage, the floor was sticky like an old movie theater — yuck. Latecomers who didn’t arrive until the show was underway. Not everyone applauded at the end of songs. There was a lot of getting up and walking up and down the aisles. Only one audience I was in really reacted properly to all the emotional bits, or to the second “oops, pardon me, doll.” Very little and not-so-little kids can’t sit through a long show, probably due to the reduced attention spans of this generation. I feel bad for parents who spent $138 for their child who wants to leave or falls asleep during the show.
The pre-show in the house at The Theater at Madison Square Garden played 1930s vintage Christmas music on the P.A. system which set the mood nicely. The 1999 TV movie soundtrack was played in the lobby. Fully stocked souvenir stand, which did a very good bit of business before and after each perf.
This is the first time I’ve seen this tour with its FULL scenery. The other times I have seen this tour, the stops were only 2 to 4 days in smaller theaters, so I liked seeing the full amount of set pieces. In N.Y.C., one of the hanging marquees states “Alvin Theatre,” (built in 1927 so that is not an anachronism) which provides an in-joke of the original home of Annie on Broadway in 1977. There is a classic NYC subway token emblem at the very top of the proscenium which is a a nice touch. I liked the scenery, lighting, costumes, and the sound balance was good.
I am still puzzled by the choice of the Brooklyn Bridge as the main Act curtain, since none of the action takes place in that borough. I think The Empire State or Chrysler Buildings would have been more logical choices.
I am still not a fan of the “new” orchestrations. The 10-piece orchestra was offstage since this theater does not have a traditional pit. Sitting on house right meant that I could hear both the “live” sound of the musicians on top of the amplified sound through the speakers, which created a sort of echo that I had to try to ignore.
I think there are excellent performances here: Hannigan (Stefanie Londino), Warbucks (Christopher Swan) (if he were only taller I would rate him near one of the best I’ve ever seen), Grace (Julia Nicole Hunter), Annie (Hazel Vogel).
Hannigan gets a lot of laughs in Scene 7 with Grace (“Annie’s not coming back here ever”/the scream).
Warbucks has a lot of line readings which got laughs in the right places, and equally affecting the audience with his sentimental admission of “I love you, Annie Bennett.” and the entire performance of “Something Was Missing.”
Annie’s singing and acting were excellent throughout. And she performed both the 11am and the 5pm performances in the same day with no loss of energy. (When I saw this tour the previous two occasions it was in NJ, and the understudy went on for one show; NJ child labor law?)
Rooster (Rhett Guter) and Lily (Isabella De Souza Moore) were both good. Rooster’s bio says he is also a magician, so I was impressed to see the full disappearing switchblade trick done. He played Rooster very menacingly.
Orphans were fine, but I personally don’t like when Pepper is not the tallest.
I was very disappointed when this tour stopped using Bill Berloni dogs, and in early 2024 the new dog wasn’t good, so I was prepared to be negative about Sandy. But Kevin the labradoodle was surprisingly very good and I liked all of his tail wagging — he was a happy dog. He came when called, and even jumped up on Annie at all four performances I saw. He executed the N.Y.C crossover properly and twice did a “downward dog” stretch as part of the crossover.
Did not like choreography in
Hooverville
Gonna Like It Here — especially high kicks by Warbucks’ staff. Seems too exuberant for them at this point in the story (before Warbucks addresses them as “my friends” late in Act II).
New Deal
Liked choreography in
N.Y.C. because this tour restores a lot of the original work, the counterpoint “not Chicago, Cincinnati...etc” is not done. I love the restoration of the policeman yelling, “Hey, keep it quiet out here!”
Easy Street
Fully Dressed
I think the Orphans do too much exaggerated mocking in their delivery of the contents of Annie’s note. It’s hard to understand what they are saying, and this is important exposition the audience needs to hear clearly.
I don’t like HKL performed in pajamas. It makes more sense to me if the Orphans put their “work clothes” on.
Hannigan in response to “that romance in life can live at 35 or after.” Changed to “merciful God I hope not,” instead of “I hope so.” Not sure why.
Annie definitely sings “stick OUT my chin” in Act I.
“Harpo…he didn’t say.” and “Babe Ruth…who’s she?” and “..she’ll be in the funny papers” all still get a laugh, although the older generations of audience who know all of the references made in the show are dying off, and younger audiences are going to have to Google all the names and places to get the jokes. “Every place else is Bridgeport” and “Just think…New Jersey” get really big laughs from a New York City audience. So does “…dishonest people on the isle of Manhattan.”/“Some of them were from the Bronx, miss.”
Oxydent Hour of Smiles: The Applause sign isn’t getting the desired response of audience participation anymore (see earlier comment of Attention Deficit and not knowing Theater Etiquette). At one performance, I was the only person in my area to applaud “on cue,” and someone two rows up turned around to look at me like I was being distracting. There is recorded applause to augment whatever feeble applause the live audience does. Maybe the Applause sign is just used too much, including intentionally upside down when Warbucks leaves in a huff. They also add a horn honk sound effect for Jimmy Johnson, but I don’t like that, because the gag is that he’s serious that’s he’s Radio’s Only Masked Announcer.
Line change: “This is Mrs. Healy’s son” instead of “Mrs. Healy’s boy, Bert.”
I think it should be a rule that Molly has to cartwheel at the end of her little tap break. However, the Orphans Fully Dressed high-kick line no longer gets applause like it used to in the old days.
“the jig is up” now changed to “your goose is cooked.” Wonder why? Is there something about “the jig is up” that isn’t Politically Correct to say anymore? Like how Hannigan can’t paddle Annie anymore?
One matinee audience had zero reaction to “oops, pardon me doll” repeat in Act II, and hardly any response to “I love you Annie Bennett”/“I love you too.” Those used to be moments when you could hear the audience “get the reveal” and make a collective “aww” sound.
Credit for having a proper 48-star flag as the backdrop in the Cabinet scene. Martin’s voice is still on the radio. The Cabinet actually sings “Tomorrow” in harmony before FDR says to do so in the tag reprise. Strange omissions: “riots” from “sit-down strikes, riots, floods, dust storms, and “a new concept” from the list of things the Cabinet suggests. It’s very hard to tell if they are singing “stick up my chin” or “stick out my chin.” At least Annie doesn’t obnoxiously correct FDR to say “up my chin” in the middle of the song as in past revivals. Her kiss on FDR’s cheek did elicit an “awww” from the audience every time.
One line not restored to original was “I haven’t waltzed since J.P. Morgan went bust.” (Original line was “I haven’t waltzed since the inauguration of William Howard Taft.”)
Interesting that the “Cheese” line does sort of get a laugh, even though it doesn’t make any sense. Somehow it works. But for me, I can only think of the backstage in-joke that probably should have been removed during the Original Broadway run.
The “Annie” song is performed in front of the same gold textured curtain which was also the backdrop to the Hour of Smiles. This facilities the full scene change. There is the interpolation of “We Got Annie” as heard on the Original Cast Album. Annie’s big red dress entrance also no longer gets spontaneous applause.
The piano underscoring continues too long after the Mudges enter, IMO. Rooster doesn’t “overact” enough to justify the “fresh ham” warning from Lily. Perhaps because he stayed intense and menacing throughout, especially with the line “…the rest of your life with us.” Scary!
IMO, the Mudges take a bit too long with the locket “fits perfectly.” Unlike the 1982 movie, the show is vague regarding the Mudges’ piece of locket, so the “fitting” needs to be really fast so that even Annie doesn’t realize that it’s a fake piece that doesn’t fit.
Another piece of business this production omits is Warbucks taking the check out of his pocket to show the Mudges but then starting to put it away. That gesture should be what triggers Rooster to say “on the other hand, Shirl…”
“Snow” falling behind the windows of the Mansion during the “Maybe” reprise — I haven’t seen that in a long time. That usually gets an audience murmur of recognition.
I don’t mind the added line by Hannigan to FDR,”I voted for you.” This production omits the business of Molly with her head in a box and picking her up and all that. The added line, “Eleanor can wait” gets a big laugh also. FDR also says “Right down the chimney” after the first verse of “New Deal.” Annie says, “What?!” in reaction to “you’ll have classrooms and teachers.”
Sandy was in a proper huge Christmas box at the end, and his tail was wagging when he popped out. And Annie does run back to Warbucks for a big hug at blackout.
Cast I saw for Dec 29 shows: Whoopi Goldberg as Miss Hannigan. 11am show: several understudies: regular FDR (Mark Woodard) was really good as Warbucks - regular Drake (Joel Newsome) not as good in performing as FDR - ensemble male (Lawrence E. Street) (African-American) very good as Bert Healy/Drake (did a nice growly delivery of “Mudge”) - adult (?) female swing as July. 5pm show: Regular Warbucks back in, but the rest of the 11am understudies performed.
WHOOPI-ISMS… I will admit I judge any name-above-the-title Hannigan (ex., Nell Carter, Jo Anne Worley, Sally Struthers) more harshly than I probably should. Overall, she was good. The audiences LOVED her, needless to say. Some of her bits actually did make me react, because they were things I had never seen before. She played Hannigan more menacing/ seriously/ intensely. Her singing was okay but certainly not up to par with the best Hannigans, but dancing almost non-existent. I would say that she was only about 80% on script as written. Since I saw two performances, I heard the same changed lines both times, so the deviations must be intentional; not just ad-libbing (although she did that too). Some changes maintained the integrity of the original thoughts, others were big deviations, and not appropriate, in my opinion.
Some other observations:
- Upon entering before HKL and blowing whistle: “who blew that whistle” with a drunken wobble
- Orphans hold up the dead mouse, she does not scream and the kids run off laughing. Instead, she pauses a beat, takes the mouse, BITES THE HEAD OFF, and says to the Orphans something like, “you are always talking about how hungry you are.” Of course both the Orphans and the audience have a grossed-out reaction. And the Orphans run off scared, instead of taunting and laughing.
- It’s possible that the musical key for “Little Girls” was changed to fit Whoopi’s vocal range, but I was not sure.
- Breaking the fourth wall to tell the audience, “that’s underwear” after “each little bloomer.”
- One performance mixed up the lyrics and sung: “some day I’ll straighten their freckles, some night I’ll step on their curls.”
- To Annie, “And the next time you smell fresh air, it will be nineteen-FIFTY-three.”
- To Grace, “I’ve got two weeks I could give, but I would be stepping on your toes.” (I didn’t like that one at all)
- To Grace, asks for a pen to sign the paper, then asks if she can keep it.
- On Grace’s return to the Orphanage, at the matinee she said “you’re late,” and at the evening show she said the correct line, “you’re early,” but didn’t say “only one week.”
- Instead of Hannigan’s big scream at hearing the wonderful news that Annie is going to be the daughter of a billionaire, she goes behind the door, and says, “Really, God, a Billionaire? You couldn’t drop a couple of bucks my way? Oh poo.” This fell completely flat; no audience reaction.
- To Lily, “What floor?” (instead of “which floor?”) And not as comically antagonistic as other actresses usually play it.
- In Easy Street, sings in the same octave/unison with Rooster
- in Easy Street reprise scene, takes a lot of pauses before delivery (trying to remember lines?) HUGE pause before screaming “HAAAALF” at Rooster and Lily
- When the Mudges are exposed, “I never seen these people before yesterday… And you know he don’t look like my family.” (the actor playing Rooster was White.)
- To Annie: “I never liked you anyway you little gold digger “ then started singing Gold Digger to the tune of Goldfinger from James Bond. I didn’t like that one at all.
- Curtain call reordered so Hannigan directly before before Annie (Warbucks waves for the orphans to come out in Rainbow Dresses, instead of Hannigan blowing whistle)
Michael Poteet
Hannigan biting the head off the mouse seems a bit much in my opinion. Is there any chance that the audience is supposed to think Hannigan is just doing a bit to scare the orphans? In other words, that the character doesn't really eat it? It still seems over the top even so, but could at least maybe be an understandable choice.