Recycled musicals put bums on seats at QPAC, despite the fact they vary wildly in quality. Wicked, Sister Act … they just keep on recurring like some Nietzschean nightmare or eternal repetition.
But, wait a minute, occasionally they recycle a real classic. I am looking forward to Jesus Christ Superstar in June and now comes more good news – the perennially popular Annie returns to QPAC in December.
It helps if a musical has a good story – and this one is a bit Dickensian. Based on a popular comic strip, Annie tells the extraordinary story of a little orphan who ends up in the lap of luxury with Depression-era billionaire Oliver Warbucks.
Rescued from Miss Hannigan’s orphanage by the aforementioned Mr Warbucks (Daddy Warbucks to us), Annie asks the most powerful man in America to help her find her real mom and dad, and he agrees.
But the generous reward of $50,000 ( a lot of money almost 100 years ago) attracts the attention of con artists Rooster, Lily and the wicked Miss Hannigan, who hatch a plot to kidnap Annie and take the reward.
However – spoiler alert – this classic family musical has a happy ending.
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The musical opened on Broadway in 1977 and became a huge hit and got even wider attention when it was made into a film released in 1982. It was directed by the late great John Huston starring Albert Finney as Warbucks, Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, Tim Curry as Rooster and newcomer Aileen Quinn as Annie. What a cast!
Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live announced that the Brisbane season of the ever-popular Broadway stage musical Annie will play QPAC’s Lyric Theatre from December, following seasons at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre and Melbourne’s Princess Theatre.
Amanda Lea LaVergne, Matilda Casey and Anthony Warlow in the Sydney season of Annie. Photo: Daniel Boud
And Anthony Warlow returns as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, the role he has played twice before in Australia to great acclaim and in which he made his Broadway debut.
One of Australian theatre’s greatest leading men, Warlow recently wowed us as the cunning and charismatic lawyer Billy Flynn in the national tour of Chicago. And, of course, who can forget him in The Phantom of the Opera. Warlow is the equal of Albert Finney – and that’s saying something.
With a career spanning two decades, Debora Krizak will play Miss Hannigan. One of Australia’s most critically acclaimed leading ladies of musical theatre, Krizak has starred in shows such as Mel Brooks’ The Producers, A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and Billy Elliot. She has also played feature roles in John Frost and Opera Australia’s productions of Anything Goes and Cinderella.
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Rising star Mackenzie Dunn will play Lily St. Regis. She was terrific as Princess Fiona in the Australian tour of Shrek.
Keanu Gonzalez will step into the role of Rooster Hannigan after also recently playing Kenicke in Grease. Most recently seen in Australia in Jekyll and Hyde, Broadway actor Amanda Lea LaVergne will play the role of Grace Farrell.
Perhaps most exciting of all – for some people at least – is the fact that Greg Page will appear in his first musical theatre role. The original Yellow Wiggle will play President Roosevelt. A trained musician and accomplished vocalist, Page’s passion for performing began early, and he quickly became a household name as part of The Wiggles. During his time with the group, Greg co-created numerous hit songs, television series and live tours, helping to cement The Wiggles’ place as icons of children’s entertainment.
‘I’m so looking forward to finding the talented young Queensland actors who will play Annie and the orphans during the Brisbane season’
John Frost says he is “so excited that Anthony has agreed to return to play Daddy Warbucks, the role that took him to Broadway during the last Australian tour of Annie”.
“And what a joy to welcome Deb Krizak, Mackenzie Dunn and Keanu Gonzalez back for another Crossroads Live show, and to cast Amanda Lea LaVergne in her first Australian tour and Greg Page in his first musical,” Frost says.
“I’m so looking forward to finding the talented young Queensland actors who will play Annie and the orphans during the Brisbane season. Annie is one of the most delightful and inspiring musicals of all time, and I know Brisbane will enjoy seeing the sun come up on it again.”
Annie is one of the most awarded and loved musicals, with its iconic score featuring classics such as It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Tomorrow, Easy Street and N.Y.C.
With a book and score written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, it was based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, which debuted in 1924 and ran for more than 80 years.
The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin), the New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical and a Grammy for Best Cast Show Album.
After the initial Broadway run of almost six years it has played in more than 22 countries worldwide.
And now it’s back and, recycled or not, that’s something to celebrate.
Tickets for the Brisbane season are on sale from May 6. Waitlist at anniemusical.com.au