Theater Review: Get reacquainted with ‘Annie’– a seasoned ensemble keeps the sunny musical fresh
By Heather Parish
The latest touring company of the perennially sunny “Annie” made a quick stop at Fresno’s Saroyan Theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday. While some may find the long-lasting musical eye-roll-worthy, they missed out on this round. This is a seasoned touring cast doing exceptional work in making a play we all think we know feel fresh and contemporary — without too much tinkering.
Pictured above: Hazel Vogel as Annie, with Kevin as Sandy, in the musical ‘Annie.’ Photo by Matthew Murphy
Famously based on a long-running comic strip (1920s through the ’60s) about a plucky orphan and her adoptive billionaire, the musical was originally produced in 1977 amid a downturn in American hopefulness. Gas prices were through the roof, crime waves swept through cities, smog was at its worst, union and government corruption was rampant, feminism was losing ground to Phyllis Schlafly, and everyone still had a hangover from the war in Vietnam. (Sound familiar?)
No wonder “Annie” won nine Tonys that year. When its competition was “Beatlemania” and “The Act,” a less cynical shot of entertainment could feel like a balm. And it is. “Annie,” as performed by this troupe, is less saccharine and more skeptical than folks might give it credit for.
A contemporary ensemble in a fresh production
The production, directed by Jenn Thompson, has a stylish, modern design, picking up enough period detail and balancing it with a contemporary sensibility. The scenic design by Wilson Chin locks the action into an iron proscenium reminiscent of the trusses under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Lighting based on a design by Philip S. Rosenberg gives the New York action a modern-noir vibe. The choreography by Patricia Wilcox blends classic jazz and tap with elements of contemporary hip hop and K-Pop moves. And beautifully fitted costumes by Alejo Vietti are dreamy. Pulled together, the atmosphere has an up-to-the-minute feel.
As Annie, Hazel Vogel steers clear of a one-note Pollyanna-ish performance with a crystal-clear voice and her particularly adept way with a sarcastic one-liner. Christopher Swan’s (as Oliver Warbucks) scenework with Vogel only strengthens her performance. Together, their “Something was Missing” is truly touching. His Warbucks is gruff, take-charge, even a touch ruthless. But he’s not withholding, which gives his character a foundation for a softening heart. As Grace, a sparkly Julia Nicole Hunter is full of warmth and has a stand-out voice in numbers like “Annie” and “NYC.”
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The orphan troupe works together seamlessly in their scenes. “It’s a Hard Knock Life” is as rousing and tough as it should be, no holds barred. These girls are definitely a little more spice than sugar. Collectively they create a single character through which we come to know Annie’s world and experiences. They also boast some terrific voices and acting chops themselves. Olive Ross-Kline (as Molly) and Aria Valentina Aldea (as Pepper) have some bright moments distinguishing themselves from the collective, and Nora West’s (as Duffy) voice soars at some pivotal moments in act two. All six of them brought something special to the table.
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As is the case with any production of “Annie”, the leaven in the lump is Miss Hannigan. Here Stephanie Londino deploys broad camp, slyness, and just enough sexual desperation to keep things interesting. She makes a lot of big choices for the comedy in “Little Girls” and “Easy Street,” which mostly pay off. Her “Little Girls” performance was at times off-kilter and off-tempo, but just when I wondered if she had made a mistake, she gets right back in time and delivers an expression, a gesture or a note reminiscent of Carol Burnett. Her Miss Hannigan is both original and familiar. No small feat.
Completing the scene is an ensemble of tremendous talent filling out the stage to its fringes. The team of maybe a dozen actors cleverly moves in and out of multiple characters, whirling around each other to make it seem like the stage is more populated than it is. They project the energy and the sound of an ensemble twice their size and look gosh darn good doing it. “We’d Like to Thank You” is a powerful piece of political commentary that rarely gets its due. The ensemble delivers it impeccably.
As expected, the singing in the show is powerful, and at times the sheer number of impressive belts hit my inner ear and gave me a bit of vertigo. (Although, that may have been the sound in the Saroyan? I am not knowledgeable enough to know.) And props go out to Kevin, as Sandy, who got the biggest ovation of the night.
More than anything, this touring company proves that “Annie” is as interesting a show as it ever was for both kids and adults.
A century of Little Orphan Annie
As for the material: The Little Orphan Annie of 100 years ago was a deeply conservative – and contradictory – construct by libertarian cartoonist Harold Gray. She was a juggernaut of American can-do attitude and deeply skeptical of American institutions, especially Roosevelt’s New Deal. During World War II, her character inspired youthful do-gooders called the Junior Commandos to collect scrap metal for the cause while Daddy Warbucks became a war profiteer. She was known as a “friend to all,” welcoming Black children into the Junior Commandos. But a month later, she looks the other way while Warbucks apparently orders the lynching of evil-doers.
Little Orphan Annie has always been a lot darker, a lot more political, and a lot more tinged with sex and violence than people noticed.
During the recession in 1977, which mimicked the Great Depression in several ways, a little “Orphan Annie” was needed. But she got a makeover. Musical creators Strouse, Charnin and Meehan recast the story of Annie with more sympathy for the poor and abused, and less truck with those who are out for themselves. They cast her as more of a David Copperfield or Oliver Twist, with an engaging backstory. And, of course, they cast the goals of the New Deal in a much more palatable flavor, given that it helped many (not all) Americans toward prosperity for several decades.
Subsequent iterations of “Annie” (two books, four films, three new cartoon strips), have riffed off of this flexibility and created multiple versions of Little Orphan Annie. And so, after 48 years of “Annie, the musical,” I am beginning to think of it as one of those shows everyone thinks they know, but they probably don’t.
Optimism for today
On the surface level, “Annie” doesn’t always have a great look for the 2020s. Trying to humanize a billionaire who has easy access to federal resources, influences heads of government, and is now trying to adopt an 11-year-old girl is — as they say — a bit cringe. But only to those who think they know “Annie.”
What the musical does so successfully is reinvent the right-wing narrative of its originator by framing the issues of the impoverished humanely, speaking well of bipartisan connections and federal aid to all, and even positing that a ruthless billionaire might grow a heart if he simply believes the experience of a resilient and brave individual.
“Annie” is optimism in its concentrated form, the kind attended by dark realities but tempered with kindness and humanity. It can be hard to see in 2025 when, as FDR’s cabinet points out in act two, there are crises everywhere including economic instability, environmental decay, crime, homelessness, and a looming threat of fascism.
However, “Annie” shows us that by being a friend to all and focusing on the very next day, we may have a shot at seeing the sun again.
