Breaking News: Two-Time Tony Award Winner Katie Finneran is Miss Hannigan in ANNIE!

Late-breaking pre-holiday news -- Two-time Tony Award® winner Katie Finneran (Promises, Promises, Noises Off) will star as Miss Hannigan in the new production of ANNIE, the Tony Award-winning classic musical. ANNIE opens November 8 at the Palace Theatre (1567 Broadway at 47th Street). Previews begin October 3.

“Miss Hannigan is one of the great musical comedy roles and I cannot wait to play her, in all of her deliciously evil glory,” Finneran said. “I played Hannigan in my parents’ living room when I was eight years old and the chance to play her in this new Broadway production is a dream come true.”

“I couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Katie to the ANNIE family,” commented producer Arielle Tepper Madover. “She has the comedic timing, the talent and the voice to not only follow in the footsteps of those that have played the role before her but undoubtedly create a Miss Hannigan of her own.”

ANNIE features music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan, based on the newspaper character “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold Gray. The new production of ANNIE is directed by three-time Tony Award®-winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award®-winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

Katie Finneran received Tony®, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in the recent Broadway revival of Promises, Promises, as well as Tony®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in the Broadway revival of Noises Off. She was last seen on stage in the New York Philharmonic’s production of Company. Her previous Broadway credits include Mauritius, Cabaret, The Iceman Cometh, Neil Simon’s Proposals, The Heiress, In the Summer House, My Favorite Year, Two Shakespearean Actors and On Borrowed Time. Off-Broadway, she has appeared in Love, Loss, and What I Wore, You Never Can Tell, Pig Farm, Arms and the Man, Bosoms and Neglect, A Fair Country, Edith Stein and the Encores! production of Li’l Abner. Finneran made her London debut in the West End production of Fuddy Meers. She has appeared regionally at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Ahmanson Theatre, and Hartford Stage. On television, Finneran starred this past season on Fox’s series “I Hate My Teenage Daughter.” Her previous television appearances include her roles on “The Inside,” “Wonderfalls,” “Bram and Alice,” “Frasier” and “Oz.” Her film appearances include Baby on Board, Broken Bridges, Firehouse Dog, Miss Congeniality 2, Bewitched, You’ve Got Mail, Liberty Heights, Night of the Living Dead and the recently released film version of the New York Philharmonic’s Company.

Eleven-year-old Lilla Crawford (Billy Elliot) will star as Annie, with Emily Rosenfeld as Molly, the littlest orphan; Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, the next-to-littlest orphan; Junah Jang as Tessie, the cry-baby orphan; Georgi James as Pepper, the toughest orphan; Madi Rae DiPietro as July, the quietest orphan and Taylor Richardson as Duffy, the biggest orphan. Jaidyn Young will be the standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. Richardson will understudy the role of Annie.

Additional casting will be announced in coming weeks.

Group tickets for ANNIE are now on sale. Contact Nederlander Sales & Patron Services at 212-840-3890/800-714-8452 or email nygroups@nederlander.com for details.

The original production of ANNIE opened April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). The show was one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the 1970s, running for almost six years and playing 2,377 performances.

The score for ANNIE includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow”.

The creative team includes scenic design by Drama Desk Award-winner David Korins, costume design by Tony Award-winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by two-time Tony Award-winner Donald Holder and sound design by Tony Award-winner Brian Ronan. Music director is Todd Ellison. Hair and wig design is by Tom Watson. Casting is by Telsey + Company. Animal training is by Tony Award-winner William Berloni.

ANNIE will be produced on Broadway by Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger Horchow, Sally Horchow, Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Debbie Bisno, Stacey Mindich, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Jane Bergère/Daryl Roth and Eva Price/Christina Papagjika.