There are some ANGRY queens on this thread... Ive seen the show 2 times and loved every second of it. Its exactly what it should be... with seemless transitions, inventive sets and costumes... and the cast is sensational! Definitely gonna sweep for Best Revival at the tonys! woohooooo! Katie is amazing. Lilla is a dream. Warlow nails it. GO SEE IT!
Ummm. No offense, but just because some people didn't enjoy it and you did does not make them "angry queens." You really need a reality check if you think the posts people made on here are "unfair" or something.
And once again, another brand new poster joins the forum TODAY specifically to chime in on this disjointed, misdirected production... Of course that's only my humble opinion, and one no one need agree with. That's the beauty of these forums...you get to read many different opinions, one no more valid from the next. Embrace it and stop the shameless shilling!
"Many of us have seen the original Annie which was perfect musical theatre. So when it's revived, we would like it to equal the thrill and the integrity of the original.
So many revivals do not do that. Bye Bye Birdie with Gena Gershon comes to mind: The last overly praised but in my opinion misguided La Cage: that abysmal Fiddler on the Roof starring Harvey Fierstein and first Alfred Molina; Zorba with Anthony Quinn; On a Clear Day with Harry Conick; So many missed opportunites trying to improve on perfection or near perfection.
James Lapine is a director who tends to be overly serious. Making Annie overly serious concerns me. The choice of Lapine as a director of Annie concerns me. So does giving the orphans Newsies accents. Trying to improve on the Peter Genarro choreography also gives one pause and from testimonies here is not up to par.
Perhaps I should stay home and relish the memory of the original which was theatre perfection. When a revival comes.. we all have great hopes that are often dashed. No I haven't seen this production but I am often disappointed by revivals.
I always think of that great melanie song 'Look what they've done to my song Ma.'"
People don't and won't ever understand, until one of these 'revisals' kills their favorite musicals. Until then, I guess we're just the whiney geezers, the purists, who want that old museum piece because it's what came first. Uuuum...yeah. Sure.
Saw Annie last night. I enjoyed it. I think it is a great modern approach to the show. Lilla was perfect. My only complaint would have to be the New York accents. It is not necessary and they go in and out with a British sounding accent.
Saw it last night. Thank God for Anthony Warlow. The guy pretty much saves the show. Lila Crawford is a fine Annie and has great chemistry in her scenes with Warlow. The orchestra and orchestrations sound terrific. The orphans are cute. What prevents the show from being a top notch revival is Kate Finneran’s Hannigan and Andy Blankenbueler’s unimaginative choreography. Finneran looks and acts like a cross between a sloshed Norma Desmond and the crazed Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Also, someone should should inform Elaine Marcos that Priscilla left the Palace a while ago and she can drop the ping pong ball shtick.
The entire segment was interrupted by breaking Sandy news. Anyone on the west coast manage to record the special? Andrea McArdle looked great from the brief bit I saw.
I too saw the show last night and thought Lilla and Anthony and Brynn were fantastic. Confused by the character of Lily. Not sure what she is going for. Hannigan is tough role. That was my take away. Not sure Kate nailed it, but didn't hate her either. It's clear she is a huge talent. Just kept wanting to see someone older in the role. Maybe that would have given it the desperation feeling it needed. From what I remember from seeing the original, when Hannigan comes on to all the guys (the laundry guy, Warbucks) it came off as CREEPY. Here I thought she looked halfway decent and was just a drunk!
I was disappointed by the set of the orphanage and the choreography in Hard Knock. Just didn't stick out at all. Glad they left Tomorrow with just Annie and Sandy.
One number that totally came together for me was Herbert Hoover. It was clear, fun, and made an impression. I loved Warbucks mansion too. Thought the storybook-ness of it was very sweet.
Other standouts are the tap number at the end, the Christmas tree effect, the waltz with Daddy and Annie, and the powerhouse of Lilla. Echoes of the original (and damn close) although I could have done without the accent. Also don't need the overture. It was like waiting for the start of something and then waiting again. Just doesn't add anything in my opinion.
I saw the Katie Couric show today and Annie was on it. Lilla is absolutely amazing! She gave me goosebumps when she sang and she's such a poised, well-spoken girl. Wow! Andrea and Aileen looked great!
Just watched preview and am amazed how bad Finneran looks and acts...her voice is awful in this clip and way to over the top...Daddy Warbucks thank uou for coming from Australia...he is great and so is the little girl...Just do not get what Miss Hannigan she is going for...looks and above all sounds awful
Is Finneran choosing to sing flat, or is she losing her voice? I saw an early preview and I was really impressed with her strong vocals, but I went last week, and she sang all of Little Girls really, really flat. Maybe she was having an off night, but she sounds kinda weird in that clip too.
Just watched the preview...really was expecting more...from Lilla at least...Kate Finneran sounded blah...understudy material...Is it weird that I think Rosie could have done A LOT more with the role?
The production as a whole looks pretty "meh" - especially the set design. When I heard this was playing the Palace, I imagined a lush and lavish revival with big and beautiful sets. The set looks pretty generic and bare. Katie Fineran just looks and sounds lost. Not what I imagined this production being like.
I love Katie Finneran and also don't think she's miscast. I think she's having a very tough time getting there. Sadly, she may not. Katie, don't give up!
That has to be the worst Easy Street I've ever seen. What the hell is that choreography...looks like every other high school staging on YouTube. No, wait, that does a disservice to those kids. This is worse. Please -- lift Gennaro's vaudeville choreography and call it a day!
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joined:5/27/12
Posted: 10/29/12 at 12:10pm