Broadway's New ANNIE Revealed - It's 11 Year Old Lilla Crawford!

[Rob]

Click Here to Read Broadway's New ANNIE Revealed - It's 11 Year Old Lilla Crawford!

[jacobsnchz14]

http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/117703/Lilla-Crawford

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Neat, I guess?

[newintown]

I was so rooting for 30 year old Naomi Beckerman.

[goodoneinlou2]

Watch your back honey, keep those other orphans in check! This show has a long history of firing those who are originally chosen for the title roll.

Actually, congrats to her!

[ggersten]

Belting at nine and 11....
When she was nine

[ChildrenwillListen]

She is a cutie

[voteforsaraberry]

She's adorable! I think she'll be the perfect Annie. I can't wait to see the revival!

[newintown]

As pointed out, the odds are greatly against her being the Annie you see by the time this reaches NYC...

[Michael Bennett]

As long as Martin Charnin stays out of the mix, she should be okay...

[Reginald Tresilian]

Ha! The headline link to the BWW article left out a word, so it just reads "It's Old Lilla Crawford!"

[Almira]

I wish her well.

I was hoping with Lapine at the helm they'd find someone less "spunky." I honestly believe the best Annies have a touch of melancholy about them. McArdle had those sad soulful eyes that cut the sickening sweetness and tugged at your heart with hope that that little girl would find a home.

Still very early to tell. The only thing that interests me about this production is what Lapine will do the material.

Congratulations to Crawford.

[Phantom of London]

Indeed congratulations to Crawford.

But surely this is physical abuse to put a 11 year old child through 8 physical and mentally draining performances a week, doesn't a minor need a decent level of education? Is there no child labor laws? I assume Annie being the title role, it's a formidable role?

[Almira]

This is The United States.

We only "talk" about taking care of our children. If there is money to be made or fame to be garnered we call it "opportunity" and "preparation" for the "real" world.

[ggersten]

Wasn't McArdle 14 when she played Annie? There's a pretty cognitive and maturity difference between 11 and 14. A 14 year old should be able to convey more and different emotions.

[newintown]

Oh, right - I forgot how famous McArdle was for her range of expression and depth of emotional subtlety.

[Jordan Catalano]

Have they cast Sandy yet or will The Animal planet have a new reality show "The Search For The Next Sandy"?

[Michael Bennett]

Andrea McArdle was 13 during the Broadway run but I believe turned 14 by the time she finished up the run in London.

No Jordan, they are actually going to do it on ABC - Al Roker is hosting "The Search for Sandy" and I'm not even kidding.

[Trekkie2]

Am I the only one who was creeped out by that video of her singing "Gimme Gimme"? I mean, she sounds GREAT for a 9 year old, but something about it was way too "Toddlers and Tiaras". It just looked wrong.

[booth0882]

So will she be the first person to be cast as the original Annie in a Broadway Production and actually open on Broadway as Annie? So far Annies on Broadway are 0-2.

[TheatreDiva90016]

ANNIE starring Curly Sue!

[JohnyBroadway]

Will this be Joanna Pacitti all over again?

[TheGirlUpstairs]

I'm surprised that they aren't casting multiple kids to play the role a la Billy Elliot and Matilda. There's less dancing than Billy Elliot, but 8 shows a week seems like a lot for an 11 year old.

[RippedMan]

Does this mean that next year's Tonys will be a battle of the 11 year olds? Matilda vs Annie?

[sbflyfan]

Darn. I was keeping my fingers crossed for Janet Dacal!

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

Thousands of stage mothers weep.