Sunday Special: ANNIE Through the Ages
By: BWW Special Coverage Dec. 14, 2014
With ANNIE returning to the big screen this week, we've rounded up the musical's leading ladies -- both onstage and off -- since 1977!
After being pulled from the chorus into the spotlight, Andrea McArdle started it all in the late '70s on Broadway, followed by SEX AND THE CITY actress Sarah Jessica Parker (who knew?!), then Aileen Quinn in the first film adaptation in 1982, and eventually INTO THE WOODS' Lilla Crawford on the Great White Way in 2012, with the current reboot's Quvenzhané Wallis taking ANNIE's anthems into a new age.
Scroll down to learn more about all of ANNIE's bright stars! Will you be seeing the new movie in theaters? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
Her Annie: 1977 Original Broadway
About the Girl: McArdle was the original Broadway Annie. This Philadelphia native started out by starring in a number of commercials after being spotted by talent agents at a young age. Her big break came when she was pulled from the chorus during rehearsals to replace Kristen Vigard as the title role on Broadway. She became the youngest Tony Award nominee for Best Lead Actress in a Musical, but lost to her co-star Dorothy Loudon, who was playing Miss Hannigan. Since then, she has played the role of Miss Hannigan in regional performances twice, and has gone on star in such Broadway productions as Les mIserables, Starlight Express, Beauty and the Beast and State Fair.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Her Annie: 1979 Original Broadway Replacement
About the Girl: : Before SEX AND THE CITY, Parker was a Broadway baby. Parker started her Broadway career at age 11 in 1976, in the revival of THE INNOCENTS. Shortly following that, she played Annie on Broadway. Since then she has gone to star in a number of films and television series. Her most notable role has been the role of 'Carrie Bradshaw' in HBO's hit show SEX AND THE CITY. Her other Broadway credits include The Heidi Chronicles, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Once Upon a Mattress.
Her Annie: 1980 Original Broadway Replacement
About the Girl: You may not expect it, but one of the stars of NBC's hit drama THE WEST WING was once Annie in the original Broadway production. Since Annie, she has had a booming television career. Most notable, he has stared in KATE & ALLIE and THE WEST WING. She was also in the original Broadway production of EVITA. Other stage performances have included starring in the Los Angeles premiere production of David Mamet's "Oleanna", "QED" by Peter Parnell at The Mark Taper Forum opposite Alan Alda, and the musical "The Education Of Randy Newman" in which she played Randy Newman's first wife.
Her Annie: 1982 Movie
About the Girl: Since starring as the title role in the first film version of ANNIE (also starring Carol Burnett, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters) Quinn has starred in regional theatre productions such as THE WIZARD OF OZ, OLIVER, PETER PAN, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. She has also had several television appearances on Disney Channel, and has been in several films such as THE FROG PRINCE.
Her Annie: 1999 TV Movie
About the Girl: Morton took on the role in the 1999 Disney remake of the classic musical (also starring Victor Garber, Kathy Bates, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming, and Kristin Chenoweth). Before that, she was playing Young Cossette in the Broadway production of LES MISERABLES. After Annie, she appeared in several films including THE BIG HOUSE, MIRICLE RUN, and THE THIRST.
Her Annie: 2012 Broadway Revival
About the Girl: Before Annie, Crawford was in the closing cast of Broadway's BILLY ELLIOT and the Manhattan Concert Productions' version of RAGTIME at Avery Fisher Hall. She will soon be seen playing Little Red Riding Hood in the highly anticipated film version of INTO THE WOODS.
Quvenzhané Wallis
Her Annie: 2014 Movie
About the Girl: Wallis is at just the start of what is sure to be an exciting career. She was nominated for several awards for her role of Hushpuppy in the critically acclaimed film BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. Her film credits also include 12 YEARS A SLAVE and a short film called BONESHAKER. Her next project is a film titled FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS, which is currently in production.
Images: Andrea McArdle Photo Courtesy of Artist; Allison Smith Photo Courtesy of AnnieOrphans.com; Quvenzhané Wallis Photo Courtesy of Film's Facebook Page.
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