BWW Reviews: ANNIE Finds a Home at Saenger

It's funny how some things never grow old. While a rendition of "Tomorrow" won't stop the presses, it still provokes heart melting awes, especially if it is sung by a plucky orphan girl. Perhaps this is why the Saenger Theatre saw great success with their production of "Annie," as part of their Nola Broadway series.

Truly this is one of the best productions I have seen at the Saegner, and there are plenty of good reasons for the Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin musical's success. First, the musical "ANNIE" is considered to be a timeless classic in the Broadway canon. Over the course of its existence, "ANNIE" has won the Tony Award for Best Musical, and was made into several film adaptations. It has never really been out of circulation and one day, the musical will beat the 80-year-run of the original comic "Little Orphan Annie." People just adore the little redhead and will never tire of seeing her.

The story takes place in the 1930's with the country suffering from a deep financial depression. While the politics and references of the Great Depression most likely went over the heads of the younger audience members, they still received a sense of hope, for "ANNIE" is a story of wish fulfillment and childhood optimism. Annie lives in a Dickensian orphanage under the cruel rule of Miss Hannigan, a disillusioned villainess who hates children and has a fondness for drink. Annie is an eternal optimist, convinced that the parents who abandoned her years ago will turn up and reunite them as a family. Meanwhile, the world's richest man, Oliver Warbucks, has decided to have his secretary find an orphan who will spend the Christmas holiday with him in his 5th Avenue mansion. At the same time, Miss Hannigan's no-good brother Rooster and his companion Lily show up and all three are soon dreaming of "Easy Street."

In order for "ANNIE" to really shine, you need a strong ensemble, and director Martin Charnin (the original lyricist of the show) has mounted a memorable production with an accomplished group of characters. Issie Swickle is sweet and sincere as Annie, and is heart-warming when standing on Daddy Warbucks feet. Gilgamesh Taggett plays a lovable billionaire who learns that having money doesn't mean you have everything. Ashley Edler plays a kind-hearted Grace who, if Annie were permitted to have a mother, would fit the bill. It would be remiss of me not to mention Allan Barker who created a version of President FDR that left a lasting impression on me with what he brought to an often lackluster character.

The rest of the cast gives equally multi-faceted performances. Lynn Andrews is delightfully over-the-top as the monstrous Miss Hannigan while Garrett Deagon's Rooster and Lucy Werner's Lily are equally loathsome. The delightfully balanced ensemble delivers vivid character work and warm comedy as the swanky mansion staff, swirling around the delighted Annie during "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here," and creating the comic radio studio bustle of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile."

And what is Anne without her loyal furry companion? Two rescue dogs named Macy and Sunny steal the show alternating the role as Annie's dog, Sandy. Which dog performed which night is hard to say, but with the amount of awes in the audience, it is safe to say she stole the show. Finally, the orphans are enthusiastic and spontaneous, a reminder that dreaming about tomorrow doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy today.

Among the adults in the audience, it's a safe gamble that nearly everyone knows the story and music, either from the original 1977 production, its revival in 1997, or its film version, released in 1982. We have our expectation of how Annie will look and how Miss Hannigan will talk. The greatest accomplishment for Charnin is that he gets so much personality and nuance from each actor that, in less talented hands, might be reduced to caricature. Ultimately, what audiences love about Annie's story is that having wealth, while undeniably fabulous, pales next to having a family, and that message shines as Annie finally finds a home in the arms of her new, loving father.

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