ANNIE at PPAC is a Delightful Dose of Nostalgia

It's always nerve-racking to revisit a show as an adult that was so important to you as a kid. I can't even count how many times I saw the movie ANNIE as a kid; and it also holds the place in my memory of being the first touring Broadway musical I ever saw. So this production playing at PPAC through February 5th has some big shoes to fill, but I'm happy to report that the exceptional cast, classic songs and fantastic sets made this a magical night. All the favorite songs and scenes are comforting and exciting, and watching with adult eyes made this feel new but still resonant.

ANNIE is an 11-year-old orphan who lives with a few other girls in an orphanage run by child-loathing, gin-swilling Miss Hannigan (Stefanie Londino) during The Depression. Despite not remembering the parents who dropped her off as a baby, she never loses hope that they're going to come back for her. Through a seemingly-random turn of events, Annie has the chance to spend Christmas with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, and the two of them find a new kind of family together.

The role of Annie is a big one for a young actor, and Ellie Rose Pulsifer is up for the challenge. Her voice is big and bright and she brings the perfect blend of sass and lovability to her role. What was particularly refreshing in her performance, was that she genuinely seemed to be having fun, as did the other orphans played by Riglee Ruth Bryson (Pepper), Bronte Harrison (Molly), Vivianne Neely (July), Izzy Pike (Kate), Kenzie Rees (Duffy) and Valeria Velasco (Tessie). It's always astonishing to see young actors with such talent, poise and skill, and this group works together so well it almost makes the orphanage seem fun.

Christopher Swan as Daddy Warbucks brings a grounded realness to a character that could easily seem cartoonish. He also has fantastic rapport with both Pulsifer's Annie and also Julia Nicole Hunter's Grace Farrell-his personal secretary/ romantic interest. Hunter gets to wear some of the most beautiful costumes in this production, and looks graceful and elegant in each one of them. Additionally, Harrison Drake, as Drake the butler has both a fantastic voice and some lovely bits of comic relief.

The costumes and sets for this production deserve a special shout-out as well. As mentioned earlier, Grace Farrell's costumes by Alejo Vietti are universally gorgeous, but also the house staff and Annie's various outfits were all bright, beautiful, and exciting to look at. The sets by Wilson Chin as well, though not incredibly elaborate, were so satisfying to see and prove that physical sets in live theatre will trump projections every time.

Overall, this is a thoughtful, well-executed show that had the audience singing along and jumping into standing ovation. Sometimes it's nice to slip into the familiar and feel like a kid again. I think you're gonna like it here.

ANNIE runs through February 5 at Providence Performing Arts Center. Tickets at ppacri.org.

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