Online Encyclopedia Search Tool

Your Online Encyclopedia

 

Online Encylopedia and Dictionary Research Site

Online Encyclopedia Free Search Online Encyclopedia Search    Online Encyclopedia Browse    welcome to our free dictionary for your research of every kind

Online Encyclopedia



Annie

Annie is also the name of a popstar.

Annie is a musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The music is by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin , and the book by Thomas Meehan . Famous songs from the musical include "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life".

The story deals with a 10-year-old orphan girl named Annie, who is chosen to spend two weeks with billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks. Though cold and aloof at first, Warbucks comes to like the girl and eventually wants to adopt her. But Annie believes her parents are still alive. Warbucks then publicly announces that he will give a cash reward to her real parents. This prompts a plot to kidnap the girl by the embittered orphanage manager Miss Hannigan, Hannigan's brother Rooster, and his girfriend Lily.

The original Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on April 21, 1977 and ran for 2,377 performances. It starred Andrea McArdle , Reid Shelton , and Dorothy Loudon. It was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won 7, including Best Musical, Best Score , and Best Book .

The film version, made in 1982 by Columbia Pictures, starred Aileen Quinn , Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking , and Tim Curry. It was directed by John Huston, his first and only film musical.

A sequel to the 1982 film, Annie: A Royal Adventure! was made for television in 1995. The sequel starred Ashley Johnson, Joan Collins, George Hearn and Ian McDiarmid and involves an evil noblewoman's plot to blow up Buckingham Palace.

Two stage sequels later appeared, Annie II: Miss Hannigan's Revenge in 1990 and Annie Warbucks in 1993, and neither one was a huge hit.

A made-for-TV movie version appeared in 1999 starring Kathy Bates and Victor Garber. It was produced by The Walt Disney Company.

A Broadway revival in 1997 starred Nell Carter as Miss Hannigan, but controversy surrounded the casting of the titular character. The original girl cast, Joanna Pacitti , was dropped, and public sympathy went towards her. This incident, coupled with the rather mixed at best reviews the new staging garnered, doomed it to a short run.



Last updated: 11-06-2004 12:01:26