Martin Charnin Reveals He Still Hopes to Bring ANNIE WARBUCKS to Broadway

By: Nov. 07, 2014
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In an all-new interview with The Chicago Tribune, Martin Charnin, the director of the original production of Broadway's ANNIE and the man who wrote the lyrics to such classics as 'Tomorrow' and 'You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile', revealed that he still hopes to bring the 'Annie' sequel, titled ANNIE WARBUCKS to the Great White Way.

The production had its premiere at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, IL. Said Charnin of his hope of bringing the show to Broadway, "I was thinking it might be a kind of 'Nicholas Nickleby. On Monday night you'd see 'Annie." On Tuesday, you'd see 'Annie Warbucks.' Maybe you'd have to buy the pair."

He went on to explain the true goal behind the beloved musical. "Our show really is an introduction to the theater. That's basically our mission. The theater must live in the vocal cords and souls of young people. That's it."

Charnin, who is set to direct the new National Tour of ANNIE, arriving in Chicago on Nov. 18th, did not hold back on his opinion of the recent 2012 Broadway revival of the tale of America's favorite red-haired orphan. "It took the heart, the humor and the truth out of what we set out to do," he states resolutely. "I just was not going to let that production go out and represent 'Annie' to the world. Would you?"

Read the story in full here

Source: The Chicago Tribune

The Broadway musical ANNIE is based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years.

The show won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical tunes.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos



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