BWW Reviews: Bet You're Bottom Dollar That Tomorrow...You'll Love ANNIE

If you asked me to pick a musical I loved based on nostalgia alone, it would be, without a doubt, Annie. Probably for the same reason most theatre kids will tell you; it was the very first musical I was ever in. I was in 6th grade, and I played Kathy. You probably don't know this character- that's because she doesn't actually exist. She was an addition to the script's gaggle of 6 little orphans (I believe our production had 12).

Another factor (and a more common one, at that) on the nostalgia train is, undoubtedly, the movie. Whether the 1982 Carol Burnett classic, or the 1999 TV movie starring Audra McDonald, Kathy Bates, and Victor Garber (a personal favorite)- but definitely not the 2014 Jamie Foxx remake- Annie is one of those nostalgic musicals that will creep up on you and have you smiling or singing no matter how long you've gone without seeing it. Such is the case at Broadway in Austin's production at Bass Concert Hall.

Annie, based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, follows the spunky, red-headed orphan (Issie Swickle) as she leaves the run-down orphanage, supervised by the terrifying Miss Hannigan (Lynn Andrews), to spend Christmas with billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Gilgamesh Taggett) and his secretary, Grace Farrell (Ashley Edler). With music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charin, with a book by Thomas Meehan, the original production opened on Broadway in 1977, going on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Featuring Garrett Deagon as Rooster Hannigan, Lucy Werner as Lily St. Regis, and Hannah Slabaugh as the impressive star-to-be, the talent and energy of the cast is unparalleled. The orphans, all adorable of course, worked well together as an ensemble, despite their chemistry being a bit forced. My personal favorite, Tessie (played by Lillybea Ireland), earned her accolades, so to speak, in the rendition of "You're Never Fully Dressed without a Smile."

The highlight of the production, however, is undoubtedly Andrews' portrayal of Miss Hannigan. Her comedic timing, character acting, and on-stage personality steal the entire the show, hands down. Her rendition "Little Girls" rivals both Katie Finneran's and Jane Lynch's, who both recently performed in the role on Broadway.

An obligatory shout-out goes to Sunny, who also stole the show as the lovable dog Sandy. He, by far, received the most applause (from myself included), and oohs and ahhs from the adoring audience, though something tells me that was inevitable.

Despite some less-than-favorable creative changes (the iconic "NYC" number features Warbucks' team of staff tagging along, ridding the number of the hustle bustle of the city, and- costume designer I am not- Annie's poor wig for the first 3/4 of the production is quite unfortunate), Annie is the same musical we all know and love. With obvious (and in my opinion, much needed) changes from the 2012 Broadway revival, this is not the same production that ran through 2014 at the Palace Theatre. It is, however, better.

If you're looking for a first Broadway show for the kids, a first Broadway show for yourself, or a trip down memory lane- Annie is it. You'll leave with a smile, humming "Tomorrow," and "It's The Hard-Knock Life," which- if you ask me- is significantly better than going home and popping in this year's excuse for a remake.

Annie plays at Bass Concert Hall as part of Lexus' Broadway in Austin series through Sunday, April 26th. For tickets, visit texasperformingarts.org

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