ANNIE Adds Additional January Performances at QPAC

Due to huge demand, new January performances have been added today for the Brisbane season of the new Australian production of the ever-popular Broadway musical Annie, which begins on 27 December at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC. Performances up until 25 January of Brisbane’s Blockbuster Summer musical have been released, ideal for a school holiday treat for the whole family.

This inspiring new Australian production, directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer and choreographed by Mitchell Woodcock, has been receiving huge acclaim and standing ovations in Sydney and Melbourne.  

The stellar cast is led by Anthony Warlow as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, the role which took him to Broadway, and Debora Krizak as Miss Hannigan. Rising star Mackenzie Dunn plays Lily St. Regis, Keanu Gonzalez steps into the role of “Rooster” Hannigan, while Amanda Lea LaVergne plays Grace Farrell. The original Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page, plays President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his musical theatre debut.

The talented ensemble cast is comprised of Luke Alleva, Cameron Boxall, Tim Brown, Emily Casey, Nakita Clarke, Andrew Dunne, Sebastian Johnston, Anna Mallows, Chloë Marshall, Kristina McNamara, Tom New, Ryan Orphel, Madeline Pratt, Lisa Sontag, Suzanne Steele and Dean Vince.

Auditions will be held in October to find the young Brisbane actors who will play Annie and her orphan friends.

“I’m so excited to bring that perennial favourite Annie back to Brisbane for a whole new generation. With Anthony returning to the role that took him to Broadway, alongside Debora, Mackenzie, Keanu, Amanda and Greg, this production is fantastic and audiences are loving it,” said John Frost. “Line up now to buy your tickets to one of the most delightful and inspiring Broadway musicals of all time. Don’t wait until Tomorrow to get your tickets for the January school holidays!”

One of the most awarded and loved musicals of all time, with its iconic score featuring classics like It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street and Tomorrow, Annie is truly a timeless masterpiece, with a book and score written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin.

Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” which debuted in 1924 and ran for over 80 years, the musical Annie burst into popularity in 1977 when it opened on Broadway. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin), the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, and the Grammy® for Best Cast Show Album. After the Broadway run of almost six years, it has played in more than 22 countries worldwide including the UK, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia. Annie became a smash-hit movie musical in 1982 starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett that is adored worldwide and a fixture of popular culture references.