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Annie

Annie this old musical by Meehan, Strouse and Charnin, is a
perfect example of how to write a Broadway show that will
probably sell tickets and go on to glory and be crowned as a
classic American Broadway Musical. Its got a gaggle of singing
little girlies who are orphans stuck in a horrible home run by a
mean old harridan of a drunk, it’s set during the depression of
the 1930s, and it has a high-hopes billionaire with a heart of
gold that manages to make the world happy again.  Oh, and it also
has a dog.  But no nuns.  That’s been done in another show. In
spite of all the schmaltz, ultra sonic screaming of little orphan
girls, and the superficial high blood sugar sentimentality, it’s
a charmer and it works.  So, let me be among the many to say
bravissima for bringing out all the best in a well done musical,
filled with out best local performers, great costumes and sets
(Gil Moralis), and very good lighting and sound.  When you get a
musical genius like Jonne Dendinger aka Dr. Joanne, in the pit,
the orchestra is bound to sound like pure Broadway professionals.
And it did.

Lindsey Price did both “adorable” and exciting adult
choreography, and the sound by Kyle Herbert was as beautiful to
hear as the costumes coordinated by Judy Claverie were to see.

So, I’ve got no qualms about this excellent production, except
that I’m an not fond of the high decibel ear bursting sounds of
little girls and I eat dogs for Christmas rather than turkey and
I always found the peculiar instant like/love of Daddy Warbucks
to be a somewhat shadowy suggestion of Nabukov’s great novel
Lolita. Probably soon to be another Broadway musical. 
          
But the major performers!  Becky Allen gave a rather one note
interpretation of mean old lady Miss Hannigan. But it’s a cartoon
role and she can do anything anyway she likes. Miss Madison Kerth
as Annie has charm, stage presence galore and a fine strong
voice.  Her chemistry with the inimitable and glorious in every
way performer, Christopher Bentivegna as Daddy Warbucks was
luminous, even with those dark over tones of little lovely
Lolita’s ghost hanging around sometimes.  Bob Edes, Jr. was
divine in every thing he did especially Bert Healy; Heidi Jackson
as Grace Farrell was near perfect in her role; Richard Arnold
once again brought shine and polish to his scheinigans in his
role as Rooster Hannigan and Jessie Terrebonne was probably born
to play the role of Lily St. Regis so damned well.

A great cast, high production values, and a terrifically good
show.  And we owe it all to that fantastic director, John
Grimsley, including all the other little people of any theatrical
venture big or small.

And I can’t wait to see a musical rumored to be in the works
suggested by Lolita set in the mountains of Austria, in a
Catamite monastery converted to a school for perfect young
ladies.  I hear they plan to have three adorable large dogs, a
gaggle of nubile little nymphet students, a large lesbian house
mother who forces the little girls to make bathtub beer, several
alcoholic nuns, and a role for a character named PUNJAB (a
sociopath egomaniac). I bet it’s going to be ALMOST as good as
Annie, it if ever comes to pass.