current issue | main page | infotainment | past editions | special events | classifieds...a-l | classifieds...m-z | feedback!

by George Patterson
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Leapin' Lizards! Was That Annie?

T he Broadway Series at the Saenger Theatre recently hosted a one-week stand of the touring production of last year's Broadway revival of Martin Charnin's musical adaptation of the popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie--the one about the little orphan who,in the depths of the Great Depression, is adopted by Daddy Warbucks and lives happily ever after-as a detective. Only in this take, Annie and Daddy save the country from the Depression with the help of FDR.

With book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics and direction by Mr. Charnin, this twentieth anniversary production was missing one main component-and the one that gave this stilted musical its original success-it had no Annie. True, young Brittny Kissinger, the one who replaced one Joanna Pacitti at the last minute, has red hair-her own-hardly the sienna brillo pad one expects which makes her look like a Breck girl into grunge. And, true, although small as a mite, she does sing sweetly, but in the one number she MUST devour, "Tomorrow," the moppets' national anthem, she is only adequate-reminding one of the indelible impression made by the original Annie, Andrea McArdle.

For the touring production, the producers wisely replaced the miscast Nell Carter with Sally Struthers for the important role of Miss Hannigan, the drunk slob of an orphanage custodian whose attempts, with her brother, Rooster (Laurent Giroux), to foil Annie's happiness supply most of the show's humor. Ms. Struthers' heft and age worked wonderfully for her and she was the true star of the evening, singing in a brassy bray that perfectly fit her corrupt character-and her dancing with Mr. Giroux in "Easy Street" displayed her terpsichorean abilities admirably.

Others in the large cast who gave this production credibility were Conrad John Schuck as Oliver Warbucks, Lisa Gunn as Grace Farrell, Warbucks' efficient secretary, and Kristen Howe as "A Star To Be".

Kenneth Foy's sets, designed for travel, were simply too skimpy for the vast Saenger stage and seemed to be swallowed up, along with the show itself and were not helped much by Ken Billington's adequate, and dim, lighting, making even Theoni V. Aldredge's costumes appear drab.

Even Cindy Lou, an auburn-dyed Airdale, played Sandy lethargically.

Next up, Wayne Bobbie's smash hit revival of Chicago now touring with Broadway's dynamic Karen Ziemba. Can't wait.

News Flash

New Orleans' own Carl Walker, whose directorial talent is presently on view at the True Brew Theatre in Psycho Beach Party, has departed for the Big Apple and his first professional New York directorial assignment-to recreate his smash hit production of several years ago, also presented by the True Brew Theatre, the multi-authored anthology Native Tongues.

Native Tongues is being presented by the York Theatre, a 165 seat theatre located at 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th St. and will open tentatively March 19.

current issue | main page | infotainment | past editions | special events | classifieds...a-l | classifieds...m-z | feedback!