Norwich Playhouse 14 - 17 April 2010
Book your tickets for ANNIE: Click here
Music by Charles Strouse. Book by Thomas Meehan.
Lyrics by Martin Charnin.
Based on Little Orphan Annie by permission of Tribune Media Services, Inc.
A Short Synopsis
Set in New York in the 30's, Annie lives in an ophanange run by Miss Hannigan who is a sleazy, fairly unpleasant character. Annie was left as a baby with a letter saying her parents would return for her one day, and the thought of this keeps her going! However sometimes she runs away to try and find them for herself.
One day after escaping for a while, and finding a dog, she is returned by a policeman and is about to be punished by Miss Hannigan when Grace Farrell arrives. She is the secretary to Mr. Warbucks the millionaire. He wishes to give an orphan a holiday in his grand home for Christmas, and Grace chooses Annie.
Annie is immediately loved by everyone, including Warbucks, who asks her if she would like to be adopted by him. Although Annie tells him she would love to stay she is waiting to be reunited with her real mother and father. Warbucks then tries to help Annie find her parents by offering a reward for them to come forward.
When Miss Hannigan hears of this she hatches a plan with her brother Rooster, who is a rogue, and he, along iwth his girlfriend Lily, pretend to be Annie's long lost parents. However their plan is foiled and of course Annie ends up living happily ever after with Warbucks (having eventually found out that her real parents had died many years before).
Orphans
(max height 5 '- the orphans have to look smallish)
DUFFY - The biggest orphan
13 years old
JULY - The quietest orphan
13 years old
PEPPER - The toughest orphan
12 years old
ANNIE - friendly, big-voiced, street-wise urchin-
11 years old (MUST LOOK YOUNG – YOU CAN’T SIT ON WARBUCK’S KNEE IF YOU ARE OVER 5’)!
TESSIE - The cry baby orphan
10 years old
KATE - The next to littlest orphan
looks 7 years old
MOLLY - The littlest orphan
looks 6 years old ACROBATIC SKILLS NEEDED
8 Additional orphans who don't tap.
Chorus Cameos
BUNDLES McCLOSKEY - The Laundryman (COULD BE A LAUDRY WOMAN)
SOPHIE - The Kettle
DRAKE - Warbucks's English Butler (COULD BE THE HEAD MAID)
MRS. GREER - The Housekeeper
MRS. PUGH - The Cook
ANNETTE - A French Maid
CECILLE - A French Maid
BERT HEALY - Radio Personality
BOYLAN SISTERS - Bonnie, Connie, Ronnie Singing sisters, perform on "Oxydent's Hour of Smiles" radio program. Close harmony singers
WACKY - Radio Personality (A SMALL GIRL PLAYING A PUPPET)
FRED McCRACKEN - Radio Personality (COULD BE FREDA) Principals
Principals
OLIVER WARBUCKS - Warm-hearted, stiff-collared host to Annie Baritone: COULD BE PLAYED MY A MAN IN HIS 40's
GRACE FARRELL - Faithful Assistant to Warbucks
Soprano: A - high G
MISS HANNIGAN - Cantankerous and mean old orphanage director Mezzo
ROOSTER - Miss Hannigan's no-good brother Baritone:
LILY - Rooster's floozy girlfriend Soprano: D - high G
FDR - the President Baritone
His Cabinet
FRANCIS PERKINS - Female Cabinet member
CORDELL HULL - Male Cabinet member (THESE PARTS CAN ALL BE CHANGED TO FEMALE CABINET MEMBERS OR SECRETARIES OR ADVISORS)
HAROLD ICKES - Male Cabinet member
HENRY MORGENTHAU - Male Cabinet member
LOUIS HOWE - Associate to Roosevelt
Plus a mixed chorus of boys and girls aged 9 - 19
HOOVERVILLES, MAIDS, BUILERS, NEW YORKERS, WHITE HOUSE STAFF, RADIO PEOPLE.
DOG CATCHERS, EDDIE, HONOR GUARD, JIMMY JOHNSON, JUSTICE BRANDEIS, KALTENBORN'S VOICE, LT. WARD SECOND COP, SOUND EFFECTS MAN, APPLE SELLER , ARTIE, USHERETTE
Plus - A STAR TO BE (Big belting solo voice)
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