Annie Live!

Last updated
Annie Live!
Annie LIVE! Logo.jpeg
Promotional logo
Genre Musical
Based on
Written byThomas Meehan
Directed by
  • Lear deBessonet
  • Alex Rudzinski
Starring
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
Production locations Bethpage, New York
Running time127 mins
Production companies
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseDecember 2, 2021 (2021-12-02)

Annie Live! is an American musical television special that aired on NBC on December 2, 2021. It was a performance of the 1977 Broadway musical Annie , which is based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. [1] The production was the fourth on-screen version of the musical following the 1982 theatrical film starring Carol Burnett and Albert Finney (in which the songs "Sign" and "We Got Annie" were taken from), the 1999 television film starring Kathy Bates and Victor Garber and the 2014 theatrical film starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx.

Contents

The special starred newcomer Celina Smith as the title role, Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan, and Megan Hilty as Lily St. Regis. The special was directed by Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski. [2]

Plot

At an orphanage in New York City, it is 3 A.M., and one of the girls has a nightmare. Some of the girls are annoyed at being waked up. Annie tries to comfort the girl named Molly by singing “Maybe”. Miss Hannigan comes in and tells the girls to take everything off their beds and scrub the floors, even though by this time it is 4 in the morning. They perform "It's the Hard-Knock Life" and Annie sneaks into the cart which the laundry man will take with him.

Annie discovers the dog Sandy and performs "Tomorrow". A cop asks Annie what she is doing out at night and about the dog. Annie claims it is hers and the cop tells her to put the dog on a better leash and give it a license. Then Annie encounters a Hooverville, where the homeless population living there complains about former president Hoover and what has happened to their lives. A cop runs everyone off and Annie is returned to the orphanage.

Grace shows up at the orphanage and mentions the officer in charge, leading Miss Hannigan to believe she is there to inspect the place. Grace is actually there to select an orphan to spend Christmas 1933 with Oliver Warbucks, a billionaire. Annie is there and when Miss Hannigan asks what qualities the orphan should have, Annie appears to meet all the requirements. So she gets to spend Christmas in a mansion on Fifth Avenue. When she arrives, Annie finds everything and everyone to be so nice. Annie and the cast perform "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here".

Warbucks arrives back at home after several weeks of touring his factories, many of which are closing, and he's not happy. President Roosevelt is one of many who has left a phone message but even he isn't important enough to call back right away, since Warbucks is a Republican. Seeing Annie, Warbucks wonders why Grace brought a girl because an orphan is supposed to be a boy. Still, Annie wins the man over and, while Warbucks was going to spend the evening catching up on work, he takes Annie and Grace to see a Broadway show.

Miss Hannigan gets a visit from her brother Rooster with Lily, his latest girlfriend, and they perform "Easy Street".

Warbucks likes Annie so much that he wants to adopt her. When he gives Annie a locket to replace her old one, she gets very upset because her real parents will come back for her, according to the note left with her when she was abandoned. She has half a locket and they have the other half. When the two halves match, that's how Annie will know she has found her real parents. Warbucks agrees to search for Annie's parents, calling "J. Edgar" to put his best men on it. Warbucks and Annie go on the Bert Healy's NBC radio show and Warbucks offers a $50,000 reward if Annie's parents are found.

Hearing about the reward, Rooster and Lily put on disguises and succeed in fooling Miss Hannigan. They say they will claim to be Annie's long-lost parents from Canada, who were having a hard time when they gave her up, but now they are fine. They agree to split the reward money with Miss Hannigan, who was sent items after a fire that belong to Annie. This includes the locket that will prove who her parents are.

Warbucks and Annie visit President Roosevelt, who is meeting with his cabinet. They do not know what to do about the economy, but a woman on the radio is criticizing Roosevelt. Annie starts singing "Tomorrow" and the others join in. FDR can only speak the words. Then he announces Annie has inspired him to create government jobs so people won't have to take handouts--a "New Deal". Warbucks receives a telegram telling him to come right home.

Grace has screened numerous potential parents for Annie and all have lied. When Annie arrives home, she is given the sad news. Also, Eliot Ness has sent the news that the locket given to Annie was very common and it would be impossible to track down the people who bought it. Warbucks says if Annie's real parents cannot be found, he will adopt her, and the cast sings "I Don't Need Anything But You".

Then people who claim to be Mr. and Mrs. Mudge show up, with proof they are Annie's parents. This includes a birth certificate, and the most important thing, the locket. But there is little excitement. Everyone seems disappointed. Warbucks mentions the reward, and Mr. Mudge, actually Rooster, refuses the reward money at first. Then he claims to realize they can take the $50,000 and give Annie a nice life in the country in New Jersey. However, Mr. and Mrs. Mudge will have to come back tomorrow.

The next morning, Warbucks has news. J. Edgar Hoover has determined Annie's real parents are deceased. The real identities of Mr. and Mrs. Mudge have been found to be Rooster and Lily. So when they show up, cops are there to take them away, and so is FDR. Miss Hannigan also shows up, with all of Annie's friends, and tries to claim the reward, but she is told she is an accomplice and will have to be arrested as well. Annie pleads for Miss Hannigan to go free, and Warbucks agrees she will be given a job--just not taking care of orphans. Then the entire cast celebrates because Annie and Molly, another of the orphans, will be adopted by "Daddy Warbucks", as Annie calls him for the first time.

Cast and characters

Musical numbers

† Denote reprises that were not included on the accompanying soundtrack.
* Denote songs written for the 1982 film adaptation.

Production

Development

The project was announced by NBC on May 12, 2021 with Alex Rudzinski as the live television director and Lear deBessonet as the program director. It was also announced that Sergio Trujillo would choreograph the production. Other members of the production team included Emilio Sosa as costume designer, Jason Sherwood as scenic designer and Stephen Oremus providing new orchestrations. The special was executive produced by Rudzinski, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron. Rehearsals began in October in New York.

On June 8, 2021, it was announced that Taraji P. Henson had been cast as Miss Hannigan in the production. [3] Later, more casting was announced including Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, [4] Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, [5] Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan, [6] and Jane Krakowski as Lily St. Regis. [7]

In June 2021, NBC also announced that they would be holding a nationwide audition for the titular role, similarly to the casting of Shanice Williams as Dorothy Gale in The Wiz Live! and Maddie Baillio as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray Live! [8] Celina Smith was ultimately cast as Annie. [9]

In November 2021, Krakowski stepped down from her role due to a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and would be replaced by Megan Hilty. [10] Also, it was announced that Andrea McArdle, who originated the role of Annie on Broadway, had been cast as Eleanor Roosevelt. [11] McArdle, however, stepped away from the production in late November due to the hospitalization of her father. The part was subsequently written out, however McArdle still appears on the cast recording. [12]

Filming

The broadcast was filmed at Gold Coast Studios in Bethpage, New York.

Release

The special premiered on NBC on December 2, 2021, [3] and was later released on Blu-ray and DVD by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Reception

The special, which was broadcast on December 2, 2021 by NBC, received 5.34 million viewers during its airing. [13] After a week, the number of viewers rose to 6.29 million. [14]

Annie Live! received generally positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 11 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.7/10. [15] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [16]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2022
 Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Variety, Reality-Competition or Live TelevisionEmilio SosaNominated [17]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special Taraji P. Henson Won [18]
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Tituss Burgess Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) Celina SmithNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming Sergio Trujillo Nominated [19]
[20]
[21]
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Mia Neal and Leah LoukasWon
Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special Robert Barnhart, Pete Radice, Ben Green, Madigan Stehly, and Robert StylesNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Connick Jr.</span> American singer-songwriter and actor (born 1967)

Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 16 million in certified sales. He has had seven top 20 U.S. albums, and ten number-one U.S. jazz albums, earning more number-one albums than any other artist in U.S. jazz chart history as of 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alyson Hannigan</span> American actress and television presenter

Allison Lee Hannigan, known professionally as Alyson Hannigan, is an American actress and television presenter.

<i>Little Orphan Annie</i> 1924–2010 American comic strip

Little Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and it made its debut on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Krakowski</span> American actress (born 1968)

Jane Krakowski is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series 30 Rock, for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Krakowski's other notable television roles have included Elaine Vassal in the Fox legal comedy-drama series Ally McBeal (1997–2002) and Jacqueline White in the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020). For the latter, she received another Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.

<i>Annie</i> (musical) Broadway musical

Annie is a musical with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan. It is based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre. It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won seven Tony Awards, including for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Warlow</span> Australian singer and actor

Anthony Warlow is an Australian musical theatre performer, noted for his character acting and considerable vocal range. He is a classically trained lyric baritone and made his debut with the Australian Opera in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Hudson</span> American actor (born 1945)

Earnest Lee Hudson is an American actor. He is known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters franchise. Hudson has also acted in the films Leviathan (1989), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Crow (1994), Airheads (1994), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Congo (1995), Miss Congeniality (2000), and The Ron Clark Story (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea McArdle</span> American singer and actress

Andrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for originating the role of Annie in the Broadway musical Annie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Schuck</span> American actor (b. 1940)

Conrad John Schuck Jr. is an American film, stage and television actor. He is best known for his role as Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife. He also played Herman Munster in the late-1980s – early 1990s sitcom The Munsters Today, playing the role originated by Fred Gwynne in the 1960s sitcom The Munsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daddy Warbucks</span> Fictional character from the comic strip Little Orphan Annie and Dick Tracy

Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks is a fictional character from the comic strip Little Orphan Annie and Dick Tracy. He made his first appearance in the New York Daily News in the Annie strip on September 27, 1924. In the series, he is said to be around 52 years of age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taraji P. Henson</span> American actress

Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress. She has received several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award and four Primetime Emmy Awards.

<i>Annie Warbucks</i> 1993 Off-Broadway musical

Annie Warbucks is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. A sequel to the 1977 Tony Award-winning hit Annie, based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, it begins immediately after Annie ends.

<i>Annie</i> (1982 film) 1982 film by John Huston

Annie is a 1982 American musical comedy-drama film based on the 1977 Broadway musical of the same name by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan, which in turn is based on the Little Orphan Annie comic strip created by Harold Gray. Directed by John Huston and written by Carol Sobieski, the cast includes Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, Geoffrey Holder, Edward Herrmann, with Aileen Quinn as the title character. It is the first film adaptation of the musical.

<i>Annie</i> (1999 film) 1999 American television film by Rob Marshall

Annie is a 1999 American musical-comedy-drama television film from The Wonderful World of Disney, adapted from the 1977 Broadway musical of the same name by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan, which in turn is based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. It is the first remake and the second film adaptation of the musical following the 1982 theatrical film starring Aileen Quinn, Carol Burnett, and Albert Finney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tituss Burgess</span> American actor and singer

Tituss Burgess is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in several Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020), for which he received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He was also featured in Schmigadoon! (2023).

<i>Annie: A Royal Adventure!</i> 1995 television film directed by Ian Toynton

Annie: A Royal Adventure! is a 1995 American comedy film and the sequel to the 1982 theatrical film Annie. It was released as a television film on ABC in the United States on November 18, 1995. The film has no songs apart from a reprise of "Tomorrow" sung at the end of the film, immediately after Daddy Warbucks is knighted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Kready</span> American actor

Jeff Kready is an American stage performer and has been featured in Broadway musicals.

<i>Annie</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Will Gluck

Annie is a 2014 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Will Gluck from a screenplay he co-wrote with Aline Brosh McKenna. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, Marcy Media Films, and Olive Bridge Entertainment, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is a contemporary film adaptation of Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan's 1977 Broadway musical of the same name. The film changes the setting from the Great Depression to the present day, and it is the second remake and the third film adaptation of the musical, following the 1982 theatrical film starring Carol Burnett and Albert Finney and the 1999 television film starring Kathy Bates and Victor Garber. The revival film stars Quvenzhané Wallis in the title role, alongside Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale and Cameron Diaz. Annie began production in August 2013 and, following a premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on December 7, 2014, it was released theatrically in the United States on December 19.

"Little Girls" is a song from the musical Annie. It was originally performed by Dorothy Loudon as the cruel orphanage keeper Miss Hannigan in the original cast of the show. Other performances include those by Carol Burnett in the 1982 film of Annie, Kathy Bates in the 1999 made-for-tv version and Taraji P. Henson in the 2021 live TV version. A remixed version is performed by Cameron Diaz in her final acting role as Miss Colleen Hannigan in the 2014 update of the musical.

<i>Annie</i> (franchise) American media franchise

Annie is an American media franchise created by Harold Gray. The original comic strip created by Harold Gray, Little Orphan Annie, is based on the 1885 poem of the same name written by James Whitcomb Riley. Its most notable adaptation is the 1977 musical Annie that won 7 Tony Awards which has been adapted four times on screen for both the big screen and television. The musical also has two sequels titled Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge (1989) and Annie Warbucks (1992). The 1982 film also has a television film sequel Annie: A Royal Adventure! (1995).

References

  1. ↑ "'Annie Live!' Musical Event Coming to NBC This Holiday Season". MSN . Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Harry Connick Jr. Joins NBC's Annie Live! as "Daddy" Warbucks". Yahoo! . Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Taraji P. Henson to Star as Miss Hannigan in NBC's Annie Live!". E! Online . June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  4. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (June 28, 2021). "'Annie Live!': Harry Connick Jr Set To Play Daddy Warbucks In NBC Musical". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. ↑ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2021). "Nicole Scherzinger Joins Cast Of NBC's 'Annie Live!'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ Del Rosario, Alexandra (August 11, 2021). "Tituss Burgess Joins Cast Of NBC's 'Annie Live!' Musical Event". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  7. ↑ Evans, Greg (September 1, 2021). "Jane Krakowski Joins NBC's 'Annie Live!', Reuniting With 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Co-star Tituss Burgess". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  8. ↑ "NBC sends out online casting call for title role in 'Annie Live!'- How to audition". WTEN . June 22, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  9. ↑ Bjornson, Greta (August 24, 2021). "Annie Live! Casts Celina Smith in Title Role: 'So Excited for This Journey to Start'". People . Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  10. ↑ Evans, Greg (November 12, 2021). "Megan Hilty Steps In As Replacement For Covid-Struck Jane Krakowski In 'Annie Live!'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  11. ↑ Harms, Talaura (November 12, 2021). "Original Annie Star Andrea McArdle Joins NBC's Annie Live!: Find Out Who She'll Play". Playbill . Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  12. ↑ Evans, Greg (November 24, 2021). "Andrea McArdle Stepping Away From NBC's 'Annie Live!' Due To Family Matter". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  13. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (December 3, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.2.2021 Updated". Showbuzz Daily . Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  14. ↑ Marc Berman (December 3, 2021). "Thursday Ratings: Respectable Performance for NBC's 'Annie Live!'". Programming Insider. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Annie Live!". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "Annie Live! - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  17. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (26 January 2022). "Costume Designers Guild Awards Nominees Include 'House Of Gucci', 'Cruella', 'Zola'". Deadline . Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  18. ↑ Spivey, Kemberlie (2022-01-19). "2022 NAACP Image Awards Nominations: The Full List". Forbes . Archived from the original on 2022-01-19. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  19. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (July 12, 2022). "Emmys 2022: Complete Nominations List". Variety . Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Annie Live!". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Juried Award Winners Announced for 74th Emmy Awards". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved August 11, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.