Sharon Hill’s Warren-Taylor helps bring classic ‘Annie’ to the Walnut Street Theatre
The Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 209th season with Broadway’s classic musical, perfect for the entire family, “Annie.”
Directed by Glenn Casale, with choreography by Michelle Gaudette, “Annie” runs through Jan. 7 on the Walnut’s main stage.
“Annie” is a spunky orphan in 1930s New York City determined to find her parents. In one funfilled adventure after another, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’; s evil schemes, befriends President Roosevelt and finds a new home with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
This Tony Award-winning Best Musical for the entire family features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written including “Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” “Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”
Based on the Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, musical “Annie” with book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin had its Broadway debut in 1977. The show was a great success, receiving seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score; the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical; and seven Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical. The show also received a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album.
There have since been two Broadway revivals, four National Tours and numerous International productions. In 1982 Columbia Pictures release a film adaptation with a cast including Carol Burnett, Albert Finney, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters. Walt Disney produced a movie version in 1999 with Kathy Bates, Victor Garber, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth. A third film was released in 2014 by Columbia Pictures with a cast including Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne and Cameron Diaz. The show remains wildly popular and continues to be produced by regional theatres across the country.
Casale returns to direct “Annie,” after directing last year’s production of “Wizard of Oz.”
His work includes the 1999 Broadway revival of “Peter Pan,” which received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical, as well as the National Tour of Peter Pan and the television production. He also directed “Dragapella!” at Studio 54, which was nominated for a Drama Desk and two Lucille Lortel Awards, and the National Tour of Dr. Dolittle. Casale is the Artistic Director of California Musical Theatre, a position he’s held since 2008.
Gaudette has choreographed numerous productions for the Walnut, including “South Pacific,” “Music Man,” I”n the Heights” and “Fiddler on the Roof. “The title role of Annie will be shared by Tahlia Ellie of Short Hills, N.J. and Jenna Seasholtz of Coopersburg. Ellie was recently seen as an orphan in Annie at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. This production marks her Walnut debut. Seasholtz returns to the Walnut after her performance as a munchkin in last season’s production of “Wizard of Oz.”
Joining Ellie and Seasholtz on their adventure to find a family are Ellie Biron of Philadelphia and Ivy Cordle of Princeton, N.J. sharing the role of Molly; Tyrah Skye Odoms of Maple Shade, N.J. and Portia Murphy of Newtown sharing the role of Pepper; Samantha Marley of Gladwyne and Anna Shea Safran of Doylestown, sharing the role of Duffy; Olivia Reitz of Pottstown and Courtney Chu of Mount Laurel, NJ sharing the role of July; Sadie Lock of Wenonah, N.J. and Alanna Stein of Voorhees, N.J. sharing the role of Tessie; and Annabelle Corigliano of Washington Township, N.J. and Camiel Warren-Taylor of Sharon Hill sharing the role of Kate.
Mary Martello will play the infamous matron of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan. Paul Schoeffler will join the cast as the confident millionaire Oliver Warbucks.
“Annie” runs at the Walnut through Jan. 7. The Dec. 19 performance will be ASL interpreted and Audio Described.
For tickets and information, call 215-574- 3550 or 800-982- 2787. Tickets are also available visiting www. WalnutStreetTheatre.org