We Got Annie!

Annie the Musical is back on Broadway at the Palace Theatre, marking the 35th anniversary of the original Broadway production (read about my backstage tour of the Palace during West Side Story here).

Cousin Kat and I nostalgically took in a preview of the revival earlier this week thanks to The Moms and The Children’s Place and if you’re wondering if you should take your little ones, the answer is maaaybeee.

The year I was born, Annie, based on Harold Gray’s comic strip Little Orphan Annie, garnered 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical.  But my fond memories stem from the 1982 feature film and soundtrack that I watched/listened to obsessively over the years.  Odd to think that I once wanted to be an orphan but the precocious Annie made it seem cool.  Or maybe I just wanted to live in a mansion with Cecille picking out all my clothes, Annette making my bed, Mrs. Greer drawing me a bath, Drake bringing me my breakfast tray and Mrs. Pugh taking it away.  Yeah, that sounds more like it.

The revival is entertaining.  Almost half the cast is under the age of 12, which at times made me feel like I was watching a school play with the audience cheering just a little too loud in encouragement but I genuinely enjoyed myself.  It is not a critics show (Annie has a Boston? accent despite the NYC backdrop, for example).  It’s for fans of the movie and kids old enough to sit for an extended period of time.

There were a ton of children at our performance and I noted many of them having a difficult time.  The musical contains numbers that are not in the movie and with the theater’s long rows of seating, it’s difficult to get in and out and standing in the aisle is prohibited.  If you think your little Annie fan will have difficulty with a musical, he probably will.

The Christmas theme makes it a great option for the upcoming holidays.  Dare I say it almost put me in the spirit?  Taking in a show during the holidays is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the season.

“Dumb dog” Sandy is another highlight and for every ticket purchased between now and December 31st, 2013, PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs will donate $2, up to $1 million, to the PEDIGREE Foundation to give shelter dogs a second chance.

{I was not compensated for this post.  I received complimentary tickets for review purposes.  All opinions expressed herein are my own.}