Theater Reviews

Apr 19, 2008 - A solid production and a splendid cast sends "Annie" into the stratosphere at Reno's Pioneer Center

By Jack Neal

It’s charming, captivating and better than ever. “Annie,” the musical starring the superb Amanda Balon in the title role, opened Friday night before a near capacity audience at Reno’s Pioneer Center.

A seasoned pro at ten, the diminutive Ms. Balon is fresh and utterly right as the little waif who helped make America feel optimistic about the future during the dark days of the Great Depression. There’s not a moment that seems contrived about this remarkable youngster. “The sun ‘ill come out tomorrow,” she sings in her clarion voice. And so it does over and over again in this spit-and-polish production with a cast worthy of Broadway itself.

Based on the once famous Harold Gray comic strip, “Little Orphan Annie,” the musical sends Annie from an orphanage run by the comically villainous Miss Hannigan into the arms of the fabulously rich, totally bald Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks.

The original production of “Annie” opened in New York 31 years ago this week and starred Andrea McCardle as Annie and a wonderful mutt named Sandy as her loyal dog. When the curtain goes up on performances in Reno, Sandy - who is retired - has been replaced by another up-and-coming k-nine star named Mikey (Sandy on stage). Credit trainer William Berloni and dog handler Alexander Yepremain (onstage as the White House Marine) for much of Mikey’s stellar performance.

Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, a tough business man - yet ultimately a big softy, is played in a big-softy grand manner by David Barton who is the epitome of what “Daddy” Warbucks should be. The lovably mean and marvelously frumpy Miss Hannigan, who gives hilarious tongue lashings to her charges, is played to the hilt by Lynn Andrews, who could not be better.

Oliver Warbucks’s aide-de-camp, Grace Farrell, is managed with an air of elegance and sweetness by a poised and thoroughly gracious Abby Stevens. In the delightful roles of scoundrels deluxe, J. Michael Zygo and Cheryl Hoffmann score as Rooster Hannigan (Miss Hannigan’s shyster brother) and Lily St. Regis (after the hotel) respectively - although there’s nothing respectable about either. “Easy Street” is a great moment in musical comedy and the two Hannigans and St. Regis make the most of it.

The six other urchins of the piece, Annie’s sidekicks at the orphanage, are managed gloriously and with spunk to spare by Annalisa DiBernardo (Molly), Madison Zavitz (Pepper), Marina Rose Macherone (Duffy), Jaida-Iman Benjamin (July), Abby Spare (Tessie) and Grace Elizabeth Etzkorn (Kate).

Matt David shines as the reluctant Harold Ickes who knows all too well who the follow spot follows. Jeffrey B. Duncan is a warm and friendly FDR who believes “this is still a free country.” (Where are the FDRs now, when we so badly need them?). Andy Meyers is a simply dandy Bert Healy (“You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”). And so the list goes on. There isn’t a weak soul in this first-rate collection of troupers.

With music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charmin, the show won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical in 1977. “Annie” is directed by Martin Charnin who directed the original and shows no sign of tiring. It’s a splendidly paced and shaped production. The show is exuberantly choreographed by Liza Gennaro. Keith Levenson has reconfigured Philip Lang’s original orchestrations for the current (and much smaller) seven-piece, heavily synthesized pit band. A real band would be better, but short of that this one is very good, indeed. Kelly Ann Lambert, a musical director with a keen sense of theater, conducts and she’s excellent.

“Annie’s” handsome costumes are by the legendary Theoni Aldridge. The attractive sets that work so well on the road are by Ming Cho Lee. Ken Billington and Jason Kantrowitz have created the in-all-ways luminous lighting designs. Peter Hylenski’s sound design is as close to natural sound as one can get. In an age where many sound designs seemed destined to deafen, a nicely boosted sound level is a blessing.

And do it goes.

How many ways can one say irresistible? At thirty something and in grand condition, “Annie” remains irresistible and one of the most easily loved musicals of all time.

As the last presentation in this year’s Broadway Comes to Reno series, “Annie” can be seen at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, Friday, April 18 (2008) at 8 p.m. (the performance reviewed), Saturday, April 19 (2008) at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 20 (2008) at 2 and 7 p.m. “Annie” performances run two hours, 34 minutes. For information call 775-686-6600 or go online at www.pioneercenter.com.