 KDHX Theatre Review - Annie
Back to the index Hundreds of little girls all dolled up and surrounded by loved ones, flooded The Fabulous Fox Theatre and were entranced by a group of girls about their own age sporting rags and having no loved ones, but possessing more vocal power than a choir of full grown women. Only the Broadway hit Annie could cause these pampered little patrons to dream of being a tough orphan, rich with only her voice and a dream of finding her parents. I knew as soon as the first curtain rose that this production of a staple in musical theatre was going to be special. The set design, by the brilliant Ming Cho Lee, was absolutely breathtaking from one scene to the next. The orphanage was perfect in every detail establishing the desperateness of the girls' situation. And although every new scene was a piece of art without a detail missing, Hooverville under the Brooklyn Bridge delighted me so much that I thought it should be displayed in the St. Louis Art Museum. The spell of this specific scene was complete when the ingenuous lighting and sound design was added to make it seem as if traffic was truly passing overhead. In addition, Music Director Keith Levenson and his orchestra kept the pace energetic from first song to last. Also, from Annie's raggedy sweater to Warbucks's tux, the costuming matched each scene and tone perfectly. In particular, Elizabeth Broadhurst's very classy portrayal of Grace Farrel was polished to a superb shine by her gorgeous ensembles. Directed by Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro, this traditional story was once again made shiny and new for countless young people. Annie, played by the extremely talented Marissa O'Donnell, made a smooth transition from the sweet lullaby of "Maybe" to the romping frenzy that is "It's the Hard-Knock Life" with the help of six adorable rising stars of the industry. Specifically, the Ryan sisters, Molly and Lindsay, portrayed Duffy and Molly. Remember those names, as you will definitely be hearing them again and again. And although the dialogue felt a bit forced at times, not a step was out of place or a note out of key for anyone in the entire troupe. The staging was just as harmonious as the music, unless and until things were meant to go awry, as would occur any time the delightfully menacing Miss Hannigan, played by Alene Robertson, would enter the scene. Add Scott Willis and MacKenzie Phillips, who played the slimy couple of Rooster and Lily, and you had a talented trifecta of trouble for our favorite little orphan. Robertson's slapstick rendition of "Little Girls" and the trio's version of "Easy Street" kept patrons of all ages giggling throughout the performance. Although it was a wonderfully entertaining evening there were a couple moments of necessary seriousness. The performance began with an announcement concerning pet adoption from the Humane Society and ended with a word from actor Conrad John Schuck, who played Warbucks, about the Rock Hudson Aids Foundation. The troupe also supports CASA, an advocacy group for abused and neglected children. I am impressed with this company's dedication to these worthy causes and hope that they will reach thousands of people with their messages. Annie will be performed at The Fox Theatre through January 1st [2006]. For more information visit www.fabulousfox.com or call 314-534-1111.
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