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This vacation season, audiences will likely be handled to an up to date particular positive to heat even the coldest and tiniest Grinch hearts. Actress Taraji P. Henson steps on display screen to play the evil Miss Hannigan in “Annie Stay,” on December 2 on NBC.
The Academy Award-nominated Henson will star in a dwell manufacturing of one of the beloved and largest hits in Broadway historical past. As for Henson’s co-star within the titular function, that actor hasn’t but been discovered. NBC is launching a nationwide casting seek for the redheaded essential character.
Henson says she will’t wait to tackle the function, though she is aware of she’s obtained enormous sneakers to fill.
“Carol Burnett, who introduced Miss Hannigan to life within the traditional 1982 film, is somebody I’ve studied and idolized way back to I can bear in mind,” she stated. “So when the chance got here to me to hitch NBC and this unbelievable group of producers, I jumped! Carol, I hope to do you proud!”
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The search has begun to discover a spunky and optimistic performer who has obtained star attraction to tackle this traditional function. Auditions will likely be digital, so “Annie” hopefuls from anyplace can exhibit their expertise and go to https://castittalent.com/Annie_Live for extra data and a hyperlink to add their audition. Rehearsals will likely be in October/November 2021 in New York. Whereas Annie will certainly have purple hair, women of any ethnicity are known as to audition.
Initially primarily based on a Melancholy-era sketch, “Little Orphan Annie,” the musical has been translated into eight languages, carried out in 50 nations and ran on Broadway for greater than 4 years when it premiered in 1977. The story, which has captivated audiences, hasn’t at all times been with out friction in relation to updating the story alongside racial traces.
Singer and actress Nell Carter performed Miss Hannigan within the 1997 Broadway revival of the play. Carter was dismayed, nonetheless, when an earlier business that includes a white actress as her character was performed to promote the present.
In 1999, in a tv remake by Disney, Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald performed Annie’s caregiver and Oliver Warbucks’ love curiosity, Grace Farrell. McDonald explained that she was told the studio might be “uncomfortable” if Warbucks married Grace as a Black lady. Her co-star, Victor Garber, deliberately botched retakes in order that the studio must go away in his proposal because the story initially required.
The latest remake of the enduring story starred Jamie Foxx as adoptive dad “Benjamin Stacks” to Quvenzhané Wallis’ portrayal of Annie. The 2014 manufacturing was a success, nevertheless it wasn’t with out on-line criticism that the lead actor was not white.
“Annie Stay” brings again NBC’s vacation musical custom this 12 months. The community says they’re pulling out all of the stops to make this manufacturing “must-watch tv.”
“Once we determined to convey again NBC’s vacation musical custom, we had been in search of one thing that was critically acclaimed and universally beloved – and whereas that’s undoubtedly the case with ‘Annie,’ it completely applies to Taraji as nicely,” stated Susan Rovner, Chairman, Leisure Content material, NBCUniversal Tv and Streaming. “Watching her tackle this iconic function will likely be a thrill that has all of the makings of must-watch tv.”