Annie Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Annie is one of those rare, sacred properties in the musical theater. It deserves the kind of ongoing protection a gallery affords a piece of pop-art. Every family should get the chance to introduce their kid to the redhead with the pipes, the scene-stealing pooch, the benevolent bald-headed capitalist. It’s a right of cultural passage. “Annie” is the kind of show that turns a critic into a protector."

Chicago Sun Times - Recommended

"...As it moves from Miss Hannigan's grim orphanage, to a shantytown beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, to Times Square's theater district, to Warbucks' grand mansion on Fifth Avenue (all conjured thanks to the gorgeous, old-fashioned sets of Ming Cho Lee), "Annie" is a mix of realism, wit and hopeful sweetness -- a feel-good musical that never quite lets you forget how bad things can get for some."

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...Tony Award winning set designer, Ming Cho Lee, has created a fresh look for this new production. The 8 member orchestra sounded terrific proving that live musicians sound better than canned music. This national touring production is a sort of Annie lite with fewer children and fewer ensemble members than most productions I’ve seen."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended

"...Most of the staging and choreography for this show is close to the original with Liza Gennaro doing the choreography (the original was staged by Peter Gennaro) and the overall production directed by Martin Charnin (the man who wrote the lyrics) making this a sort of family affair. This is a family show with tickets at a price that is close to family affordable, ranging from $20-$75. But as I mentioned earlier, this is a huge theater and although the sound carries well, even to the tippy-top, one feels the need to look into the faces of the characters, so bring opera glasses if you have upper deck seats. The other problem with the show is the short amount of time it is here; only through Sunday, so if you truly want to experience a robust version of a classic, grab your hat and get down to the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University."