By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO — The sun comes out at the Civic Theatre for the next few days. The beloved musical Annie is back! It’s been in San Diego several times, made into a few movies, and is a favorite of children’s theatre groups. In spite of all this, somehow my son had never seen it, so I was really excited to go with him and show him something that was dear to my childhood. Afterall, what Gen X drama kid didn’t attempt an off-key version of “Tomorrow” at an audition or two? My inability to hit those notes may have been the reason I was never cast in the show, but 12-year old actress Ellie Pulsifer, in her debut role, knocked it out of the park. Looking around the theatre, it seemed that there were many parents like myself who were there with their children, excited to introduce the next generation to such happy songs as “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”, “Hard Knock Life”, and of course, “Tomorrow”. The smiles on the faces of the kids showed that they were just as excited as their parents.
For those who may have forgotten, or not seen the show in a while, it’s set in 1933 depression era New York. Annie, an 11-year-old orphan, gets to spend the Christmas holiday with billionaire Oliver Warbucks (played by Christopher Swan) and his staff. Ultimately, he wants to adopt her, but she wants to find her birth parents.
Watching the show I found myself thinking about the last time I remembered seeing Annie live in person. It was with my parents at the old Starlight Theatre- remember that was the outdoor theatre in Balboa Park that was in the flight path for Limbergh Field, so the actors had to freeze whenever a plane went overhead. It must have been around 1984 or so. I remember that Tom Hatten played President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was famous to me because he was the host of the Popeye and Friends television show on Saturday mornings. And also because my mom would tell me about how she grew up near him and would wave to him as she was waiting for the bus. Around the same time, the movie with Carol Burnett as Ms. Hannigan came out. In my memory I blend them together, so I was a little surprised when some of the songs I remember from the movie weren’t in this current touring Broadway production.
When I was younger, I only cared about the storylines of the kids, as that was whom I identified with. This time around, I found myself really interested in the adults as well. In fact, it was my two “least favorite” characters, the mean drunk Ms. Hannigan and her conniving brother Rooster who were my favorite characters this time. The actors playing them (Stefanie Londino and Nick Bernardi) came onto the stage with so much energy and presence you couldn’t help but almost root for them just a little.
While I was lost in my reminiscences of watching the show with my parents, my son was busy appreciating the set design. As always, the space was used efficiently and effectively. The backgrounds were designed using a unique perspective that made them seem far taller than they really were, giving the feeling of being around the skyscrapers of New York. The well-planned use of foreground and background elements gave a feeling of it being more 3-D than most sets.
We even got a little “Jewish cameo” when Warbucks sets out to adopt Annie, he brings in Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis to officiate. Why him and not one of the other Supreme Court Judges of the era I don’t know, but as always, my heart swells just a little when I see us Jews being represented.
The show got off to a rocky start as the previous evening’s performance was canceled due to the flight delays afflicting the nation. Those who had purchased tickets for the Dec. 27th performance were credited and all the shows moving forward through the last performance on January 1st are unaffected. If you can make it, I highly recommend that you do and bring your family. If not, the next Broadway San Diego show at the Civic Theatre coming up may also present a great Dor l’ Dor opportunity as it’s about the R&B music group the Temptations, who have delighted many generations with their songs.
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Sandi Masori is the theatre reviewer and food critic for San Diego Jewish World. When she’s not seeing shows, she helps authors self-publish, travels, and hunts for the best Sushi in town.