On Sundays in 1962, television host Chuck McCann, would read the New York Sunday News, which featured the cartoon character Little Orphan Annie. He wore white circular discs over his eyes to portray Annie as he read the comic strip aloud. Such an oddity to me back then, those discs affixed to the eyes scared me. It even led me to dislike the Little Orphan Annie comic strip. However, seeing the production of Annie at the Argyle Theatre, directed by Valerie Wright, completely changed my mindset.
This play was just one of the great offerings that the Argyle Theater continues to produce. Wright highlighted to me that it was a challenging but gratifying play to direct, which included not only the talented cast but also the fact that she had never worked with a dog before! This truly heartwarming play has made an Annie lover out of me, and I suspect it will make one out of you as well.
Video courtesy of MyLITV, BroadwayandMain.com, and Islip.TV LLC. All rights reserved.
Based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray (which itself was inspired by the poem “Little Orphan Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley), Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse, and Martin Charnin features some of the most outstanding musical theatre hits ever written, including the iconic song “Tomorrow.”
In the story, Annie is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago at a New York City orphanage run by the cruel, sour Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the orphanage, Annie (played by Charlotte Van Ledtje) escapes, hoping to find her parents.
With its many twists and turns, Annie foils Hannigan’s mindset and wicked ways—with Hannigan played by Kendal Hartse (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical)—as she captures the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks played by Robert Gallagher (South Pacific, Les Misérables). This fun-filled situation is unfolding into a grand adventure.
The talented cast adds to the excitement, with joyous music and dance choreographed by Debbie Roshe, featuring incredible movement set against spectacular set changes. Roche confides that the gifted cast—especially the children—learned the dance numbers in only two and a half weeks. Her favorite pirouette was “It’s the Hard-Knock Life.”
The whole family can enjoy this heart-warming production. No doubt you will be humming the songs, at least until tomorrow… which is always a day away.
Annie will be playing through Jan. 4, 2026. The Argyle Theater is located at 34 West Main Street in Babylon Village. For ticket information, visit argyletheatre.com.
Video courtesy of MyLITV, BroadwayandMain.com, and Islip.TV LLC. All rights reserved.
