Casting is now complete for the upcoming U.K. and Ireland tour of the Tony-winning musical Annie, opening February 25 at Leicester Curve.
Four actors will share the role of Miss Hannigan at various venues along the tour: Joining the previously announced Hannigans of Craig Revel Horwood and Paul O’Grady will be Scottish BAFTA winner Elaine C Smith (Calendar Girls, Two Doors Down) and Oliver! and Tell Me on a Sunday star Jodie Prenger.
The title role of Annie will be shared by Zoe Akinyosade, Harlie Barthram, and Poppy Cunningham, and the cast will also feature Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Paul French as Rooster, Amelia Adams as Grace Farrell, and Billie-Kay as Lily St. Regis.
Three teams of young performers will play the residents of Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Completing the cast will be Emily Barnett-Salter, Alistair Beattie, David Burrows, Sergi Ibanez, Rosalind James, Belle Kizzy Green, Ellie May-Wilson, Martin McCarthy, Phoebe Roberts, Lukin Simmonds, Matthew Sweet, Dawn Williams, and Tommy Wade-Smith.
The tour will be directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell, and sound design by Richard Brooker.
Annie, which premiered on Broadway in 1977, features a score by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. Based on the Depression-era newspaper comic series, the musical centers on its plucky title character and her journey from orphanage to the opulent Warbucks mansion. Annie won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The family-friendly musical has been revived on Broadway twice, in 1997 and 2012. The initial news of the tour followed NBC's all-star broadcast of Annie Live!
Tour dates are currently booked through November with a final stop at the Bristol Hippodrome. Visit AnnietheMusicalTour.uk for the current itinerary, including which actor is scheduled to play Miss Hannigan.
Sandy and Andrea McArdle in Annie
