Editorial Reviews

Annie, the popular musical about the little red-headed orphan with a shaggy dog named Sandy, first opened in 1977. The character, however, originated in a comic strip -- Little Orphan Annie, which ran during the depression. The character of Annie has always been a favorite with audiences, and combined with an extremely charming and catchy score by Charles Strouse, Thomas Meehan, and Martin Charnin, the musical is endearing. Songs like "Tomorrow," "Maybe," and "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" have worked their way into the public consciousness -- especially "It's the Hard-Knock Life," which has the distinction of having been sampled in a popular rap song in 1999. The original Broadway cast recording, starring Andrea McArdle as Annie and Reid Shelton as Daddy Warbucks, is quite good. It contains songs that were not included in the 1982 movie version, such as "N.Y.C.," an exuberant ode to the city. Fans of the movie may be discouraged by different recordings than the ones with which they're familiar, but the performances here are just as strong, if not stronger. Annie was remastered in 1998. Sarah Erlewine, All Music Guide

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