Annie
2025
Director Donna Feore
Choreographer Donna Feore
Music Director Laura Burton
Set and Costume Designer Michael Gianfrancesco
Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell
Projection Designer Sean Nieuwenhuis
Sound Designer Haley Parcher
Additional Dance Music Arrangements and Orchestrations David Dabbon
Fight Director Anita Nittoly
This was the fourth of six planned shows this season my son, and I attended with shows ranging from late May to mid-October. This one my youngest daughter also attended, at 14 she absolutely loved this production. Over the last few years my son, who is now 17, and I have attended a number of plays in Stratford at the festival, and each year we have an ever growing list of shows we want to see. This year his younger sister found a love for theatre and this is the third show she joined us for. We eagerly await the announcements of the season’s shows and often buy our tickets early in the winter. The other shows we have seen or plan to see this season are Macbeth , As You Like It, The Winter's Tale, Annie, Anne of Green Gables, and Goblin Oedipus. This is an excellent production, fantastically staged.
All three of us loved this production. It was a wonderful experience from the beginning to the end. There were so many excellent elements in this production.
The summary of the play on the festival site states:
““YOU'RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE”
Annie has reigned as one of the world’s most beloved family musicals since its original six-year Broadway run. Annie Bennett is the iconic mop-topped orphan who knows the sun will come out tomorrow for her, no matter how dark it gets today. (Even if “today” is under the domain of Miss Hannigan, the caretaker of the orphanage and an over-the-top misopedist.) When Annie and her scrappy dog, Sandy, are taken in by the secretary of the billionaire Oliver Warbucks, the girl's lifelong search to find her birth parents sets off a chain of wacky, heartwarming adventures.”
The synopsis in the house program states:
“Annie is an optimistic, redheaded orphan determined to find her happily ever after—a family. In pursuit of this dream, she escapes her orphanage and, on the streets of New York City, encounters a stray dog which she names Sandy. Unfortunately, Annie is soon captured by a police officer, forcing Sandy to flee. The officer takes Annie back to the orphanage, where the dreadful caretaker, Miss Aggie Hannigan, waits.
Not long after, Grace Farrell, the kind secretary of billionaire Oliver Warbucks, arrives and chooses Annie to bring along to the holiday festivities happening at the mansion. Once the pair learns of Annie’s lifelong search for her birth parents, they begin to help the young girl in her quest, leading to a series of exciting—and rocky—adventures. In a heartwarming conclusion, Warbucks declares his intent to adopt the lovable Annie, culminating in a joyful reunion with her scrappy dog, Sandy.”
After the play we have an almost an hour drive home, and usually spend the time discussing the performance. One of the things we often discuss is favourite performers. We each come up with our list, this time there is significant overlap.
My top ranking for the performers would be:
Harper Rae Asch as Annie
Laura Condlln as Miss Aggie Hannigan
Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Grace Farrell
Dan Chameroy as Oliver Warbucks
Derek Kwan as Drake
My son's top picks are:
Mark Uhre as Rooster Hannigan
Laura Condlln as Miss Aggie Hannigan
Harper Rae Asch as Annie
Dan Chameroy as Oliver Warbucks
Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Grace Farrell
My daughters were:
Derek Kwan as Drake
Harper Rae Asch as Annie
Jennifer Rider-Shaw as Grace Farrell
Laura Condlln as Miss Aggie Hannigan
Dan Chameroy as Oliver Warbucks
The full cast is:
Annie - Harper Rae Asch
Oliver Warbucks - Dan Chameroy
Miss Aggie Hannigan - Laura Condlln
Grace Farrell - Jennifer Rider-Shaw
Rooster Hannigan - Mark Uhre
Lily St. Regis - Amanda Lundgren
The Orphans
Pepper - Cydnee Abbott
Clara - Evonny Harker
Molly - Harmony Holder
July - Isla Horner
Duffy - Sofia Grace Otta
Audrey - Olivia Padfield
Kate - Jessica Reddy
Tessie - Addison Wagman
New York City Features
Mr. Bundles - Derek Kwan
Dog Catcher - Eric Abel
Assistant Dog Catcher - Jordan Goodridge
Lt. Ward - Stephen Patterson
Star-To-Be - Jamie Murray
The Mansion
Drake - Derek Kwan
Mrs. Pugh - Sara-Jeanne Hosie
Mrs. Greer - Bethany Kovarik
Cecille - Carla Bennett
Annette - Bonnie Jordan
Judge Brandeis - Alex Kelly
The Radio Station
Bert Healy - Henry Firmston
Connie Boylan - Bonnie Jordan
Ronnie Boylan - Gracie Mack
Bonnie Boylan - Jamie Murray
Fred Mccracken/Wacky - Devon Michael Brown
Jimmy Johnson/Foley Artist - Jason Sermonia
Floor Manager - Jordan Goodridge
The White House
President Roosevelt - Stephen Patterson
Hull - Eric Abel
Kaltenborn - Devon Michael Brown
Howe - Jordan Goodridge
Perkins - Sara-Jeanne Hosie
Ickes - Alex Kelly
Morganthau - Jordan Mah
St. Mark’s Community, Pedestrians, Hooverville Inhabitants, Servants, Chauffeurs, Club Patrons
Eric Abel, Carla Bennett, Devon Michael Brown, Henry Firmston, Jordan Goodridge, Hazel Heaney, Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Bonnie Jordan, Alex Kelly, Bethany Kovarik, Derek Kwan, Fae Lewis, Gracie Mack, Jordan Mah, Jamie Murray, Stephen Patterson, Jason Sermonia
Swings
Jarret Cody, Christine Desjardins, Anthony Macpherson, Ali Powell
Sandy - Clue, Uno
Understudies
Rooster Hannigan - Eric Abel
President Roosevelt - Jarret Cody
Molly - Evonny Harker
Pepper, Clara, July, Duffy - Hazel Heaney
Daisy - Isla Horner
Miss Aggie Hannigan - Sara-Jeanne Hosie
Grace Farrell - Bonnie Jordan and Bethany Kovarik
Oliver Warbucks - Alex Kelly
Audrey, Kate, Tessie - Fae Lewis
Lily St. Regis - Gracie Mack
Mr. Bundles, Drake - Jordan Mah
Annie - Olivia Padfield
Francis - Jessica Reddy
Mrs. Pugh, Perkins - Michele Shuster
As mentioned all three of us loved this production, and my son went back and saw it in der a week with friends. Not since Carol Burnett have I seen a performer embody the role of Miss Hannigan so completely. All three of us though Annie was perfect. But also we each talked about how we could have see Jamie Mac in the role of Rooster.
This is the second show we have seen directed by Donna Feore, and we thought she did an amazing job. And when I found out she had choreographed it as well, just wow! Feore in her director’s note states:
“Annie is an orphan. By herself in the world, she faces a very real struggle for survival.
A child alone lacks protection and guidance unless someone steps in to care for them. Maybe that act involves love or just simple decency, but that support makes all the difference.
Where we came from and where we want to go define who and what we aspire to be—our vision shapes us. Annie has only her “imagined” parents and past to shape her vision, yet her choices always assume wonderful prospects. She embodies the best of every human reaction to adversity and she speaks to us in a language so simple and clear that it’s hard to deny her power.
So, why Annie and why now?
Today, we face many of the same issues that plagued the world during the Depression Era depicted in the play. We share the huge disparity between rich and poor and the daily insecurity and unpredictability that almost everyone deals with. This gives us an insight into Annie’s world and, perhaps, shines a guiding light in our own.
Annie has always been a fabulous show. Now, its relevance and resonance appeal to me in a visceral way. That may be due to the fact that it’s filled with children and dogs—I love them both. Also, its message of optimism and mutual support is something that moves me. Annie’s journey is filled with many, many challenges but her response to those challenges is to stand up, speak up and carry on.
I want to be Annie when I grow up!”
She concludes her note hoping whose who attend the production will be delighted, and all three of us were resoundingly.
This was another absolutely wonderful production from the cast, crew and artistic team at the Stratford Festival. And as of the writing of this review the show has been extended with many new dates far into the fall, so if you have not got tickets yet there are even more shows to choose from. An amazing production we can easily recommend.
Note: Photos by David Hou/Stratford Festival.
Reviews of Other Stratford Productions:
Richard III – 2022
Hamlet – 2022
The Miser – 2022
King Lear – 2023
Frankenstein Revived – 2023
Grand Magic – 2023
A Wrinkle in Time – 2023
Goblin MacBeth - 2023
Something Rotten – 2024
Romeo & Juliette – 2024
Cymbeline – 2024
Twelfth Night – 2024
As You Like It - 2025
The Winter's Tale - 2025
Annie - 2025
Anne of Green Gables - 2025
Goblin Oedipus - 2025
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