Faith Prince’s on “Easy Street” as Annie’s Newest Hannigan
The smash Broadway revival of Annie, the Strouse/Charmin musical about the perpetually optimistic redhead, gained some new cast members this week. Tony winner Faith Prince, last seen on Broadway in A Catered Affair, took over the role of boozing Miss Hannigan from Glee star Jane Lynch. Also new to the orphanage are Taylor Richardson and Sadie Sink who alternative the title role. The original Annie, Lilla Crawford, departed the show on July 30 and will next be seen a concert version of Ragtime with Norm Lewis.
From the Bathtub to Pride Rock: Quvenzhane Wallis Visits Lion King
Speaking of that famous Depression-era orphan, the next actress to play Little Orphan Annie on screen will be Quvenzhane Wallis who recently took a trip to the Great White Way to see The Lion King. Perhaps a little research for her musical debut, the pint-size actress, who was the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in “Beasts Of The Southern Wild,” took in the Disney musical with her family this Thursday. Lion King has been running on Broadway for 16 years (amazingly 6 years before the star was even born). Wallis’ upcoming adaptation of “Annie,” helmed by “Easy A” director Will Gluck, will reportedly modernize the musical with Jamie Foxx playing the Warbucks-like character. Filming is slated to begin in August.
Stage Adaptation of Secondhand Lions Completes Cast
2003 family dramedy “Secondhand Lions” is going from screen to stage, starting with a Seattle pre-Broadway tryout and eventually aiming for a New York run. Written by Rupert Holmes (known for Curtains, Drood and the classic ‘70s song “Escape,” also known as the Pina Colada song), with a score by Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary (recently of off-Broadway’s First Date ), Lions follows a 14-year-old boy as he moves to a farm with his eccentric uncles. Playing Walter, the teenage hero, is Johnny Rabe, with Gregg Edelman and Mark Jacoby as Uncles Garth and Hub. Also rounding out the cast is Jason Danieley and Kendra Kassebaum, last seen in Next To Normal and Wicked respectively.
Bridges of Madison County Begins Broadway Affair
Previews for the pre-Broadway run of Bridges of Madison County opened August 1st. Based on the best selling book by Robert James Waller (and subsequent Meryl Streep/Clint Eastwood film), Bridges is about a bored, 1960s housewife whose lives is shaken up by the appearance with a passionate photographer. With music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown ( The Last Five Years, Parade and 13 ) and a book by Pulitzer prize-winner Masha Norman ( ‘Night Mother ), the musical will play on Broadway in February. The previews, as part of the Williamstown Theater Festival, stars Elena Shaddow and Steven Pasquale (recently of NBC’s Do No Harm ) and is directed by Bartlett Shear (Tony-winner for South Pacific . Kelli O’Hara will assume the role of lead role of Francesca for the Broadway transfer.
Raisin In The Sun Gains Major Star Power
The Spring ’14 production of Lorraine Hansberry’s award-winning drama A Raisin In The Sun has gained some major star power after Denzel Washington confirmed he will be playing Walter Lee Younger. Joining him are Diahann Carroll (the 78-year-old star of the groundbreaking 1960s show Julia ) and Anika Noni Rose (“Dreamgirls” and Broadway’s Caroline Or Change ). A Raisin In The Sun premiered in 1959 and has since spawned three revivals and two films (including a 2008 television movie with Sean Combs)