Annie the Musical – Capitol Theatre Sydney (NSW)
- clairaprider
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
Presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live. Book by Thomas Meehan. Music by Charles Strouse
Everyone’s favourite young red-headed orphan, Annie, returns in a fantastic, family friendly, heart warming night at the theatre
Capitol Theatre, Haymarket
Until 21st June, 2025
Tickets: https://anniemusical.com.au/
Originating as a comic strip in the 1920’s New York Daily News, the story of ‘Little Orphan Annie’ follows a tenaciously optimistic young girl, determined to find her parents eleven years after they left her at the orphanage with a silver locket and a note. Chosen to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with billionaire business mogul Oliver Warbucks, she quickly melts his heart and has him wanting to adopt her. The musical is a feel-good story about the importance of positivity, friendship, and family – whether they’re chosen or blood.
Set in 1930’s New York, the work opens to the grey, drab depression-era orphanage interior courtesy of Kenneth Foy‘s scenery. There are thread-barren sheets covering the barred, grimy windows, exposed plumbing pipes and rickety metal bed frames. Costuming by Kristian Fredrikson sees our young orphans dressed in tattered, worn-out, colourless clothes while on their hands and knees with metal buckets and scrubbing brushes, setting the scene with their gutsy rendition of ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’.
Leading an eight-strong cast of orphans, Dakota Chanel performed the titular role on opening night supported by Daisy (the scene stealing dog) in the role of Sandy. Chanel is vocally confident and a delightfully charming Annie, surrounded by an equally capable children’s cast.
Debora Krizak commands the stage as the nasty, drunk, battle-axe of a woman Miss Hannigan – manager of the orphanage. Her physicality, expressions and vocal nuance are repulsively hilarious, brilliantly matching the grating nature of the character. Keanu Gonzalez and Mackenzie Dunn round out the villainous trio as Rooster and Lily, a slimy couple pretending to be Annie’s parents so they can get a fifty-thousand-dollar reward. The wicked trio bring over-the-top comedy, thrilling chemistry and flawlessly executed choreography by Mitchell Woodcock – their rendition of Easy Street was the highlight of my night.
Woodcock’s choreography breathes new life into the production while staying true to the signature shapes and textures from the era. Including jazz, tap and vaudeville influences, the choreography is age appropriate, varied and engaging, from the orphan’s ‘You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile’ through to the whole ensemble numbers.
Anthony Warlow returns to the role of Oliver Warbucks for the fourth time. Softening from gruff and irritable to kind and emotionally vulnerable, Warlow’s characterisation brings a Father Christmas like warmth to the role that flawlessly matches his sumptuously rich baritone voice. Amanda Lea Lavergne‘s Grace Farrell gives an understated depth to the story, and Greg-Original-Yellow-Wiggle-Page gives a very wholesome performance in his musical theatre stage debut as Franklin D Roosevelt. The ensemble members play a range of cameo roles, effortlessly switching between the varying worlds and genres.
This is the third time that John Frost for Crossroads Live has brought this particular production of Annie to the Australian stage since 2000, however this edition sees an update in the form of video projections by Craig Wilkinson. The show opens to a backdrop screen with a moving background projected on it which the cast interact with. From downtown New York brick buildings, to yellow cabs driving past, the projections on screens with varying opacity add great depth and movement to each of the scenes. Set changes are very swift and effective, using fly in walls and sheer screens, the regular changing between worlds never pulls your attention from the narrative. One second you’re in the depression grey world of Miss Hannigan’s orphanage and the next you feel like you’re in a Hallmark Christmas movie during the closing scenes at Mr Warbuck’s house.
Gavan Swift‘s lighting and Frederikson’s costumes visually reinforce the juxtaposition between the orphanage life and the lush, lavish, richly coloured world of the wealthy. During many of the orphan scenes, the stage feels colourless; with cold, sterile lighting. At one point, Annie’s hair is the only source of colour on stage, it feels like the rest of the scene is in black and white. When in the Warbucks world, there’s warm lighting, richly coloured upholstery, lush textures and grand architecture, filled with a cast dressed in colourful, clean and pressed attire.
Annie is a musical theatre classic. Featuring well known classics such as ‘It’s a Hard-Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, and ‘Tomorrow’ it makes for a fantastic, family friendly, heart warming night at the theatre.
CAST
Anthony Warlow Oliver Warbucks
Debora Krizak Miss Hannigan
Mackenzie Dunn Lily St. Regis
Keanu Gonzalez Rooster Hannigan
Amanda Lea LaVergne Grace Farrell
Greg Page President Franklin D. Roosevelt
And introducing
Beatrix Alder Annie
Matilda Casey Annie
Dakota Chanel Annie
Stephanie McNamara Annie
With
Luke Alleva Swing / Dance Captain
Cameron Boxall Ensemble
Tim Brown Ensemble
Emily Casey Ensemble
Nakita Clarke Ensemble
Andrew Dunne Ensemble
Sebastian Johnston Ensemble
Anna Mallows Swing / Dance Captain
Chloë Marshall Swing
Kristina McNamara Ensemble
Tom New Ensemble
Ryan Ophel Swing
Madeline Pratt Ensemble
Lisa Sontag Ensemble
Suzanne Steele Ensemble
Dean Vince Ensemble
And
Elle Boesen Kate
Chloe Delle-Vedove July
Nina Gallas July
Yasha Galperin Kate
Yeshi Jehru Friday
Kiki Kersten Pepper
Francesca Kong Pepper
Ellie Lang Molly
Arianna Lorusso Molly
Pearl Mason Tessie
Skylah McMah Kate
Camille Nko’o Duffy
Ava Palfreyman July
Bianca Papa Duffy
Zoe Reeves Friday
Olivia Scott Duffy
Cailin Scully Tessie
Skye Spiden Friday
Aleia Tiliacos Friday
Matilda Teiotu Pepper
Victoria Togias Tessie
Willow Wilson Molly
Sandy Sandy
Bodhi Sandy
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