Annie has been one of my top favorite musicals for a long time. Now, like any theatre kid, I have a ton of musicals that I really love. Most of the music I listen to is show tunes, and I’m always on the hunt for new songs to listen to, and new musicals to discover. I think part of the reason Annie is one of my favorite musicals is because it was one of the first movie musicals I was ever exposed to, well besides Disney musicals (more about how much I love Disney musicals at a later date.) The first time I watched Annie, I was hooked. I loved the music, the acting, the dancing, and just everything about it. I used to try to dance to “Hard Knock Life” just like the orphans did, and even though I’m not the greatest dancer, I didn’t care at that age. I memorized all the lyrics to “Tomorrow”, and would sing it all throughout the house for fun. If I’m being completely honest, I still do that quite often!
Annie is one of my favorite characters because of how plucky and optimistic she is. Even though she was stuck in an orphanage during the great depression, and Ms. Hannigan was very mean to her and the other girls. She never gave up hope, and she tried her best to keep her friends’ spirits up. It’s a very admirable trait to never lose your sense of optimism even in tough situations. It’s something we could all use a little more sometimes.
I also really enjoy how lighthearted this musical is. Don’t get me wrong, I love musicals that try to tackle controversial issues in new and fresh ways, and leave such an impression on the audience weeks, months, even years after they first see it, but those aren’t really the intentions the creators had for this particular show. Annie was meant to make people smile, and to remind people that even if they might be having a rough day, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Years later, Annie still does that for people. Whether you’re watching it on Broadway, at a local high school, or even just watching the movie, the message is still the same. I think everyone needs to experience some light hearted entertainment like this. Fair warning though, you’ll probably have the songs stuck in your head for a long time, which isn’t a bad thing. Even though I’ve exposed myself to many more musicals since Annie, and still will continue searching for new musicals, Annie is always going to be one I’ll always love to come back to . I hope it inspires kids to pursue performing, just like it did for me when I was little, and to never give up on their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.
