Jodie Prenger kicks off her run as Mrs. Hannigan in Annie at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre tonight and has high hopes that Irish audiences will join in on a song or two.
The much-loved musical officially opens Bord Gáis Energy theatre tonight starring Jodie Prenger as the tyrannical Mrs. Hannigan and Alex Bourne as Daddy Warbucks.
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment ahead of the first curtain raise Prenger, who won the BBC's I’d Do Anything contest, revealed her excitement of having an Irish audience singing along with the famous songs for the show.
She said: "I’m nervous about tonight because it is my first night, but I am thrilled it is with an Irish audience, everyone has been so warm and welcoming.
"A friend of ours, Bobby Delaney, who we did Calamity Jane here with, came out on stage and there was a mass of about 200 people singing the Black Hills of Dakota. I love it when they get involved. It was amazing.
"I expect that choir to be out there singing Tomorrow for us."
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Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, the musical tells the story of a brave young Annie who is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she's chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, however, Mrs. Hannigan does all she can to spoil it.
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The original show, which was created by Martin Charnin, debuted on Broadway in 1977 and ran for six years, picking up seven Tony Awards. Charnin, who wrote the lyrics for the hit musical's best-known songs including Tomorrow and It's The Hard Knock Life, died on Monday aged 84.
Paying tribute to the award-winning musical theatre writer Bourne said: "The show Annie was his original idea. He wrote the lyrics and came up with the concept. He directed every production except our one."
Prenger added: "How wonderful that it is still going strong. It is a testament to the man which is something we would all love to have. But it is really sad."
Annie is at The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre until July Saturday, July 20. Tickets from Ticketmaster and www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
