The full casting for the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of their smash hit production of the musical ANNIE opening at Curve, Leicester on Saturday 25 February 2023 has been announced. Joining the previously announced Craig Revel Horwood and Paul O'Grady, will be Scottish BAFTA winner Elaine C Smith and Jodie Prenger, all starring as ‘Miss Hannigan' at various venues. Alongside them will be Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Paul French as Rooster, Amelia Adams as Grace Farrell, and Billie-Kay as Lily St. Regis. The title role of Annie is shared by Zoe Akinyosade, Harlie Barthram and Poppy Cunningham. They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the residents of Miss Hannigan's orphanage.
Completing the cast will be Emily Barnett-Salter, Alistair Beattie, David Burrows, Sergi Ibanez, Rosalind James, Belle Kizzy Green, Ellie May-Wilson, Martin McCarthy, Phoebe Roberts, Lukin Simmonds, Matthew Sweet, Dawn Williams, and Tommy Wade-Smith.
The dates of the tour are below.
Craig Revel Horwood is probably best known as a judge on all 20 series of BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing. He returns to the part of Miss Hannigan having played the role to critical acclaim in this production in both the West End and on tour. His other West End Theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre. Craig directed and choreographed Strictly Ballroom the Musical which is currently touring the UK and Ireland, and the 2016/17 tour of Sister Act the Musical, as well as the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour. He also choreographed the film Paddington 2.
BAFTA Award winning television, radio and stage star Paul O'Grady returns to Annie having first played the role of Miss Hannigan at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1998. His other theatre credits include playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium and many pantomimes including Cinderella and Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium. On television he is best known as the host of ITV's Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs, Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape, The Paul O'Grady Show, Channel 4's Blind Date and BBC One's Blankety Blank. He is also a highly celebrated writer, having written both autobiographical and fictional books and recently completed a 14 year run as a presenter on BBC Radio 2.
Elaine C Smith is perhaps best known for playing Mary Doll in the BBC comedy Rab C Nesbitt, as well as her role as Christine in the BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, for which she won a Scottish BAFTA for Best Actress in 2018. On stage she consistently headlines major pantomimes, having just finished her 13th year at Glasgow King's Theatre. She played Cora in the original UK Tour and West End run of Calendar Girls as well as playing Susan Boyle in the UK tour of I Dreamed A Dream which she co-write with Alan McHugh.
Jodie Prenger recently joined ITV's Coronation Street as Glenda Shuttleworth. Her West End credits include A Taste of Honey at the Trafalgar Studios. Oliver! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, One Man Two Guvnors at Theatre Royal Haymarket and Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. On tour she has appeared in Abigail's Party, Shirley Valentine, Annie, Fat Friends, Tell Me on A Sunday and Calamity Jane. On television she has appeared in the BBC's Shakespeare & Hathaway, Years and Years, Casualty and Waterloo Road.
Alex Bourne returns to Annie as Oliver Warbucks, having played the role both in the West End, Toronto and the UK Tour. His other theatre credits include Edna Turnblad in the UK Tour of Hairspray, Sam Carmichael in the UK Tour of Mamma Mia!, Khashoggi in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre and Lex Hogan in Eugenius! at The Other Palace. On film he can be seen in Sony Pictures' Cinderella.
Paul French was most recently seen as TinMan/Hickory in The Wizard of Oz at Curve, Leicester. His other theatre credits include Kenickie in Grease at the Dominion Theatre and in the production's UK Tour and Double J in Saturday Night Fever at the Peacock Theatre. On film he can be seen in Visualize Films' Tomorrow Morning.
Amelia Adams has most recently been seen in the UK Tour of Friends! The Musical Parody. Her previous theatre credits include Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate for Welsh National Opera, Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys at the Piccadilly Theatre and on tour, Martha Burelli in The Rat Pack at the Haymarket Theatre and on tour. She has also appeared in the UK Tour of Hairspray and Spamalot both in the West End and on tour.
Billie-Kay recently appeared as Angel in Anything Goes at the Barbican and its UK and Ireland tour. She has also appeared as Dale Tremont in Top Hat at The Mill at Sonning and in 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. On film she has appeared in Disney's Dis-Enchanted and Beauty and the Beast, and Sony Pictures' Cinderella.
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan's orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie's search…
With its award-winning book and score, this stunning production includes the unforgettable songs ‘It's the Hard Knock Life', ‘Easy Street', ‘I Don't Need Anything But You' and ‘Tomorrow'.
ANNIE has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve's Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker.
The producers of Annie cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
TOUR DATES:
Saturday 25 February – Saturday 4 March 2023
Leicester Curve Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Tuesday 7 March – Saturday 11 March 2023
Theatre Royal Newcastle
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Tuesday 21 March – Saturday 25 March 2023
Edinburgh Playhouse
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Monday 3 April – Saturday 15 April 2023
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 17 April – Saturday 22 April 2023
New Theatre Oxford
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 24 April – Saturday 29 April 2023
Southampton, Mayflower Theatre
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Monday 1 May – Saturday 6 May 2023
Dartford Orchard Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 8 May – Saturday 13 May 2023
Stoke-on-Trent, Regent Theatre
*Starring Jodie Prenger as Miss Hannigan
Monday 15 May – Saturday 20 May 2023
Llandudno, Venue Cymru
*Starring Jodie Prenger as Miss Hannigan
Tuesday 23 May – Saturday 27 May 2023
Aberdeen, His Majesty's Theatre
*Starring Elaine C Smith as Miss Hannigan
Monday 29 May – Saturday 3 June 2023
Glasgow, King's Theatre
*Starring Elaine C Smith as Miss Hannigan
Monday 5 June – Saturday 10 June 2023
Liverpool Empire
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Monday 12 June – Saturday 17 June 2023
Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 19 June – Saturday 24 June 2023
Woking, New Victoria Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 3 July – Saturday 8 July 2023
Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 10 July – Monday 15 July 2023
Bradford, Alhambra Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 17 July – Saturday 22 July 2023
Southend Cliffs Pavilion
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 24 July – Saturday 29 July 2023
Bromley Churchill Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 31 July – Saturday 5 August 2023
Norwich Theatre Royal
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 7 August – Saturday 12 August 2023
Milton Keynes Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Monday 28 August – Saturday 2 September 2023
Dublin, Bord Gais Energy Theatre
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Wednesday 6 September – Saturday 9 September 2023
Blackpool Opera House
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Tuesday 10 October – Saturday 14 October 2023
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan
Tuesday 31 October – Saturday 4 November 2023
Belfast Grand Opera House
*Starring Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan. Please note Craig will note be performing on Friday and Saturday's performances.
Tuesday 7 November – Saturday 11 November 2023
New Wimbledon Theatre
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan
Monday 20 November – Saturday 25 November 2023
Bristol Hippodrome
*Starring Paul O'Grady as Miss Hannigan