Directed with warmth and confident pacing by Jenn Thompson, this revival of Annie finds a sweet spot between period charm and present-day resonance. The Depression-era tale of a plucky orphan who melts the heart of a hardened billionaire still delivers its timeless message: resilience, especially in the face of hardship, can be quietly revolutionary.

Hazel Vogel, as Annie, leads the cast with remarkable poise and vocal clarity. Her rendition of “Tomorrow” didn’t just win applause—it earned a hushed reverence. She brings emotional intelligence to the role, sidestepping the typical precociousness for something more grounded and affecting. She’s flanked by an irresistible ensemble of orphans, including a bubbly Molly (Olive Ross-Kline) and a sweetly fretful Tessie (Kylie Noelle Patterson). Nora West (as Duffy) stood out with a voice that sparkled.

“A classic done right: honest, heartfelt, and undeniably hopeful.”

Christopher Swan’s Oliver Warbucks was a study in restraint, charting the character’s gradual emotional thaw with understated gravitas. His chemistry with Vogel lent genuine heart to the show’s quieter moments. But it was Stefanie Londino as Miss Hannigan who most often stole the spotlight—delivering laugh after laugh while infusing the character with a tattered humanity. Her performance avoided caricature, presenting Hannigan not just as comic relief but as someone shaped by her own rough lot in life. Even as the character teeters on being “un-PC” by today’s standards, her barbed humor still lands—perhaps even more so for the adults in the audience.

Visually, the production was resourceful and elegant. The sets moved seamlessly from the orphanage’s bleakness to Warbucks’ Fifth Avenue opulence. Costumes leaned into a nostalgic Americana without veering into kitsch, anchoring the show’s heart in authenticity.

The score—Thomas Meehan’s book, Charles Strouse’s music, and Martin Charnin’s lyrics—remains evergreen. From “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” to “Easy Street,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” and, of course, “Tomorrow,” every number was delivered with precision and enthusiasm, especially by the indefatigable young ensemble. I found myself mouthing along to every song, trying not to break into full-throated sing-along. This is a classic done right: honest, heartfelt, and undeniably hopeful. Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, this production reminds us that even in uncertain times, the promise of tomorrow still rings true.

— Rosane Grimberg

“Annie” runs at the Dolby Theatre through May 18th. https://www.broadwayinhollywood.com/