This Day in the Arts — January 2 in Theatre History
We’re visiting the theatre again today for our trip into the history of the arts. On January 2, 1983, the musical Annie closed on Broadway after an amazing 2,377 performances (it opened on April 21, 1977). Over those years, there were many cast changes and the play moved to a different theatre 3 times after opening in the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre). It also played the ANTA Playhouse (now the August Wilson Theatre), the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, and the Uris Theatre (now the Gershwin Theatre). It won numerous awards, including seven Tonys. Because Annie became a hit movie musical, many people who would never have had the chance to see it on Broadway are familiar with the show, and particularly with the iconic song, “Tomorrow.” Today, instead of talking about the final performance of that first run, although that’s what brought us here, I’d like to tell you a bit about the musical’s beginnings.