Whoopi Goldberg is set to make her return to theaters as her infamous character, Miss Hannigan, in the New York City run of the Annie national tour. Speaking to People ahead of the show’s Big Apple opening, Goldberg admitted that she had been out of practice for doing Broadway performances since making her debut 40 years ago.
“I’m rusty, trust me. I won’t be as rusty when you see me, but the old bones are creaking as I move,” she told the outlet. The musical begins on December 11, and the limited production will play from December 4 through January 5, 2024, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Its production will also have stops in Baltimore, Indianapolis, San Francisco, and more.
Based on the 1924 comic Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, Annie is one of the most beloved Broadway musicals. The story follows a young orphan who meets billionaire Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks as she embarks on the journey of finding her parents.
The musical has been adapted multiple times for various platforms, and Carol Burnett was the first to play the titular character in the 1982 adaptation. A 1999 TV movie featured Kathy Bates as Miss Hannigan. The star-studded ensemble of the classic film included Victor Garber, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth.
Apart from Annie, Goldberg has portrayed several iconic characters, including the title character of the 2003 Broadway revival of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and in the 1996 Broadway revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
However, Goldberg feels bad about not playing a negative role in her career. “I keep trying to get people to make me monsters [and] villains, and people are like ‘no,’ “the EGOT winner told the outlet. As for playing Annie, she admitted having “fun” with the character.
“So these folks said, ‘Well, we’re not gonna listen to anybody else, and we’re gonna offer you this part,'” she added. She also praised the “fantastic” little girls who play the orphanages. “They’re all wonderful actors,” she gushed.
