Sally Struthers Is The Villainous Miss Hannigan
In Reagle Players' "Annie"

The summer season at Reagle Players continues with the popular family musical "Annie," starring television's Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan. Performances are July 10 - 19 at Robinson Theater in Waltham. Struthers previously played the haggard orphanage matron in "Annie's" 20th Anniversary National Tour.

Joining Ms. Struthers in the classic comic book musical is Broadway's original Rooster Hannigan, Bob Fitch, recreating his Tony-nominated role as Miss Hannigan’s plotting, scalawag of a brother.

Reagle favorite Beverly Ward will be Rooster’s arm candy, the comical floozy Lily St. Regis.

Rounding out the cast will be Broadway's Sarah Pfisterer, playing Grace Farrell. the winsome secretary to Daddy Warbucks. Boston newsman Scott Wahle will make a cameo appearance as the bespectacled New Dealer, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Just as the name Little Orphan Annie is known the world over, “Gloria Bunker-Stivic” is known to an entire generation of Americans television fans. The role of Gloria on television's "All in the Family" catapulted a then unknown Sally Struthers into the national consciousness. She was Archie and Edith’s little girl and “Meathead’s” wife in the groundbreaking and pointedly politically incorrect sitcom created by Norman Lear. While the original show ran from 1971 to 1978, it lives on forever in reruns.

The comedienne is a two time Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner; the star of two network television series – including her own; a Broadway and national tour actress; an award-winning regional stage performer; a film actress; and, yes, the voice of Pebbles Flintstone on animated television series.

After "All In The Family," Struthers deftly moved on to other television comedies (including a recurring role on the recent "Gilmore Girls") as well as Broadway. She starred in Neil Simon’s female version of "The Odd Couple" followed by a tour of "Grease." Along the way, she has added a growing number of musical theater roles to her resume in such shows as "Hello, Dolly!," "Anything Goes" and "The Full Monty."

Savvy producers realized that the talented television actress might make a sassy, orphan-weary villainous in the 20th Anniversary National Tour of "Annie." Struthers signed on and was greeted with excellent notices across the country for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan.

Based on the Harold Gray comic, the Charles Strouse-Martin Charnin-Thomas Meehan hit musical originally came to life in a world premiere production at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT, in 1976.

Broadway beckoned, the show opened at the Alvin Theatre in 1977 and became an integral part of the New York theater landscape for the next six years, winning multiple Tony Awards, including the top prize as Best Musical. By the time the show closed on January 2, 1983, it had played a whopping 2377 performances.

A film version, starring Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks and Aileen Quinn as Annie, was released in 1982. A Disney film-for-television followed starring Broadway talents Victor Garber as Warbucks, Alan Cummings as Rooster, Audra MacDonald as Grace Farrell and Kristen Chenowith as Lily.

For tickets and information, call 781-891-5600 or visit www.reagleplayers.com. Robinson Theater is located at 617 Lexington Street in Waltham High School.

-- OnStage Boston