Andrea McArdle, Broadway's Original Annie, Joins Cast of NBC's Annie Live!

The sun is coming out with this good news! Tony nominee Andrea McArdle, who starred as Broadway's original orphan Annie in the 1977 production, has joined the cast of NBC's Annie Live!. McArdle will take on the role of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the live musical that is set to air on December 2. The news was announced on a recent episode of The Today Show when McArdle met newcomer Celina Smith, who will star in the one-night-only event.

In addition to joining Smith, McArdle will also appear alongside a previously announced cast that includes Harry Connick Jr. as Sir Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Jane Krakowski as Lily St. Regis and Tituss Burgess as Rooster. 

McArdle, who earned a Tony nomination for her turn in Annie, has also been seen on Broadway in Les Misérables, Starlight Express, Beauty and the Beast and State Fair. This is not the first time McArdle has returned to Annie. She portrayed the Star-to-Be in Rob Marshall's star-studded 1999 TV film adaptation and most recently played Miss Hannigan in a regional production of Annie at the North Carolina Theatre. 

Annie Live! will be the sixth live musical event for NBC following The Sound of Music Live! in 2013, Peter Pan Live! in 2014, The Wiz Live! in 2015, Hairspray Live! in 2016 and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert on Easter in 2018.

Annie features music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. It first bowed on Broadway in 1977 and won seven Tony Awards that year, including Best Musical. It has since had two Broadway revivals and two major movie adaptations. The role of Annie was originated on Broadway in 1977 by Andrea McArdle and played by former vlogger Lilla Crawford in the most recent Broadway revival. On screen, the role has previously been played by Aileen Quinn in 1982, Alicia Morton on television in 1999 and Quvenzhané Wallis in 2014.