Whoopi Goldberg is set to 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 fallen out of practice performing on Broadway since her debut 40 years ago.
“I’m rusty, trust me. I won’t be as rusty when you see me, but old bones are creaking when I walk,” she told the outlet. The musical opens December 11 and the limited production will run at The Theater at Madison Square Garden from December 4 to January 5, 2024. Its production will also stop in Baltimore, Indianapolis, San Francisco and other locations.
Based on Harold Gray’s 1924 comic Little Orphan Annie, Annie is one of the most beloved Broadway musicals. The story follows a young orphan who meets billionaire Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks while on a journey to find her parents.
The musical has been adapted several 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 group from the classic film included Victor Garber, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth.
In addition to Annie, Goldberg has portrayed several iconic characters, including the title character in the 2003 Broadway revival of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the 1996 Broadway revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
However, Goldberg feels bad about not being able to play negative roles in his career. “I keep trying to get people to make me a monster (and) a villain, and people are like ‘No,'” the EGOT winner told the outlet. As for playing the role of Annie, she admitted to having “fun” with the character.
“So these guys said, ‘Okay, we’re not going to listen to anyone else, and we’re going to offer you this part,'” she continued. He also praised the “fantastic” little girls who play in orphanages. “They’re all amazing actors,” she gushed.
