Whoopi Goldberg to Play Miss Hannigan in Annie at Madison Square Garden

EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg will play Miss Hannigan in New York over the holidays as part of the national tour of Annie. The tour of the musical about the big-hearted, red-headed orphan will play The Chicago Theatre from November 12 through December 1 before an engagement at the Theater at Madison Square Garden from December 4 to January 5, 2025.

“I love the theater, and in my mind, there is no better way to spend the holidays than to get back on stage,” said Goldberg in a statement. “I can’t wait to step into the delicious role of Miss Hannigan and perform for the greatest audiences in the world—in my hometown of New York City.”

Goldberg will perform as part of the New York run only. Additional casting will be announced.

Having made her Broadway debut in the 1984 stage show Whoopi Goldberg, Goldberg has starred in Broadway revivals of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. She won a Tony in 2022 as a producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Following the show’s New York engagement, Annie will proceed to 19 more cities, including Baltimore, Melborne, Lincoln, Athens and Milwaukee. The tour will end in Austin, TX on May 4.

The tour is directed by Jenn Thompson, who played the role of Pepper in the original Broadway production of Annie and directed the show’s 2022-23 tour. The production features choreography by Patricia Wilcox, orchestrations by Dan DeLange, music supervision by Matthew Smedal, music coordination by Talitha Fehr, scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Alejo Vietti, lighting design based on designs by Philip Rosenberg, sound design by Ken Travis and hair and wig design by Ashley Rae Callahan.

“Annie is a celebration of family and what can happen when you hold on to hope above all else,” said composer Charles Strouse. “We’re delighted to kick off our new 2024-25 tour at the iconic Chicago Theatre—arriving with a little ray of sunshine when we all need it most.”

Strouse continued, “It is also a dream come true to bring Annie back home to New York City for the first time in ten years, just in time for the holidays. And having the iconic Whoopi Goldberg join the company and make her first appearance ever in a production of Annie is a gift to us all! I know Martin and Tom would be thrilled, too.”

Based on the Depression-era newspaper comic series, Annie centers on its plucky title character and her journey from orphanage to the opulent Warbucks mansion. Premiering in 1977 with a score by Strouse and Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan, Annie won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The family-friendly musical features such numbers as “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”