Han-Again: Struthers reprises role of Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004 | 8:19 a.m.

Seated in the back row of the Judy Bayley Theatre, her feet propped on the chair before her, Sally Struthers watched as workers built the set for "Annie."

She's been down this political cartoon-turned-musical road before, crossing the country as the boozing, bitter Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage and swindles the 11-year-old Annie.

It's undoubtedly a change of character for the spokeswoman of the Christian Children's Fund, who pled for the welfare of Third World children in television commercials during the 1980s.

"I've been stumping for children for 30 years, so it's ironic to get up and play the role of someone who can't stand them," the Hollywood, Calif., resident said. "That's what's so delicious about getting older. You get to play these great character roles.

"The role I've always wanted to play was Miss Hannigan. Watching Dorothy Laudon as Miss Hannigan, I thought, 'Someday I'll be old enough to play Miss Hannigan,' and it came to me."

Nearing 60, you could say this week that Struthers is in her element. In "Annie," opening Friday at the Judy Bayley Theatre as a production of the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, Struthers, a self-described clown, gets to show her comedic stuff.

Based on Harold Gray's Chicago Tribune comic strip, "Little Orphan Annie," the musical captures the Great Depression era through the life of a young New York City orphan who lives under the reign of the nasty spinster.

Despite issues of abandonment, poverty and abuse set during America's most desperate times, the show is often touted and performed as a cutesy production (which ends in favor of the redhead, near Christmastime).

But director Glen Casale, a UNLV professor who recently directed the touring production of "Peter Pan" starring Cathy Rigby, says he is staying close to the production's original premise.

This includes the song set in a shantytown, "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover." The song is often stripped from regional productions (and even the Broadway version starring the late Nell Carter as Miss Hannigan).

"With this, you get more of the political point of view, which is what the original 'Annie' was about," Casale said. "Most of the people at that time were living below the poverty level.

"In community theater, they treat it as a light, fluffy play. But it won a Tony for a reason."

Of the Hooverville scene, Struthers said, "That so sets the mood for the whole show. How Hoover promised families a chicken for every pot and they didn't even have pots."

A 28-member orchestra comprised of Strip musicians provides the live music. Eighty children auditioned for the production. Casale created two extra characters to give more children a chance to be in the show.

The role of Annie will be performed by Brittany Maloney, a sophomore at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts, who during rehearsal was so engrossed in her character, Casale said, she began weeping.

"He knew he was breaking a moment when he took a tissue off a stage manager's table, tip-toed over to her and said, 'Are you OK?' " Struthers said.

Casale, a national theater director and UNLV graduate with a few television shows (including the "Wayans Bros.") on his resume, was the one who lobbied for Struthers. The two had worked together when he was directing "Anything Goes!" in Los Angeles. Struthers was performing as Evangeline Harcourt.

"I saw Sally do it in Pittsburgh," Casale said, referring to the role of Miss Hannigan. "It's really hard to get a Hannigan who understands the reality with the character and make the comedy huge. When we did 'Anything Goes,' the laughs were everywhere."

Struthers performed as Miss Hannigan in the 20th anniversary national tour of "Annie." By then the 5-foot-1-inch actress from Portland, Ore., had already performed as Florence in "The Odd Couple," a female version of Neil Simon's play on Broadway in 1985 and in Tommy Tune's 1990s revival of "Grease."

Though many still think of her as Gloria Stivic on "All in the Family," Struthers says she doesn't watch any of the episodes, preferring to leave them in the past, but is completely comfortable throwing forward an Archie line. (In referring to a production of "Hello Dolly!" that Struthers will be doing in the "Poconos," she breaks to say, "Or as Archie Bunker called it, 'the poke your nose.' ")

The Pasadena Playhouse alumna says "All in the Family," which she appeared on after starring in "Five Easy Pieces" with Jack Nicholson, was a great education.

"It was the best school in the world," Struthers said. "To be in something that well written, that well directed, it's called learning on the job."

But the dry spells (despite television, stage and movie roles) have been consuming for the single mother who spent many of her daughter's teenage years on the road.

"The dry spells have killed me," Struthers said. "I'm in such debt. I would like a television series that would last five years so I could pay off my bills and maybe take a vacation.

"There was a long period in L.A. where I couldn't get arrested."

Struthers said her dream is to be on a sitcom that lasts five years, bringing in a sizeable paycheck.

But Struthers, whose upcoming performances include a part in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" in a theater in Maine, doesn't knock the theater, particularly "Annie."

"I love it," she said. "For me it's revisiting the feeling I had on 'All in the Family.' The writing is so brilliant, I'm just glad to be a part of it."

Not having to tour is also refreshing, she said. Struthers is staying with a friend in Las Vegas while rehearsing and performing. She has the opportunity to fly home during the week to work as a cast member on "Gilmore Girls" and "Still Standing," or to spend time with her houseguests, a nephew and a young actress.

"It's better for me that it has a short run," Struthers said. "I'm getting long in the tooth. I'd rather be home with my daughter, my cat, two dogs. "