Whoopi Goldberg has conquered the worlds of stand-up, film, and even daytime TV. But now she鈥檚 got a new career in her sights: musical theatre star. The EGOT winner is taking on one of Broadway鈥檚 most beloved villains, the 鈥淟ittle Girl鈥�-averse Miss Hannigan, in a holiday run of Annie at Madison Square Garden this month. The musical begins performances at the famed NYC venue December 4, and Goldberg stars in performances December 11鈥揓anuary 5.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 sing,鈥� Goldberg admits wryly. 鈥淭his is like the third time I鈥檓 singing, but that鈥檚 not my thing.鈥�
But, of course, those other two times weren鈥檛 exactly in the shower. Goldberg had solos in 1993鈥檚 Sister Act and its sequel. And she鈥檚 even sung on Broadway before, becoming one of the first-ever women to play Pseudolus in Stephen Sondheim鈥檚 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1996.
鈥淪tephen Sondheim okayed it, so I felt pretty good,鈥� she says of the experience. 鈥淗e understood that it鈥檚 not always the voice鈥攊t鈥檚 the intention.鈥�
Since then, Goldberg has flirted with musicals a few times. She briefly starred in Broadway鈥檚 Xanadu as Calliope and Aphrodite in 2018 and was poised to reprise her film performance as Deloris Van Cartier in the stage musical of Sister Act in London鈥檚 West End, only for the latter to become one of the tragic losses of the pandemic.
But, she says, these things have a way of coming back around. When the call came for her to star in Annie, Goldberg was game. The character is one of the canon鈥檚 funnier villains, which means Goldberg is not worried about people seeing her as a meanie. 鈥淗er villainy is desperation,鈥� she says of the character, the child-hating orphanage manager who serves as the primary foil to the 鈥淭omorrow鈥�-singing title character. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why people feel better about Miss Hannigan than they do about most villains. She鈥檚 in the middle of the Depression, and who knows what her life was like before that.鈥�
Goldberg will be singing one of the Charles Strouse-Martin Charnin score鈥檚 most memorable numbers, 鈥淟ittle Girls,鈥� a belty ode to the character鈥檚 hatred of orphans. The song, and the character, was made famous on stage by Dorothy Loudon, and on screen by both Carol Burnett, Kathy Bates, and Taraji P. Henson.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been interesting,鈥� she says of getting her performance ready for opening night. 鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to not emulate what everyone else has done and trying to find my place in all of it.鈥�
But one thing is for sure, Goldberg tells us. She will not be going method when it comes to her character鈥檚 hatred of children. 鈥淚 have too many kids. There鈥檚 no way I can鈥檛 like them,鈥� she says. And she鈥檚 not just talking about her actual children鈥攕he means her new co-stars, too. 鈥淭hese girls are not only wonderful actors, but they鈥檙e a great support for me, too,鈥� she shares. 鈥淚 told them I was rusty, that it had been a while since I鈥檝e done this. They were like, 鈥榃e got you.鈥� And they do. They鈥檙e helping me. It鈥檚 a great family.鈥�
Hazel Vogel and Christopher Swan
Hazel Vogel and Christopher Swan
Hazel Vogel and Christopher Swan
Company of Annie
Company of Annie
Jenn Thompson
Whoopi Goldberg and Charles Strouse
