Whoopi Goldberg Enters Her Villain Era During Delicious Debut as Miss Hannigan in Annie

The EGOT winner is currently back on stage in the musical, playing at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C. through Jan. 5, 2025

Whoopi Goldberg in ‘Annie’ at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Photo: Matt Murphy

Whoopi Goldberg may have worried she was “rusty” after years away from the stage, but her performance as Miss Hannigan in the New York City run of the Annie national tour shines like the top of the Chrysler Building.

The legendary actress and View moderator, 69, made her highly anticipated return to the boards on Wednesday, Dec. 11 in the production of the classic musical, now playing at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. And it was a welcomed return at that, with audiences greeting her with thunderous applause when she entered and jumping to their feet during curtain call to sing her praises.

Of course, that sort of response might be expected for a celebrity of such caliber as Goldberg. But in this case, she earned every cheer and each second of that standing ovation with what can easily be described as a masterclass in comedy.

Embracing every moment, Goldberg gets plenty of laughs as Miss Hannigan despite being Annie‘s big bad. With a bottle of booze in hand and a whistle around her neck, she plays the orphanage proprietress like a drunken drill sergeant, barking orders through slurred speech and a wobbly stance.

Whoopi Goldberg in ‘Annie’ at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.MSG Entertainment

That’s part of the blueprint the late Dorothy Loudon put down when she created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original 1977 Broadway production (and won a Tony Award for it). And it’s something countless actresses have followed suit when they’ve stepped into the part, including Carol Burnett (in the 1982 movie), Katie Finneran and Jane Lynch (both in the 2012 Broadway revival) and Taraji P. Henson (in NBC’s Annie Live! in 2021), to name a few.

But Goldberg, with her perfect timing, takes things up a notch and finds new moments for Miss Hannigan to steal focus. She moves from the character’s many mood swings — bitter, batty, sweet, sarcastic, flirty, funny — with ease, so quickly sometimes that the pivot induces its own laughs. And in Annie‘s climax, delivers one of the biggest comedic moments in the show with an off-handed remark to Mark Woodard’s FDR.

In the musical numbers, Goldberg’s equally excellent. She doesn’t miss a note and packs a punch in “Little Girls” that makes the beloved number all that more delicious. And when she unites with Rhett Guter (as Rooster) and Isabella De Souza Moore (as Lily St. Regis) for the delightful “Easy Street,” she nails the choreography, those moves bringing hilarious new layers to Miss Hannigan’s malice.

Whoopi Goldberg (center) in ‘Annie’ at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, alongside Isabella De Souza Moore (left) as ‘Lily St. Regis’ and Rhett Guter as ‘Rooster’.Matt Murphy

Even Goldberg’s View co-hosts were boasting about her work after attending opening night.

“Whoopi has a real gift,” said Sunny Hostin on the Thursday, Dec. 12 episode of the show. “There’s a reason why she’s an EGOT, right? And there is a thing that I see — a glow around the truly gifted, the blessed, the anointed in a certain thing — and that’s what I saw.”

“I have to give it to you, she was great. Great,” cheered Joy Behar. “She sings, she dances… I just thought you were wonderful. And to see your legs! … How many years are we working together? Seventeen? Okay, I never saw those legs!”

Aside from the thrill of seeing Goldberg’s lower limbs, the actress’ performance is notable for a few reasons. For one, it comes 40 years after the debut of her self-titled 1984 Broadway show, which effectively launched her career in Hollywood. For another, it’s the first time Goldberg has had a major role on a New York City stage since her brief run in 2008’s Xanadu.

Mostly, though, Annie is the first real time Goldberg has gotten to play a villain. “I keep trying to get people to make me monsters [and] villains, and people are like ‘no,’ ” Goldberg told PEOPLE in November, while sharing her excitement to sink her teeth into the part. “So these folks said, ‘Well, we’re not gonna listen to anybody else and we’re gonna offer you this part.’ “

The experience has been impactful for Goldberg, who told View audiences that while she loves being on the ABC daytime series, she’s “an actor first.”

Said Goldberg: “The older I’m getting, the more I think I want to sort of get back to that.”

MSG Entertainment

Annie is one of the most treasured musicals of all time. Based on the 1924 comic Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, the story follows a young orphan desperate to find her parents who gets her world turned upside down when she’s chosen to spend the holidays with billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks.

Adapted for the stage by book writer Thomas Meehan, the musical features a score of songs by Charles Strouse (music) and Martin Charnin (lyrics) that have become musical theater staples, including “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Maybe,” N.Y.C.,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” and, of course, “Tomorrow.”

This production is directed by Jenn Thompson, an original Broadway cast member.

Whoopi Goldberg in ‘Annie’ at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.Matt Murphy

Hazel Vogel leads the production in the title role. She’s joined by Christopher Swan (as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks) and Julia Nicole Hunter (as Grace).

Also in the tour are Aria Valentina Aldea, Eva Lizette Carreon, Anna Dillon, Kylie Noelle Patterson, Olive Ross-Kline, Nora West, Stephen Cerf, Anthony DaSilva, Savannah Fisher, Alloria Frayser, Brooke Olivia Gatto, Caroline Glazier, Ryan Mulvaney, Joel Newsome, Melinda Parrett, Lawrence E. Street, Drew Tanabe and Stephanie Wahl.

Labradoodle Kevin will play Annie’s dog Sandy, Stefanie Londino will play Miss Hannigan in tour stops outside of the N.Y.C engagement and Avril Kagan is a swing for N.Y.C. performances only.

Tickets for Annie are now on sale. Goldberg’s run continues through Jan. 5, 2025 before the tour moves to further stops in Baltimore, Indianapolis, San Francisco and more.