When Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood will star as Miss Hannigan in musical Annie at Winter Gardens Blackpool

Craig Revel Horwood is probably best known as a judge on all 20 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. He returns to the part of Miss Hannigan having played the role to critical acclaim in this production in both the West End and on tour. His other West End Theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre. Craig directed and choreographed Strictly Ballroom The Musical which is currently touring the UK and Ireland, and the 2016/17 tour of Sister Act The Musical as well as the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour. He also choreographed the film Paddington 2.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s searh. The story originally inspired by the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie and loosely based on the 1885 poem "Little Orphan Annie" written by James Whitcomb Riley.

The production, with its award-winning book and score, includes the unforgettable songs ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’. Annie has music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker. The producers of Annie cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.

Annie is at the Winter Gardens Blackpool, Wednesday 06 September to Saturday 09 September 2023 as part of the UK and Ireland tour Tickets available from 10am, Friday 20 January 2023 at www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk Tickets range £17.50 - £42.50 to £49.50 with group discounts available.