The Choreographer on Easy Street

Debora Krizak – Miss Hannigan in Annie – speaks with Mitchell Woodcock – the choreographer who has set the theatre world on fire. 

Five years ago, I auditioned for one of my favourite musicals – Pippin. It was the first show to come out of Covid and I immersed myself in the material like my life depended on it. Pippin, like Annie holds a special place in my heart. They were both shows I performed in Adelaide when I was a teenager discovering my love for the stage. 

At my final call-back I got to work, one on one, with the resident choreographer, Mitchell Woodcock. He was impossibly tall, charismatic and commanded attention without ever being intimidating. I’d seen him in Chicago and if you couldn’t already gather, I had a huge talent crush! 

I didn’t get the role but five years later our paths crossed again on Annie. 

Time and fate are funny concepts. Nothing is within our control. I went to bed the night after the Sydney media call and awoke to a plethora of new Instagram followers, including producers and directors from the West End and Broadway. 

A clip of the song ‘Easy Street’ published by Stage Whispers on Instagram and Facebook in the evening went viral, attracting more than 650,000 views (at last count). 

Mitchell’s choreography was at the forefront of the world-wide theatrical community, and the timing couldn’t be better.

The number ‘Easy Street’ is the pinnacle of an old Broadway style number. It requires the perfect blend of dance, characterization, comedy and vocals. When all these elements combine, the number can be quite thrilling to perform, and it is a highlight for me every night. 

Finding the balance between Hannigan being a little worse for wear and her needing to dance was a challenge initially. I couldn’t suddenly become this perfectly executed dancer. I had to hit the choreography sharp while still giving it an edge. 

We found moments in the rehearsal room where Lily (Mackenzie Dunn) executes a masterful high kick into a back bend drop over Rooster’s (Keanu Gonzalez) knee. This was a great moment to explore, with Hannigan being hit in the head but so taken away in the fantasy of the song, that she doesn’t feel any pain. Instead, I let out a big Rooster “cock a doodle doo” and relished in the promise of what a life on easy street could mean for her.

Mitchell’s approach to ‘Easy Street’ encompassed the fantasy of that sudden wealth and luxury. 

“Hannigan, Rooster, and Lily imagine finally escaping their miserable lives and living the high life not through hard work, but by scamming their way there. The scenes within the song capture both their grim reality and the moment they begin conjuring their deceitful plan, while the choruses evoke a dream-like vision of success. To capture this contrast physically, I made sure the movement had weight and heaviness, evoking both the struggle and hardship of their current lives, and the imagined opulence of being draped in jewels and wealth.

“It was important to me that the scenes seamlessly flowed back into the song each time, and that with every re-entry into the music, we shifted gears, raising the stakes and pushing the characters further into their fantasy. One of the first things I discussed with the actors was how their characters might walk and breathe. Hannigan, likely not the healthiest of people, felt like she had a tight chest and heavy breath, which in turn gave her a hunched and weighted posture. Rooster led with his pelvis, with a more cocky swagger and calculated breath. Lily, on the other hand, had shallow, high breaths that gave her a bounce and heightened energy in her movement, a constant flirtation with attention. The most enjoyable part for me was choreographing the instrumental section. The richness of the musical accents and working with Anthony, the drummer, to uncover hidden percussive accents in the score.”

Mitchell Woodcock is a hard man to tie down. At the same time as rehearsing Annie, he was working on Australian Idol, running his new company Co-Lab Quarters, as well as launching his brand new Spiegeltent show Lassu.

I asked him why he came to be involved with the remount of Annie.  

“I was inspired by the opportunity to explore a versatile range of dance styles, from the classic 1930s Broadway numbers like ‘Easy Street’ and ‘NYC’, to the athletic and dynamic movement in ‘Hard Knock Life’, and the elegant lines and pas de deux choreography featured in the mansion scenes. The versatility is something that really enticed me to be involved.”

To ensure a fresh take on this classic musical, he thoroughly researched the era and style but was careful not to lean too heavily on it as he wanted the choreography to feel informed, not imitated. It was important to leave space for originality.

“I focused on creating engaging stage pictures and dynamic patterning that enhanced the storytelling, while staying connected to the emotional intention of each scene. To my surprise, the adult ensemble has very few unison dance breaks in the show. Since they each portray a variety of characters, it simply didn’t make sense for them to be dancing in sync.”

For someone so young, Mitchell’s body of work is already impressive. He’s won a Helpmann Award for Saturday Night Fever, became the youngest choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance Australia, has served as a creative director and choreographer on Australian Idol and The Voice (to name a few), and collaborated with many high-end fashion labels.

“I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t choreographing. From a young age, I was always making up dance routines, and by the time I was 12, I was choreographing my own eisteddfod solos. Even now, I’m still amazed by the process and how every choreographer works differently. I love to prepare choreography ahead of rehearsals; it’s a private space for me to workshop and try all my ideas without the pressure of time. It assists me with entering the rehearsal room with a clear vision and a chance to move quickly and explore options. Choreography has always been something I’ve felt a deep urge to do, and beyond theatre, I find it incredibly fulfilling to work as a creative director, shaping the vision through styling, lighting, screen content, camera direction, casting, and of course, movement. Seeing all those elements come together into one cohesive piece is one of the most rewarding parts of the process.”

With every re-staging of a classic Broadway show, such as Annie, there are bound to be a few challenges. 

“This was my first time working with a young cast, and with three rotating children’s ensembles, four Annies and two dogs, it was a juggling act, especially while creating brand new choreography from the ground up. I am a slight perfectionist, so when I make even the smallest of changes to one group, I would then need to accurately implement this for the other two casts. It required a lot of patience, organization and adaptability, and it was a valuable learning curve both artistically and logistically. That said, one of the biggest highlights was watching the children's growth throughout the process. Seeing their confidence, stage presence and technical performance flourish by opening night was incredibly rewarding.”

The rewards are still paying off for Mitchell. With the ‘Easy Street’ media vision going viral all over the world, it seems like a natural progression that his wonderful talent will soon be shared beyond our shores.

“I was genuinely surprised and thrilled by the response to the video. I first realized something was happening when I started getting a flood of follow requests from international directors and artists. Then the messages started coming in from all over the world, and I was completely overwhelmed in the best way by the incredible feedback.

“It’s quite rare for a musical theatre moment to gain that kind of traction online, so to see ‘Easy Street’ resonate with so many people, beyond the context of the show, was honestly shocking but also deeply rewarding. It’s a huge credit to the cast’s commitment and talent, and a reminder of how powerful theatre can be, even in a short clip. If anything, it’s encouraged me to keep creating with boldness and authenticity, because you never know what might connect with audiences on a larger scale.”

Mitchell has set his sights on the U.S. and now has a potential project kicking off in June in New York. He’ll be splitting his time between NYC and Sydney and tapping into some of those wonderful connections he has recently acquired. However, Australia will always be home for this star-to-be.

“What I love about the Australian industry is its flexibility for performers and creatives to often work across multiple platforms, from theatre and film to TV and live music. Unlike some international industries where people tend to stay in one lane, here we’re encouraged to be adaptable. The skills I’ve gained in one area constantly inform and enrich my work in another.”

As the curtain rises on Annie and we settle in for the year ahead, it's clear that this choreographer stands on the brink of something extraordinary. With his unique vision, relentless passion, and a gift for turning movement into magic, he’s ready to take centre stage in a whole new way. Broadway is calling—and he’s poised not just to answer, but to soar. The world is about to witness a star in the making, and his next act promises to be nothing short of unforgettable.

Production images: Daniel Boud.

Annie is concluded its Sydney season at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney on June 21, 2025, playing Melbourne from July 10 at the Princess Theatre and Brisbane from December 27 at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC.