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November 29 - December 5, 2021 Page 3 ACROSS 1. Michael Weatherly series 5. Actor Calhoun 9. Market walkway 10. Potato salad ingredient 12. Suffix for infant or project 13. Dog in "Peter Pan" 16. "__ South" (1994-99) 17. Initials for Pa Ingalls' portrayer 18. Actress Suzanne 20. Demi Moore's state of birth: abbr. 21. Series for Shemar Moore 23. Therefore 25. Nation on the Red Sea: abbr. 26. Community college degrees 27. "__ to Me" (2009-11) 28. President Hayes' monogram 29. "Or __!"; ultimatum words 30. Trucker communicating by radio, for short 32. "__ Joe: The Rise of Cobra"; Dennis Quaid film 33. Shoe shiner's need 38. "__ Brea" 39. "For Me and My __"; Judy Garland movie 41. Ottawa-based law group 42. High naval rank 43. "Mona Lisa __"; film for Julia Roberts 45. Choir members 47. Takes to court 48. Dad on "American Dad!" DOWN 1. Role on "The Wonder Years" (2) 2. Utilize 3. Initials for the singer Lovett 4. Johnny Carson's successor 5. Laugh loudly 6. "The Last Man __ Earth" 7. Get __ of; shed 8. Series for Lance Barber (2) 9. Objectives 11. "Finding __"; 2003 animated film 14. "I __ Legend"; movie for Will Smith 15. 90 degrees from NW 18. Meryl __ 19. "Star __" (1983-2004) 22. Sale tag words (2) 24. Harmon __; role on "JAG" 29. Breakfast order 31. NFL team 34. Raw minerals 35. Costello's initials 36. "__ With Her" (2003-04) 37. Health club offerings 40. Actress Lucy 42. "One Day __ __ Time" 44. French article 46. Columbo's title: abbr. Solution is on page 2. CoverStory By Jay Bobbin Thanks to Harry Con- nick Jr., a certain musi- cal is getting one of the most fit Daddy Warbucks it's had to date. The Primetime Emmy and Grammy winner and Tony nominee is the latest performer to em- body the billionaire who becomes the surrogate father to the title orphan as NBC presents "Annie Live!" Thursday, Dec. 2. The latest of the stagings brought to the network by executive producer Neil Meron (along with his late, longtime pro- fessional partner Craig Zadan earlier) casts Celina Smith as the spir- ited Annie, with Taraji P. Henson ("Empire") as sinister orphanage operator Miss Hannigan, Megan Hilty (replacing the COVID-19-impact- ed Jane Krakowski) and Tituss Burgess as schemers Lily St. Re- gis and Rooster, and Nicole Scherzinger as Warbucks' assistant Grace. Andrea McArdle, Broadway's first "Annie," will appear as Eleanor Roosevelt. "I'm approaching this like I do anything, kind of like a blank slate," friendly New Orleans native Connick says of now playing Warbucks in the show that originally opened on Broadway in 1977. "I've done my homework to figure out who this guy is. Even though this comes from a comic strip from almost 100 years ago, I've tried to figure out what makes him tick. I've tried to build him up slowly, and that's what rehearsals are for, at least for me." Though Connick al- lows Warbucks typically has been depicted as "kind of a heavy-set guy, I don't really think that matters. What does mat- ter is that he's bald and he's obviously dressed for the part. This guy is worth a heck of a lot of money, and he enjoys the finer things in life." Connick came to "Annie Live!" as no stranger to the score's music by Charles Strou- se and lyrics by Martin Charnin, encompassing such standards as "To- morrow," "It's the Hard- Knock Life" and "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." (Thom- as Meehan wrote the show's book.) "I've seen the 1982 film countless times," Connick reports. "I watch it with my kids. And 10 or 15 years ago, I did an album of songs from productions that brought me back to when I was a kid — and I did four songs from 'Annie,' so I know that music pretty well." The sun comes out again as Harry Connick Jr. helps NBC stage 'Annie Live!' The identity of the featured celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle. InFocus "The Expanse: Season 6" (Amazon — season premiere, Dec. 10) The sixth and final season of this original sci-fi drama series picks up with the solar system at war and Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) and his Free Navy continuing to launch devastating asteroid attacks on Earth and Mars. As tensions threaten to tear the crew of the Rocinante apart, Draper (Frankie Adams) embarks on a mission that could turn the tide of the conflict. Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper and Wes Chatham are also cast returnees.

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