Whoopi Goldberg candidly said she felt “rusty” on her return to acting.

The legendary actress and television personality makes her highly anticipated return to the stage. The 69-year-old star will take on the role of the infamous Miss Hannigan during the New York leg of the Annie national tour.

In an interview with People Before the New York opener, Goldberg joked that he was feeling a little out of practice.

“I’m rusty, believe me,” she said. “I won’t be so rusty when you see me, but the old bones creak when I move.”

The beloved musical Anniebased on the 1924 comic strip Little orphan Annie by Harold Gray, tells the story of a young orphan who embarks on a journey to find her parents with the help of billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks.

Throughout her career, Goldberg has taken on many iconic roles on stage, but Miss Hannigan marks the first time she has played a villain.

“I keep trying to get people to make me into monsters (and) villains, and people say ‘no,'” Goldberg explained. “So these people said, ‘Well, we’re not going to listen to anyone else and we’re going to offer you this role.'”

Now, Goldberg is taking the opportunity to play the notorious character.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” she said, adding that working alongside talented young actors has been a highlight. “They are all wonderful actors. They’ve been so open and wonderful to me, and it’s a pleasure to go to rehearsals.

The EGOT-winning star, who won a Tony Award in 2002 as a producer for Thoroughly Modern Millie, said she finds joy in the collaborative nature of theater.

“The thing I can say about it, that I love more than anything, is the group atmosphere,” she explained. “The rhythm of us all working together is something I’ve missed, where you’re all working towards it and actors are helping other actors.”

Efficient Annie in New York during the holidays is particularly meaningful for Goldberg, who grew up celebrating the season in Manhattan.

“We had all of New York to walk around,” she recalls. “It was Gimbels (department store) and Macy’s, the windows and Santas. And that’s what *Annie* is. It’s really quite a tribute to New York. This is what New York is and this is what I grew up with.

Reflecting on the city’s evolution, Goldberg added, “A lot of these places have kind of disappeared. Macy’s is there, but Gimbels is gone. So that’s the vibe of New York on vacation that I experienced as a kid.

She shared her excitement about joining the show over the holidays: “When they said, ‘We’re going to do this over the holidays,’ I thought, ‘Well, okay.’ I didn’t plan anything. Let’s do this! It’s perfect!'”