Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The Stadium Theatre’s first musical of their summer season is “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter. Originally written in 1934 for Ethel Merman where it ran for 420 performances, the show’s book was revised in 1962 and then again in 1987. Director Brian Lopes takes this 1934 version of the script and infuses his talented cast with high energy to pull off these roles. The show takes place in the 1930’s aboard the luxury liner S.S. American sailing from New York to London with a group of unusual passengers. The story of boy, Bill Crocker who loves girl, Hope Harcourt who is engaged to wealthy British suitor, Lord Evelyn, who is pursued by singing and dancing evangelist, Reno Sweeney is the basic storyline of this show. Throw in boy’s heavy drinking boss, girl’s overbearing mother, public enemy # 13, his sexy gun moll, Reno’s four fallen Angels, the captain, the purser, the sailors and the passengers plus fantastic music direction by Brittany Dyer and fabulous choreography by Julia Nelson and you have a sure fire crowd pleasing musical entertainment which wins a standing ovation at the end of the night.
Brian blocks his huge cast splendidly and gives a lot of shtick for these comic characters.Brittany Dyer not only conducts a topnotch seven piece orchestra but plays lead keyboards and obtains fantastic harmonies in group numbers, duets and trios, too. Julia’s high intensity dance numbers include tap, tango, soft shoe, Fred and Ginger type dance, the Charleston and many others done in perfect unison. Two of the best are “Anything Goes” tap dance and “Blow Gabriel Blow” tap dance and gospel style dance steps, too. Wayne Boucher and Armand Desmarais built the two story luxury liner set while the outstanding costumes are by Lauren Beaudoin, Teal and Brenna Griswold and Eve Lajoie. The brilliant lighting design is by Dean Palmer Jr. whose wife, Lisa played Reno.
The outstanding leading lady,Lisa Ziniti Palmer who plays Reno, is a sultry and sexy brunette who wears a red wig in this role. She delivers her comic one liners splendidly. Her singing, dancing and acting in this huge role is amazing which makes her a triple threat performer. Lisa’s strong voice is heard in “You’re the Top”, “Friendship”, Let’s Misbehave” and tap dances up a storm in “Anything Goes” and “Blow Gabriel Blow” where she coaxes the passengers to confess their sins. She also does a brilliant dance with her Angels in “Take Me Back to Manhattan.” However it is “I Get a Kick Out of You” that displays the softer side of the tough as nails Reno when she confesses her love for Evelyn to the audience. Her gorgeous voice tugs on your heartstrings in this one. Lisa shines brightly in this role, having also done so as Belle earlier this year in “Beauty and the Beast.” Brava!
The fantastic leading man, Billy Crocker is wonderfully portrayed by Mike Buck who is also a triple threat performer. He makes Billy determined to win back Hope’s love any way he can. Mike handles the comic shtick excellently and possesses a strong tenor voice which is heard in “You’re the Top”, “It’s DeLovely” and “Friendship” as well as in the romantic ballad “All Through the Night” with Hope. His many comic disguises while trying to avoid capture by the purser are hilarious, too. His dance steps are topnotch, too.
The lovely Victoria Rose Hamilton plays Hope who is the fiancee of Sir Evelyn but is really in love with Billy. She gives this ingenue the strong backbone to get what she really wants. Victoria’s wonderful soprano voice soars in the romantic duet “It’s DeLovely” and in the plaintive “All Through the Night” where she thinks she’s lost Billy for good. Her dancing skills are seen in the duet, the gospel song and in the finale of the show. Sean Sova steals many a scene as the very British, Sir Evelyn who continually misunderstands American sayings. He has a terrific British accent and gets to display the bawdy side of his character in “Let’s Misbehave” with Lisa.
One of the biggest scene stealers is Nick Pellegrino as Moonface. Nick is fabulous as Public Enemy # 13 with his New York accent. His behavior as this tough talking gangster and comic hoodlum are hilarious while his “Friendship” and especially “Be Like a Bluebird” are laugh out loud moments. Nick delivers his one liners perfectly and has a terrific voice, too. Also hilarious is Jess who plays the dumb gun moll splendidly. She sings “Heaven Hop” and “Let’s Step Out” wonderfully, too. As Erma Latour, she chases every man on the ship. Other comic performers include John McElroy as the heavy drinking boss where he won sustained laughter singing bits of songs in a drunken stupor and when told by Mrs. Harcourt “That Liquor has never touched her lips” then asks her “Oh, you’ve found a faster way?, Ronni Marshak as the bossy, snobby Mrs. Harcourt and Aidan Horrigan as the stern captain who rejoices when a Public Enemy is found onboard. Brandon Michael plays the determined and dogged Purser who won’t stop till he catches the stowaway while Kaylee Arruda, Helena Medici, Mia Berube and Brenna Griswold play Reno’s singing and dancing Angels perfectly. Kudos to all the hard working cast and crew. So for a fantastic trip back to the carefree days of the 1930’s be sure to catch “Anything Goes” at the Stadium Theatre. Tell them Tony sent you for a Delovely time.
ANYTHING GOES (13 to 15 July)
Stadium Theatre, 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket, RI
1(401)62-4545 or www.stadiumtheatre.com
