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<p class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">ANYTHING GOES: dynamic dancing, fanciful farce and
great music at The Palace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Cleveland may not have
great athletic teams, but it is a pennant contender when it comes to theatre.<span style> </span>The local area is one of the top
subscription sales stops on the Broadway series tour.<span style> </span>Often the shows start their treks to other venues by opening
here.<span style> </span>Such is the case with
ANYTHING GOES, which unleashed its 25 city tour last Friday at the Palace
Theatre.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">You’ve seen ANYTHING GOES
before?<span style> </span>Well, maybe yes, maybe no,
depends on where and when you did the viewing.<span style> </span>No less than four official versions of the Cole Porter show
exist.<span style> </span>The original 1934 version, a
1962 revision, <span style> </span>and a 1987 revival which
further altered both the story and the score.<span style> </span>In 2011 another face-lift was done with songs cut,
other reassigned to different scenes and/or given to different characters to
sing.<span style> </span>Porter songs from other
shows were added.<span style> </span>(The newest revival
starred Sutton Foster and Cleveland native Joel Grey.) It’s the latest version
of the script that is lighting up the stage at The Palace. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Interestingly, even before
the show opened in New York in its original form, changes had to be made.<span style> </span>The initial plot involved a bomb threat
on an ocean liner, a shipwreck, and fun and games on a desert island.<span style> </span>A couple of weeks before the show’s
opening a fire broke out on the cruise ship SS Morro Castle, which caused the
deaths of over one hundred passengers.<span style>
</span>Obviously, that was not a good time to use an ocean disaster as a plot
for a light-hearted musical.<span style>
</span>So, the idea was scrapped and the new story line developed.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Since shows of the day
were escapist, not like the well-made musicals of today where storylines drive
the plot, and songs and dancing meld flawlessly, making the change was no big
deal. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">ANYTHING GOES takes place on an ocean liner
bound from New York to London.<span style> </span>Handsome,
young Billy Crocker stows away in order to pursue his attempt to win over his
love, Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to uptight Brit, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.<span style> </span>Also on board is Moonface Martin who is
Public Enemy #13, Reno Sweeney, a nightclub singer and “evangelist,” two
Chinese sinners, a “minister,” four “angels,” an airheaded floosy, Crocker’s
wealthy boss, and lots sailors and passengers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The story?<span style> </span>Billy pursues Hope, whose mother wants her to marry Oakleigh
for his money, while Reno pursues both Billy and Oakleigh, the passengers want
to sail with celebrities and are thrilled when they find out Public Enemies # 1
(well, not really) and #13 (for real) are on board.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Get the idea that this is just fun stuff that
requires no thinking and little will be learned?<span style> </span>You are right.<span style>
</span>And you are along for one heck of a fun ride, while listening to such great
Porter classics as <i style>I Get a Kick Out of
You</i>, <i style>You’re The Top</i>, <i style>Easy to Love</i>, <i style>It’s De-lovely</i>, <i style>All Through
the Night</i>, and <i style>The Gypsy in Me</i>.<span style> </span>Yes, all these are part of this version
of this script. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">But, that not all. The first act show closer, <i style>Anything Goes,</i> explodes into an exciting
long tap dance number that brought the audience to its feet.<span style> </span>To add to the enjoyment, early in Act
Two </span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Blow
Gabriel, Blow</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino"> becomes a prayer
meeting song and dance extravaganza that caused so much excitement that the
show actually had to pause because the audience wouldn’t stop clapping.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The touring show is
dynamically directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.<span style> </span>She misses no chances to excite and
delight the audience.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino">Tall,
beautiful, talented Rachel York makes Reno into a singing and dancing
marvel.<span style> </span>This is one talented
performer playing a role that appears to have been written for her. The dynamic
York played Fantine in LES MISERABLES on Broadway, and Marguerite in the second
Broadway version of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. <span style> </span>In a one-on-one interview, York, who declares that she is “a
perfectionist,” shared that she finds that “touring, and living out of a suitcase
is going to be an adventure” as she is a new mother and will be bringing her
child on the tour. She finds that “every opening night in each city is a major
challenge. The different audiences and new venues present an interesting
challenge.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino">Fred
Applegate convulses the audience as Moonface Martin.<span style> </span>He is the consummate stage comedian, with a mobile face and
light-up-the-stage presence.<span style> </span>His
version of <i style>Friendship</i>, sung and
mugged with York, is one of the show’s many highlights.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino">Leading
man handsome Erich Bergen has the right boy next door presence, sings and acts
well, but appears a little dance challenged, finessing some of his moves.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino">Alex
Finke makes for an adorable Hope, Sandra Shipley is properly uptight as her
mother, and Edward Staudenmayer is a total delight as Lord Oakleigh.<span style> </span>Dennis Kelley, makes for fun, as Eisha
Whitney, Billy’s near blind boss.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:<span style> </span>ANYTHING GOES is a total delight and a must see! <span style> </span>You’ll come out of the theatre thinking
of the show that “It’s De-lovely,” that “I Get a Kick Out of You” because
“You’re The Top,” and so “Easy To Love.”<span style> </span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Tickets for ANYTHING GOES
which runs through October 14 at the Palace Theatre, can be ordered by calling
216-241-6000 or going to <a href="http://www.playhousesquare.org/"><span style>www.playhousesquare.org</span></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">*********************************************************************</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></p>
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