**** Highly Recommended The Porchlight Music Theatre production of Anything Goes is practically perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing – except maybe the location – this show belongs on Broadway! Run, don’t walk … I know, that’s a ridiculous thing to say in the age of the Internet, but you know what I mean … and get your tickets! Call me old-fashioned – I love Anything Goes! Cole Porter’s tunes are catchy, with clever lyrics that you can actually hear and understand – and Meghan Murphy was born to play Reno Sweeney! 4 BIG Spotlights!
As wise-cracking Reno Sweeney, Meghan Murphy is the real deal. She’s got a great singing voice, fabulous stage presence and she can dance! At the end of the first act, she leads an amazing tap-dance extravaganza to title song, Anything Goes. Then there’s Blow Gabriel Blow, another theatrical production number you just don’t want to miss.
Kudos to Director Michael Weber who wisely chose to go for the laughs in such a light-hearted show. In addition to the tongue-in-cheek, innuendo-filled dialogue, he’s included some funny slapstick comedy. By the way, the cast is just about perfect too! More kudos – to Tammy Mader for the Choreography, Nick Sula for the Music Direction and Costume Designer Rachel Boylan.
Billy Crocker (Luke Nowakowski) is in a New York bar to give his boss, Elisha Whitney (Anthony Whitaker), a proud Yale grad, cash and a folder of important documents for an upcoming trip, but he forgot his passport. Whitney, who’s feeling no pain, orders Billy to bring the passport to the dock in the morning, and then, when he’s back at the office, to sell all of his shares in a certain company based on a tip from a fellow Yale grad.
As Billy is leaving the bar, he bumps into Reno Sweeney (Murphy), a gorgeous redhead who trades on her dubious reputation. Reno’s unhappy because Billy stood her up the night before. When Billy tells her he’s in love, Reno is taken aback. The fact that Billy always treated her with respect led her to expect a marriage proposal, at least. She shares her feelings by serenading him with I Get a Kick Out of You.
As he waits for his boss at the dock, Billy’s love, Hope Harcourt (Emma Ogea), the debutant and her mother, Evangeline (Genevieve VenJohnson) arrive. So sad, too bad for Billy, Mrs. Harcourt informs him that Hope just got engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Jackson Evans), a wimpy British aristocrat and they’re getting married in London.
As Billy is leaving the ship, a couple of FBI agents push him out of the way in hot pursuit of Public Enemy #1, who might be disguised as a minister. Moonface Martin (Steve McDonagh) – who’s also disguised as a clergyman and gun moll, Erma (Tafadzwa Diener), who’s waiting for her boyfriend who actually is Public Enemy #1, helpfully point them in the direction of a real minister, who is arrested and dragged off the ship. Taking advantage of the commotion, Billy stays on board, hiding with help from Moonface and Erma, who ‘borrow’ Elisha’s glasses so he won’t recognize Billy.
Reno and her angels aka back-up singers, Charity (Rachel Dec), Chastity (Emily Ling Mei), Virtue (Hannah Remian) and Purity Nataki Rennie) are the only celebrities on board – much to the Captain’s (Nick Dorado) chagrin – at least until they find out Public Enemy #1 aka Billy – is on board.
The course of true love is never smooth, so Billy runs into a snag or two in his pursuit of Hope, who doesn’t really want to marry Lord Evelyn, but her mother is insisting on the marriage since they’d lost all their money in the crash. As it turns out, Lord Evelyn might not be all that interested in marrying Hope either – and could there be a romance between Elisha and Mrs. Harcourt?
Anthony Whitaker (Elisha), Steve McDonagh (Moonface) and Jackson Evans (Lord Evelyn) provided a lot of the physical comedy. Without his glasses and frequently tipsy, Whitaker gropes and reels around the ship. Evans’ disjointed dance stylistics cracked me up. With a few good pratfalls, a swagger and a machine gun, McDonagh, upstaged everyone – except for the refugees from Boys Town, Dippy (Ciara Hickey) and Spit (Gabriel Solis) who pick every pocket they can find.
In addition to fabulous production numbers, Anything Goes and Blow Gabriel Blow, you’ll love songs like I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re the Top, It’s De-lovely and The Gypsy in Me.
The Anything Goes ensemble includes Logan Becker, Tommy Bullington, Josiah Haugen, J. Christian Hill, Kelsey MacDonald, Jenna Schoppe, Mack Spotts and Jerod Turner.
The Anything Goes orchestra includes Linda Madonia (Piano/Conductor), Greg Strauss (Trumpet), Cara Strauss (Reeds 1), Sophie Creutz (Reeds 2), Justin Akira Kono (Percussion), Marcel Bonfim (Bass) and Stephanie Lebens (Trombone).
Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of Anything Goes has been extended through March 10th at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Valet parking is available. Running time is 2 hours, 45 minutes, including an intermission.
Performances are: Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm. Tickets start at $20. FYI (773) 777-9884 or www.porchlightmusictheatre.org.