Playbill of the Week: Anything Goes

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January 11, 2012 I sat in the Stephen Sondheim Theatre as the lights dimmed, and the overture started. The famous Cole porter tunes echoed thru the theatre and the audience went wild. Sometimes all you need to hear is some classic musical theater to bring a smile to your face. In its third reincarnation on Broadway, Anything Goes amazed audiences with its charm, whimsy and iconic talent. A nightclub singer, an heiress, public enemy number one and a wall street broker are on an ocean liner bound for London. Love, trickery, friendship and most importantly tap dancing ensue. Comedy at it's finest, with classic songs like 'You're The Top', 'Blow, Gabriel, Blow', and the title song 'Anything Goes.' Men and women in beautiful 1930's attire, flashy, bright but not too revealing. What more could you ask for?

At the helm of the ship we have Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney. A performer who is nothing short of brilliant on stage. A powerhouse force of nature. A true triple threat. Someone who has inspired a generation of artists. Reno Sweeney is an iconic role, made truly for an icon. Names like Patti LuPone and Ethel Merman are what come to mind when you think of Reno. And Since 2011 Sutton Foster has joined that list. I saw Sutton in her first Tony winning role, Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie. It changed my life for the better, and I will thank her every day for what she gave me on stage. 9 years later and she still dazzled and amazed me. Oh and did I mention she did an almost 8 minute tap number then belted out like it was no problem whatsoever. There's something to be said about stamina kids, so do your cardio.

Now, when you talk about legends one name should come up. That name is Joel Grey. Probably best known as the MC in Cabaret. A Tony, Golden Globe and Academy Award winner, a joy to watch and I'm sure an even more joy to work with. I went into Anything Goes knowing I would get an outstanding performance, but what I didn't know is that I would be getting an education in comedy. Watching the legendary Joel Grey work was definitely a highlight of my theater attending. He glides across the stage, bringing laughs and joy with him everywhere he goes. Every move and turn is an opportunity to add something new and different to the performance. You can tell how amazing he is to work with by the amount of fun his co-stars are having with him. When legends like Joel grace us with their presence on stage, we all better take advantage of their performance. We can get an education just by watching the greats.

In the supporting roles we had Broadway gems Laura Osnes and Colin Donnell. A girl who got her start on a Broadway version of American Idol, trying to find the next Sandy for Grease. Who would have thought we would have gotten Tony nominated Broadway princess Laura Osnes!? Her performance was sweet, endearing and her beautiful voice rung through the rafters, leaving behind the most glorious soprano song. A joy to watch perform. And then there's Colin Donnell, who's charm and charisma jumped off the stage. He made you fall in love with his dashing persona and gorgeous voice. He shined beside Sutton and Laura, and held his own in the comedy department alongside Joel Grey. An accomplishment in itself.

I would like to thank Kathleen Marshall for bringing this phenomenal group together. Her choreography and directing were beautiful, classic and charming. Sometimes we want so much from musicals. We ache for contemporary stories, with music that sounds like it could be on the Top 40. But we forget that we can have these new pieces of art like Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton and Next to Normal because shows like Anything Goes, Carousel and Show Boat paved the way. We have to thank Cole Porter for the work and the effort he put into his shows. For making music and stories that transcended from stage to screen, that were memorable for decades. I take the classics for granted, definitely. I skip them on my playlists, I leave them out of my repertoire, and sometimes deny their existence. But at the end of the day, they are the reason that I found a love in the theatre. So watch the classics, realize the beauty and pay your respects to the shows that paved the way. You won't regret it.