{"id":18519,"date":"2015-05-27T14:44:41","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T21:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=18519"},"modified":"2015-05-27T23:27:35","modified_gmt":"2015-05-28T06:27:35","slug":"anything-goes-a-knockout-hit-at-center-rep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/anything-goes-a-knockout-hit-at-center-rep\/","title":{"rendered":"ANYTHING GOES a knockout hit at Center Rep."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Molly Bell (center) her angels and cast belt out “Blow Gabriel, Blow” in Center Rep’s hit musical Anything Goes.<\/p><\/div>\n

ANY THING GOES<\/em>: Musical. Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter. Original Book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse. New Book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman. Directed by Michael Butler. Center REPertory Company 1601 Civic Drive in downtown Walnut Creek. 925-943-7469, or www.CenterREP.org<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

May 26-June 27, 2015.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ANYTHING GOES<\/em> a knockout hit at Center Rep.\u00a0 [rating:5]\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ethel Who? That would be Ethel Merman who made Reno Sweeny her signature role in\u00a0 the musical Anything Goes<\/em> that sailed onto the Broadway stage in 1936. . . at a time when \u2018anything goes.\u201d You can forget Merman if (when) you go to see Molly Bell\u2019s Reno Sweeny and a fantastic cast under Michael Butler\u2019s non-stop direction of \u00a0Anything Goes<\/em> that earned a standing ovation opening night at Center Rep stage. <\/em>\u00a0It is a charming, sparkling, energetic, hysterical humorous, song filled, spiritedly danced and corny\/loveable musical.\u00a0 Porter\u2019s classic, vivacious, witty and naughty songs will keep a smile on your face as you hum the tunes long after you leave the theatre.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All the previous adjectives, starting with charming, describe Center Reps\u2019 staging with a cast of 25 cavorting on a fantastic shipboard set with a 10 piece onstage orchestra being led by the multi-talented Brandon Adams who even comes down to center stage to lead an acapella rendition of \u201cPublic Enemy #1.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although Reno (Molly Bell) is a major player in the high jinxes that come fast and furious, she has to share the stage with an eclectic bunch of characters portrayed by a great cast. First we meet a Yale alumnus, and heavy drinker, financier Elisha J. Whitney (Michael Patrick Gaffney at his best) and his stock broker Billy Crocker (handsome tenor Joshua Hollister) who is love struck by Hope Harcourt (beautiful Brittany Danielle) betrothed to Sir Evelyn Oakley (great comedic timing by Jeffrey Draper). Then there is Public enemy #13 Moonface Martin (scene stealing Colin Thompson) with a great desire to be #1 and his moll Erma (bright, bouncy Lizzie O\u2019Hara). Reno, an evangelist turned cabaret performer is traveling with her four \u2018angels\u2019. These are the major characters that all end up on the USS America bound for England.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As with most musicals of the 30s, the book is secondary and the writers say, \u201cEnough of this dialog, it is time for a song or a dance.\u201d So it is with Anything Goes<\/em>. Molly Bell makes her presence felt belting out \u201cI Get a Kick Out of You\u201d before the sailors decked out in sparkling white uniforms invade the Bon Voyage Cocktail Lounge to shuffle off to Buffalo with \u201cThere\u2019s No Cure Like Travel\u201d before the entire company send the ship off to the high seas with a song and dance \u201cBon Voyage.\u201d Now how\u2019s that for two opening scenes? But you ain\u2019t seen nothin\u2019 yet.\u00a0 Porter inserts two more great songs, \u201cYou\u2019re the Top\u201d for Reno and Billy and \u201cEasy to Love\u201d for Billy and Hope. And we are only half way through the first act.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cherubic Colin Thomson as Moonface Martin, gets his turn to show his stuff with Reno in the rollicking \u201cFriendship.\u201d Joshua Hollister and Brittany Danielle are a perfect match as their love interest emerges with \u201cIt\u2019s De-Lovely.\u201d\u00a0 By this time it is one hour and twenty minutes into the show and time for a show stopper.\u00a0 What a show stopper it is with the crew and passengers praising Moonface as \u201cPublic Enemy Number One\u201d in the signature song, \u201cAnything Goes.\u201d Bell is at her best with the full company as back-up in the spirited tap routine to end the first act.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The second act is a continuation of the improbable mix-ups with disguises that you won\u2019t believe to keep you entertained. The energy continues when Reno and her Angels (Ariel Daly, Jenna Harris, Amanda Sylvia, Mary Kalita), step out of their white robes into revealing red costumes belting \u201cBlow, Gabriel, Blow.\u201d\u00a0 Molly Bell is a whirl wind with a voice to match her great dancing. The dancing and dancers are a marvel performing Amanda Folena\u2019s stunning choreography.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before the two hour and 30 minutes (with intermission) are over Lizzie O\u2019Hara belts and dances up a sexy maelstrom storm in \u201cBuddie Beware\u201d with the sailors as back up. Colin Thomson steals another scene with \u201cBe Like the Bluebird\u201d, Jeffery Draper shines with the tongue in cheek \u201cThe Gypsy in Me\u201d and Brittany Danielle and Joshua Hollister are pitch perfect with \u201cAll Through the Night.\u201d The evening ends with a reprise of \u201cI Get a Kick out of You.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The set is a creative beauty art deco main deck with semi-circular stairways surrounding a central revolving area that allows expeditious scenery changes in sync with director Butler\u2019s torrid pace without missing a beat. All phases of what musical theatre should be are on display: Fantastic music and lyrics, powerful dancing, great orchestrations, costumes to die for (Victoria Livingston Hall), great singing, a plethora of humor and of the shining star of Molly Bell making the character of Reno Sweeny her own. Ethel Who? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.<\/strong><\/p>\n

CAST: Molly Bell, Justin Travis Buchs, Ryan Cowles, Ariel Daly, Brittany Danielle, Lynda DiVito, Caleb Haven Draper, Jeffrey Draper, Michael Patrick Gaffney, Jenna Harris, Joshua Hollister, Mary Kalita, Christine Macomber, Scott Maraj, R. Martin Newton, Lizzie O’Hara, Neal Pascua, Jason Rehklau, Anthony Rollins-Mullens, Nathaniel Rothrock, Amanda Sylvia, Colin Thompson, Michael Verzosa.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

CREATIVE STAFF: Director Michael Butler; Choreographed by Amanda Folena; Music direction Brandon Adams; Set design, Michael Locher; Costume design, Victoria Livingston Hall; Lighting design,\u00a0 Kurt Landisman; Sound design, Jeff Mockus<\/em>;;<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kedar K. Adour MD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jason Rehklau, Caleb Haven Draper, Anthony Rollins-Mullens, Ryan Cowles, Justin Buchs*, Lizzie O’Hara<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ANY THING GOES: Musical. Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter. Original Book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse. New Book by Timothy Crouse &…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-18519","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-kedar-k-adour"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"