#1
Posted: 6/13/13 at 9:24am
Having seen the recent Broadway revival of Anything Goes several times, I decided to catch up with the National Tour of the same show currently playing at The Kennedy Center.
This production does not disappoint! Rachel York is a sassy and brassy Reno Sweeney. Her vocal stylings sounded like someone who was a singer in the 30s and 40s. She also has a keen sense of comedy, and certainly had the audience last night laughing (as did everyone else in the cast). I have seen Sutton Foster, Stephanie J. Block and Tari Kelly all play this role and it was nice to see that each of these actresses were doing their own thing with it. The strongest dancers were Sutton and Tari, but I loved the way Stephanie sang the score and acted the part. It’s difficult to say who my favorite was since they were all different. I have always wanted to hear Andrea McArdle sing the score to this show.
Josh Franklin recently joined the tour as Billy Crocker and I liked him quite a lot. Out of the three different actors I have seen in this role, he was definitely my favorite. His beginning of It’s De-Lovely was hysterical.
Fred Applegate was a hoot as Moonface Martin. It was nice to someone else as I only saw Joel Grey when the revival was on Broadway.
Joyce Chittick was definitely an audience favorite as Erma.
Edward Staudenmayer (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh) was another one with a great sense of comedic timing. His Gypsy in Me was a highlight of the evening. It even looked like Rachel York was enjoying this number as well.
Both the title number of the show and Blow, Gabriel, Blow blew the roof off of the Opera House. So nice to see this audience react like they did on Broadway.
My only quibble of the evening is the sound in the Opera House. I was in the rear orchestra area and the sound was just so dead back there. But other than that it was still enjoyable and how nice it was to hear laughter throughout the evening. Most of the run is listed on Goldstar and I know I will definitely be going back.
This production does not disappoint! Rachel York is a sassy and brassy Reno Sweeney. Her vocal stylings sounded like someone who was a singer in the 30s and 40s. She also has a keen sense of comedy, and certainly had the audience last night laughing (as did everyone else in the cast). I have seen Sutton Foster, Stephanie J. Block and Tari Kelly all play this role and it was nice to see that each of these actresses were doing their own thing with it. The strongest dancers were Sutton and Tari, but I loved the way Stephanie sang the score and acted the part. It’s difficult to say who my favorite was since they were all different. I have always wanted to hear Andrea McArdle sing the score to this show.
Josh Franklin recently joined the tour as Billy Crocker and I liked him quite a lot. Out of the three different actors I have seen in this role, he was definitely my favorite. His beginning of It’s De-Lovely was hysterical.
Fred Applegate was a hoot as Moonface Martin. It was nice to someone else as I only saw Joel Grey when the revival was on Broadway.
Joyce Chittick was definitely an audience favorite as Erma.
Edward Staudenmayer (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh) was another one with a great sense of comedic timing. His Gypsy in Me was a highlight of the evening. It even looked like Rachel York was enjoying this number as well.
Both the title number of the show and Blow, Gabriel, Blow blew the roof off of the Opera House. So nice to see this audience react like they did on Broadway.
My only quibble of the evening is the sound in the Opera House. I was in the rear orchestra area and the sound was just so dead back there. But other than that it was still enjoyable and how nice it was to hear laughter throughout the evening. Most of the run is listed on Goldstar and I know I will definitely be going back.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
