By Kimberly Harper
Ocean State Theatre Company has done a lot of things right in its short four year tenure, and one of the things that I really enjoy is that their seasons have a nice mix of theatrical styles. They’ve got a feel-good Christmas show (I missed “Wonderful Life” this year but I heard great things), some really well-loved shows (“Gypsy,” “Miracle Worker”), some more obscure works (“Breaking Legs”), guest performers (if you missed Betty Buckley, I am so sorry) and, to close their fourth season, a classic Cole Porter musical: “Anything Goes.”
“Anything Goes” is around 80 years old and is a musical that checks all the boxes for a show of its genre. The long overture featuring a sample from practically every song in the show. The guy is always going to get the girl and the girl is going to be a product of her time. (In this show, this means expressing some particularly eyebrow raising sentiments for this day and age – one character tells another that she is put out he never tried to get her into bed, that he “never even tried to get me drunk!”) The plot is going to be hokey. And everything is going to wrap up in a rousing company-wide song and dance number.
You know it going in. This is not a modern musical. You either love it or you don’t.
In this case, there’s a lot to love. Under the direction of Amiee Turner, Cole Porter’s Anything Goes is full of good music, fabulous dance numbers and – par for the course here in Warwick – so much talent. The plot is simple, and takes place on a luxury ocean liner in the 1930s. Billy Crocker, lackey for a downright crazy Wall Street tycoon, is in love with debutante Hope Harcourt. Of course, Hope is slated to marry kooky aristocrat Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, even though everyone can see they aren’t right for each other. Billy’s friend and on-board talent Reno Sweeney offers to help him out, even though she’s in love with Billy. Billy’s not supposed to be on the ship, and neither is outlaw Moonface Martin or his girlfriend Erma, but that’s ok, Moonface is pretending to be a pastor and anyway, he’s only 13th on the FBI’s most-wanted list (much to his chagrin). So naturally they get tangled up together, and wind up in jail, but it all turns out fine in the end.
If it sounds trite, keep reading, you’re not here for the story line.
Jessica Wagner’s portrayal of Reno Sweeney alone would be worth the price of admission. The woman is flawless. I’m not even engaging in hyperbole when I say that – for the entire production, she was absolutely perfect. Reno has some of the hardest and most loved songs in the entire show, and Wagner nails each one. She’s a talented actress and a very graceful dancer, making her fun to watch, but it’s her voice that’s really incredible. From her first number “I Get a Kick Out of You” to the show-stopping “Anything Goes” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” you’re going to be mesmerized.
Nate Suggs plays Billy and he’s got the chops for it, working well up against both Reno and Hope (played by Jade Genga). He handles some Cole Porter classics quite well, including the well loved “Delovely.” Katie Howe as Erma is especially appealing during her Act 2 number “Buddie Beware” and Dennis Setteducati as Moonface is also quite entertaining. I wasn’t sure what to make of Lord Evelyn until Act 2, when Andrew Boza lets his character really run free in “The Gypsy in Me.” He quickly turned into one of my favorites because he was just so wonderfully awkward and over the top.
The ensemble is strong, especially the tap dancers and the men’s chorus. Choreographer Gerrianne Genga did a great job with the dance numbers, especially the ones involving tapping. The set (designed by Bert Scott) is a two-story ocean liner that looks great (I was especially fond of the art deco accents in some of the rooms) and the orchestra, under the direction of Esther Zabinski, makes sure all those familiar tunes are lively and fun.
Is the show a little corny, a little dated? Oh, absolutely. For some people that’s going to be a perk. For those who aren’t entirely sold on the concept, there are so many wonderful reasons to see the show. I had a fantastic time and the rest of the audience did too (one woman nearby got so into things during “You’re the Top” that she actually started singing before catching herself!). In short, “Anything Goes” at OSTC is toe-tapping, quick-stepping fun.
“Anything Goes” runs through May 22 at Ocean State Theatre,1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Tickets range from $39 to $59 and may be obtained by calling (401) 921-6800, or visiting oceanstatetheatre.org.
