Review: Talent-Crazy “Anything Goes” tours into 5th Avenue Theatre

Erich Bergen and Rachel York in Roundabout Theater Company’s Anything Goes.
Credit Joan Marcus

You have  till November 3, 2013 to see a great rendition of the classic musical, Anything Goes! Touring from the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City, Kathleen Marshall has directed and choreographed a rousing, endearing version with top-notch triple threat talent.

A fairly silly plot about some rich folks, some regular folks, and some gangsters on a boat to London is the setting for some of Cole Porter’s most beloved songs. They include: Anything Goes, I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re the Top, It’s Delovely and Friendship.

The star of the show is indisputably Rachel York as the tough, sexy broad, Reno Sweeney. York does everything in this show: she has almost all the best songs, she taps with the corps while still managing to sing her guts out, she doles out Mae West-style seduction lines, and makes us adore her. She gets some great support from a couple of the elder statesmen, Fred Applegate as the gangster with a heart of gold, Moonface Martin, and an adorable Dennis Kelly as the near-sighted boss, Elisha Whitney.

Josh Franklin as the male lead Billy Crocker has a mellifluous voice and winning ways. His love interest, Alex Finke, does a nice job, but could use a serious gut implant in both her stage presence and her belting.

A campy role of Erma, a kind of “moll” who mostly just loves men, is played by veteran actor Joyce Chittick. Overheard during intermission: she’s actually performing pregnant! She does a terrific job and most of the time just looks lusciously “round” instead of enceinte. It’s a small role, but in her capable hands, it’s a bunch more fun.

The choreography, especially the long, long, long tap number – not a moment of which is boring or repetitive, is a graceful adjunct and shows Marshall’s versatility.

All told, this is a great rendition. So if you’ve never seen it, or you want to take kids to a musical but never know if it’s family-appropriate, definitely make tracks to the 5^th Avenue Theatre. For tickets or information contact the 5th Avenue box office at 206-625-1900 or online at www.5thavenue.org.