THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503210102
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Theater Review
SOURCE: Montague Gammon III
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
(Due to a production error, the start of this review was omitted from the March 16 Compass. In this edition of The Compass, the review is being run as it was to have run last week.)
Rarely will any show produce the infectious joy that ``Anything Goes'' brought to the Wells Theatre stage last weekend.
Even more rare than the verve and the energy on display in this old Cole Porter piece are the discipline and intelligence with which the Governor's Magnet School for the Arts staged it.
It would always be a delight to watch a musical displaying the excellent singing and dancing, and the comic flair, that this cast presented. The pleasure is magnified when such skills are combined with the clever characterization and genuinely substantive performances that distinguished ``Anything Goes.''
The wealth of young talent with which Tidewater is blessed has never been more obvious than in this production's ensemble numbers. Because the Magnet School draws from throughout the region, reaching at least as far as the school systems of Smithfield and Isle of Wight, it has access to a remarkable array of students.
Under chairperson Michael Tick, the Theatre Department has for years produced dramas and comedies, musicals and opera, with unceasing high quality. Few, if any, have surpassed ``Anything Goes.''
Of course, Porter's musical and lyrical brilliance gave the show an advantage that few contemporary musicals have. Just in Act One the audience gets such well-known gems as ``I Get a Kick Out of You,'' ``Easy to Love,'' ``Friendship,'' ``It's De-lovely'' and ``Anything Goes.''
The 1934 production of ``Anything Goes'' showcased the talents of Ethel Merman as a nightclub entertainer on a luxury liner, caught up in a tangle of romantic misadventures and false identities. There have been several versions of the script; that chosen by director Lisa Annice Baldwin is rife with social and political wit that still rings true, two generations after it was written.
As the tough-talking singer Reno Sweeney, Natalie Phillips revealed a strong, true voice and a healthy touch of Merman's brassiness. She also danced well, but her greatest talent may be an exceptional ability to ``sell'' a song. She commanded the stage, and the audience's attention, with the aplomb of a real pro.
For all the fire Phillips showed, and for all the many talented youths on stage, the landmark performance was that of Will Dickerson, who has taken all kinds of roles in the last several years at the Magnet School. But this is his first foray into this sort of comedy.
No one person can steal a show from a 35-member cast. Yet Dickerson certainly came close to pilfering the whole production as the gangster Moonface Martin, Public Enemy Number 13, traveling with his trusty Tommy Gun in the disguise of a minister.
Good as Dickerson's song and dance talent were, it was his impeccable sense of comic timing and the innumerable small details he built into his performance that made his acting outstanding. It's important to note that his performance was never overblown nor unnecessarily broad, and never called attention to itself or to the actor at the expense of others on the stage.
Matt Caplan also distinguished himself in the leading romantic role of Billy Crocker. Like Dickerson he built his performance from wealth of detail, with understatement and an air of innocent charm.
Mary Faber plays opposite Caplan, in the role of debutante Hope Harcourt, with a blend of winsome innocence and sophisticated performing talent. As Hope escapes the influence of her family and of social expectations, she blossoms from a quiet, almost plain girl into a lovely and lively young woman.
The rich choreography was by Chip Gallagher, assisted by Jeff Warner. Gina M. Fiore was the musical director, and Scott A. Skiles designer of the impressive set. Lori M. Cotman designed the costumes, and Christen Essin the lighting. MEMO: AT A GLANCE
What: ``Anything Goes'' by Cole Porter.
When: The show closed March 12.
Who: Produced by the Theatre Department of the Governor's Magnet
School for the Arts.
Information on the school: 441-2905. by CNB