BWW Reviews: ANYTHING GOES at Lyric Stage

There may only be a few remaining performances of Lyric Stage's ANYTHING GOES, but there's still plenty to see and hear before the ship sails beyond closing night this Sunday. The show (which features a cast of 37 actors and an astounding 33-piece orchestra) appears as a never-before-seen edit, written exclusively for Lyric Stage by musical director and conductor Jay Dias. With over three hours of old fashioned musical theatre comedy on stage, there's surely something to please the whole family in this lavish, timeless tale.

Dias' restructuring of the 1934 Broadway script may minimize the famous dance numbers, but makes room for a handful of Cole Porter songs that did not make the cut for the original production, including "Kate The Great," "Sailor's Chanty," and "Waltz Down The Aisle." Four official scripts of ANYTHING GOES exist, but the two versions that are generally available for licensing exclude at least five of the twenty selections Dias has included for this production. Although Dallas audiences are familiar with Dias' impeccable orchestra leadership (which deserves epic praise), it's his commitment to the material that's especially impressive.

Among the large and local cast, there's certainly a wide range of talent, but Lyric's company does not fail to deliver exceptional vocal performances (as always). Yet, several performances elevate the company's suburb product, most notably Andy Baldwin as Reverend Dr. Moon and Daron Cockerell as the iconic Reno Sweeny. As "Moonface Martin," Baldwin turns the somewhat tired and trite role into a fresh, amusing highlight of the show, full of physically comedic antics and one liners. His interpretation manages to honor the 1930's style of writing without ever feeling stale or over-the-top. Ms. Cockerell's soul-shaking vocal range shows great versatility in this classic score. Her renditions of "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Anything Goes," and "Buddie, Beware" show not only contrasting sides of her dynamic voice, but of her sassy and sultry personality as well. It's performers like Baldwin and Cockerell, constantly delivering professional-caliber work, that give local theatre a good name.

With credits in Broadway productions of CRAZY FOR YOU, DAMN YANKEES and CABARET on her resume, it's thrilling to have Penny Ayn Maas on the roster as both director and choreographer. Though this production omits some of ANYTHING GOES' more well-known and lively numbers ("Heaven Hop," "Friendship," Take Me Back To Manhattan," "Let's Step Out"), Maas' choreography manages to bring out the best of the enormous ensemble, with clean stage pictures and intricate traffic patterns interestingly painting the stage. Her efforts are occasionally less successful in the show's lengthy scenes, where the pacing is sluggish and transitions are tiresome. With three hours of material, the speed of the show could use a bit of a jolt.

No matter what, audiences know Lyric as the time machine to The Golden Age of Broadway, and this team triumphs in transporting DFW back with enthusiasm. With a stage full of singing sailors and exciting Angels, not to mention the unbeatable musicians, it unlikely that anyone won't get a kick out of this crew.

ANYTHING GOES runs through Sunday, July 27th. Tickets and more information are available at www.lyricstage.org.

Photos courtesy of Michael C. Foster

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