Sitare Sadeghi, Adam Brett, Heather Parcells, Mark Woodard, Nancy Teerlinck, Fred Frabotta, and ensemble members in Anything Goes
The Timber Lake Playhouse’s latest production, Anything Goes, is a freaking hoot and a wonderful time out in the woods for fans of laughter and dazzling musical-theatre numbers. Directed by Tommy Ranieri, this Cole Porter classic practically hums with all the energy radiating off stage. Featuring some killer tech, knockout performances, and more camp than you conceive, this is a summer crowd-pleaser to see.
While the original production of Anything Goes debuted in 1934, it has been iterated, revised, and revived many times over. It’s been turned into film, filmed for television, and has starred some of the greatest theatre royalty that Broadway has to offer: Ethel Merman, Bing Crosby, Patti LuPone, and Sutton Foster, to name but a few. And for a show that’s almost a century old, I’m amazed at how well everything here has aged. The Internet tells me that the book received edits for the 1987 revival, which is largely the version that plays today, but even with a gap of almost 40 years, it’s still surprisingly funny. I know some plays and musicals that have come out more recently than that and have already crossed over the threshold of “never do this show again.” Not so here, as the jokes never punch down and aim for something more timeless and slapstick-driven.
The premise is a comedy of errors. A Wall Street mogul (Fred Frabotta) is about to board the SS American for a cruise when he instructs his aide Billy Crocker (Adam Brett) to do stock-market things for him. As the ship is about to depart, Billy delivers a passport to his boss and sees Hope (Sitare Sadeghi), the woman he’s in love with. Unfortunately for Billy, Hope is on board with her fiancé Evelyn (Mark Woodard) and her overbearing mother (Nancy Teerlinck), and in a bid to stop the wedding, Billy shirks his responsibilities and stows away.
Meanwhile, through a series of comedic mishaps, Billy ends up with the ticket of Public Enemy #1 Snake Eyes Johnson, and needs to not only hide from his boss (who still thinks he’s ashore doing stock-market things) but also the entire SS American staff. Progressively worse disguises ensue as Billy receives the aid of Public Enemy #13, Moonface Martin (Scott Cote), and nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (the radiant Heather Parcells), who both serve alternatively as hucksters and matchmakers. Between the stock-market talk, the Act II holy revival, and the sheer number of petty misdemeanors, this just might be the quintessential American musical.
Never content with the status quo, Ranieri's Anything Goes is a progressive series of one-upmanship. There are punchlines that serve as setups for further punchlines, some of which don’t pay off for an hour, and every one of those punchlines lands exactly when and where it needs to. This is thanks in part to the clever writing, but also in large part to Ranieri's sharp direction and the entire ensemble's fantastic timing. Ranieri made some delightful casting choices, and everyone is tailor-fit for the parts they play.
Woodard is delightful as the aggressively English Evelyn and milks the role’s malapropisms for all they’re worth. Sadeghi plays an enticing love interest and has a set of pipes that would be right at home in the finest opera. Likewise, Brett is charming and suave. The crooks are also fun to love, with Cote and Emma Theriot (Theriot on the night I attended, but Gabriella Hernandez for the rest of the run) bringing a playful energy to everything they do. But the standout of the show (which is really saying a lot given the other talent on display) is Parcells. She is a true quadruple threat: someone who can sing, dance, act, and do the prior three all at once. An absolutely magnetic performer, she more than fills in the enormous tap shoes that the role calls for.
Beyond the acting, the production’s technical elements are largely fantastic. Spencer Donovan's scenic design is expansive and dynamic, with moving set pieces that help convey new locations, such as a bow or a jail cell. Erik Herskowitz's lighting is a lot of fun, with the designer doing some great work playing with shadows in addition to his expansive color palette. Lauren Kadel 's choreography is also a blast, blending modern expectations with timeless dance moves.
The only thing I have to complain about is Timber Lake’s unfortunately typical sound issues. During Saturday evening’s performance, mics would randomly turn off in the middle of a scene, or sometimes never come on at all. It’s a bummer that an otherwise exemplary production is marred by this issue, and there was one number that was rendered entirely moot, as I couldn’t hear the actor singing over the splendid live orchestra that was stationed atop the SS American.
This quibble aside, I can’t recommend Timber Lake's latest enough. I think I smiled almost the entire way through … and I don’t even particularly care for musicals! I’m hard-pressed to think of someone who wouldn’t enjoy this show. The jokes are sharp, the singing striking, and the titular tap number? Forget about it. If you have the chance, make the drive up north and catch Anything Goes.
Anything Goes runs at the Timber Lake Playhouse (8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll IL) through July 7, and more information and tickets are available by calling (815)244-2035 and visiting TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
