©Florida Today Mar 14, 2003 Riverside's 'Anything' sensational By Pam Harbaugh
VERO BEACH -- Music, dance and romance sparkle at RiversideTheatre's top-drawer production of "Anything Goes" -- Cole Porter's frothy, silly and totally entertaining musical of shipboard romance and shenanigans. The audience laps it up. And they should. This show is sensational. Especially if you like fun, imaginative tap dance gunned out in rat-a-tat fashion, and big, show-stopping musical numbers spotlighting charming performers. Of course, taking a quick read of the program, the fact that this show is so very good and polished should come as no surprise -- it's made up of professionals who have been nominated - and in some cases won - prestigious awards and who have a wealth of stage experience. First, there is director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge. A Helen Hayes Award and Barrymore Award nominee, Dodge lavishes the stage with bright, clever choreography, from sailors doing a quick tap and kick for a salute to nearly the entire cast hoofin' it up in the creatively relentless "Anything Goes" number. Costume designers Steven Howard and Bob Miller have been nominated 19 times for Emmy Awards and won nine for work on shows such as "General Hospital," "The American Music Awards" and "American Bandstand 50th Anniversary." Then, there is the professional cast. To name just a few: As the romantic lead Billy Crocker, performer Michael Gruber is as charming as they come. This guy has all the stuff of which Broadway stars are made. He's handsome, has a beautiful singing voice, dances and brings charming warmth to his role of a lovesick stowaway intent on getting back his true love, Hope Harcourt (sung and danced like a dream by Natalie Cortez). Gruber's background includes Broadway shows such as "A Chorus Line," "Kiss Me, Kate" and the Tinman in "Wizard of Oz" starring Roseanne. He was in the original companies of "Swing!" "Miss Saigon" and "My Favorite Year." Ruth Gottschall portrays Reno Sweeney, a fast-talking song and dance woman who sees the financial gain in religion. Gottschall is a hoot in this role. She's sassy and fun. She, too, has many Broadway credits. You may have already seen her on television in "Annie," and PBS's "Sondheim!" and "Showboat." Tom Beckett is Moonface Martin, a big hearted crook who escapes the feds by pretending to be a missionary. Beckett, a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, has won Outer Critic Circle and Drama Desk awards for "Travels with My Aunt" and received a SAG Award nomination for AMC's "Remember Wenn." Jeanne Marie Schweppe is a squeaky delight as gum-popping Erma. And Wynn Harmon, another Emmy nominee, is a charmer as proper Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Broadway actor Jarlath Conroy, a Helen Hayes Award nominee, brings a lot of physical humor to Elisha Whitney, a wealthy man who falls in love with the mother of the female romantic lead. Whew! And that's just a start. So, yes, this is a top-caliber show, one of Riverside's best. Go. You'll enjoy. main Anything Goes 2003 page

©Florida Today
Mar 14, 2003

Riverside's 'Anything' sensational
By Pam Harbaugh

VERO BEACH -- Music, dance and romance sparkle at RiversideTheatre's top-drawer production of "Anything Goes" -- Cole Porter's frothy, silly and totally entertaining musical of shipboard romance and shenanigans.

The audience laps it up. And they should.

This show is sensational. Especially if you like fun, imaginative tap dance gunned out in rat-a-tat fashion, and big, show-stopping musical numbers spotlighting charming performers.

Of course, taking a quick read of the program, the fact that this show is so very good and polished should come as no surprise -- it's made up of professionals who have been nominated - and in some cases won - prestigious awards and who have a wealth of stage experience.

First, there is director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge. A Helen Hayes Award and Barrymore Award nominee, Dodge lavishes the stage with bright, clever choreography, from sailors doing a quick tap and kick for a salute to nearly the entire cast hoofin' it up in the creatively relentless "Anything Goes" number.

Costume designers Steven Howard and Bob Miller have been nominated 19 times for Emmy Awards and won nine for work on shows such as "General Hospital," "The American Music Awards" and "American Bandstand 50th Anniversary."

Then, there is the professional cast. To name just a few:

As the romantic lead Billy Crocker, performer Michael Gruber is as charming as they come. This guy has all the stuff of which Broadway stars are made. He's handsome, has a beautiful singing voice, dances and brings charming warmth to his role of a lovesick stowaway intent on getting back his true love, Hope Harcourt (sung and danced like a dream by Natalie Cortez).

Gruber's background includes Broadway shows such as "A Chorus Line," "Kiss Me, Kate" and the Tinman in "Wizard of Oz" starring Roseanne. He was in the original companies of "Swing!" "Miss Saigon" and "My Favorite Year."

Ruth Gottschall portrays Reno Sweeney, a fast-talking song and dance woman who sees the financial gain in religion. Gottschall is a hoot in this role. She's sassy and fun. She, too, has many Broadway credits. You may have already seen her on television in "Annie," and PBS's "Sondheim!" and "Showboat."

Tom Beckett is Moonface Martin, a big hearted crook who escapes the feds by pretending to be a missionary. Beckett, a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, has won Outer Critic Circle and Drama Desk awards for "Travels with My Aunt" and received a SAG Award nomination for AMC's "Remember Wenn."

Jeanne Marie Schweppe is a squeaky delight as gum-popping Erma. And Wynn Harmon, another Emmy nominee, is a charmer as proper Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

Broadway actor Jarlath Conroy, a Helen Hayes Award nominee, brings a lot of physical humor to Elisha Whitney, a wealthy man who falls in love with the mother of the female romantic lead.

Whew! And that's just a start.

So, yes, this is a top-caliber show, one of Riverside's best. Go. You'll enjoy.

main Anything Goes 2003 page