Photo by George Katsekes Jr.
Sunset Playhouse admirably fills an evening in its current production of the classic Cole Porter musical, Anything Goes. Porter’s deft and sunny wit might feel a bit stiff around the edges, the audio might feel a bit off at times and some of the choreography might not have the perfect swing, but this is a production that grabs the fun of Porter and runs with it.
The shipboard romance glides across the stage amidst a large set. A 1930’s sea cruise is populated with the bouncy energy of vibrant personalities. Rae Elizabeth Paré seems flawlessly fluid in musical emotion as pop star Reno Sweeny. Charismatically radiant in the role of a singer, Paré has some of the more impressive musical solos in the show. Her backup singers lend the show a tremendous amount of energy under smart direction from L. Thomas Lueck that has allowed them all to be quietly distinct personalities without compromising overall stylistic unity and musical harmony.
Reno is caught up in an old friend’s romantic affairs. Helping him out involves inadvertently falling for an awkwardly British man played with strange precision by Jake Andrejat. Aiding Reno and her friend is Zachary Dean in the role of the less-than-notorious criminal Moonface Martin. Dean has a clever grasp of Porter’s humor in one of the most thoroughly comic roles in the show. His usually sunny pleasantness is pleasantly shadowed in the role with a degree of roguish charm that serves the role well. Dean’s affability is blended into the rich, emotional atmosphere of a satisfying musical comedy.
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Through Aug. 7 in the Furlan Auditorium, 800 Elm Grove Road. For tickets, visit sunsetplayhouse.com or call 262-782-4430.
