2004 Year in Review

Anything Goes doesn't go

The Playhouse is abundant with very talented actors, actresses, and singers this year; but the two main characters Billy Crocker, played by Courtney Crouse, and Hope Harcourt, played by Kristen French, did not have the spark of other lead cast members this year. The romance between the two just never seemed believable though they both have nice voices.

On the other hand supporting cast members Alexandra Ausman and Taylor Buice who played Bonnie and Moonface Martin, were right on as a New York mobster and a mobster’s girlfriend. Also nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Tara Teschke) and her “The Angels” did a great job.

The premise of Anything Goes is an Atlantic Ocean ship crossing in 1934. Hope is intended to Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, played by the entertaining Evan Enderle. Evelyn is a stiff Englishman without a hint of romance but an innocent sense of humor. Also on board is the love of Hope’s life Billy Crocker who is mistaken for Snake Eyes, America’s No. 1 Wanted Criminal.

The play has lots of well-known songs like It’s De-Lovely, I Get a Kick Out of You, and Let’s Misbehave that everyone is sure to enjoy. The highlight of the night though is the dancing led by local Morrison man Tyler Smith, who played the Purser. He brilliantly led the cast in a well-choreographed number at the end of the first act to the song Anything Goes and a couple more in the second act including the finale. Other locals included Morrison High School students Hannah Bees and Mollie McNitt along with many other local fill-ins.

The simple but changeable scenery worked well to take us from the dock, to the ship, and into the characters staterooms with effortless changes. The canned music used along with the singers at times overwhelmed the voices. A simple live piano accompanist may have worked better.

Though parts of the play just drug along, there were a few highlights by certain characters, singers, and dancers that could make this play worth seeing. I love old-fashioned musicals as a rule but this seemed more like an amateur production compared to the rest of the season.

Timber Lake announced the 2005 season: Ragtime, The Musical, The Graduate, The Full Monty, Steve Martin’s The Underpants, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Late Nite Catechism 2 or Sometimes we fee guilty because we are guilty. The Box Office is offering all 6 shows for only $70, a savings of $32 until the end of this season.

by Barb Benson, theCity1.com
July 31, 2004