Review: Jeanna De Waal Dazzles in ANYTHING GOES at The Muny

One of the treasures of The Muny is their commitment to include one or two musical theater classics in every season. This year The Muny closes its 106th season with the tap dance spectacle ANYTHING GOES. Marcia Milgrom Dodge has directed a wonderful production of the near century old Cole Porter Musical. It’s fresh, funny, and thoroughly enjoyable.  

Cole Porter’s legendary score includes the toe-tapping titular song, plus “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “You’re the Top,” “Easy to Love,” “Friendship,” “It’s De-Lovely,” and “Blow Gabriel Blow.” Many iconic Broadway Divas have stepped into Reno Sweeney’s shoes to belt Porter’s standards, including Ethyl Merman, Patti LuPone, and most recently, Sutton Foster.  

Jeanna de Waal leads this Muny production with a brassy and brazen portrayal of the ostentatious diva Reno Sweeney. She brings the character to the life in a bravura performance. De Waal sings the Cole Porter score with panache and flair. She is an engaging comedic actor with an amazing voice. She has the stage presence to sell Reno’s flamboyance and bold confidence. Her chemistry across the entire cast is magnetic. Her work with Jay Armstrong Johson (Billy Crocker) is special.  

Armstrong is a charming, suave, and debonair Billy Crocker. His magnificent voice is the best among a talented cast who all possess strong vocal skills. His tenor soars on “Easy to Love.” His duets with Kimberly Immanuel (Hope Harcourt) are delightful, delicious and De-Lovely. Immanuel’s demure performance makes Hope a lovely ingenue.  

De Wall and Armstrong’s comic antics are matched by the equally strong performances of Geroge Abud (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh), Kevin Chamberlain (Moonface), Ann Harada (Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt), Adrianna Hicks (Erma), and Lara Teeter (Elisha J. Whitney). The comedic timing of this talented cast if first rate. 

What a gift to see Adrianna Hicks in her Muny debut following her magnificent run as Sugar in Broadway’s SOME LIKE IT HOT. She is a gifted actor with a marvelous voice. Her “Buddie, Beware” with the dancing sailors is a showstopper. Hopefully, Hicks graces The Muny Stage in seasons to come. What a talent! 

Speaking of the dancing sailors, what a treat to witness their nimble tapping feet. They, and the entire company, executed magnificently on Jared Grime’s tap heavy choreography with great style. The upbeat “Anything Goes,” “Blow Gabriel Blow,” “Buddie, Beware,” and the “Finale,” featured Grime’s choreographic nods to the tap dance greats of the previous century. While not specifically mentioned in the program notes, Grime’s choreography is reminiscent of the exuberance in Savion Glover’s Tony Award winning choreography for BRING IN ‘DA NOISE, BRING IN ‘DA FUNK. 

Edward E. Haynes, Jr. converted the massive Muny stage into the deck of a large luxury cruise liner filled with funnels, lifeboats, portholes, and cabin doors. His grand set design used the full expanse of the Muny stage. The painted booms, especially the opening boom with the massive facade of the S.S. American cruise ship, were stunning in both design and detail.  

Hayne’s set design was complimented by Kylee Loera’s unusually creative video designs. Loera used the three Muny video screens to create set backdrops that looked painted versus projected. There was some animation, but for the most part they appeared static, like the elegant backdrops of old. Loera’s beautiful texture and color scheme is the best use of video projections in St. Louis this season and among the best ever seen using this newer theatrical technology. This work transforms how video projections can be used. Loera's aesthetic is stunning. 

There are many stunning elements in this Muny Production of ANYHTING GOES. Tristan Raines and The Muny costume shop have created looks that are rich, stylish, and sophisticated. Reno Sweeny’s costumes are opulent. De Waal looks magnificent in Raines’ designs. Raines’ flaming red and gold dresses dazzle and glimmer in the “Blow Gabriel Blow” number.  

The 30-piece Muny orchestra, conducted by Ben Whitely, plays divinely and creates mellifluent sound. It was a pleasure to enjoy the brass-heavy overture performed to perfection by the big orchestra. Many contemporary theatre pieces no longer have substantial overtures and Porter’s prelude gave The Muny orchestra the chance to shine. This city is fortunate to have an abundance of talented professional musicians. Whitley and the orchestra’s virtuosic performance made Porter’s classic music sound contemporary and current.  

Sound designers John Shivers and David Patridge again gave the Muny throng exceptional balance of spoken text, sung lyrics, sound effects, and orchestral accompaniment. Shivers and Patridge are unsung production heroes who ensure that audible sound reaches to the back of the enormous 11,000-seat outdoor theatre. Their outstanding artistic skills have been on display the entire Muny season. 

This is the sixth time The Muny has staged ANYTHING GOES. Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson shared before the show that ANYTHING GOES first appeared on The Muny stage in 1940. Before the show opened, he stood center stage in front of the massive boom painted with the facade of a grand sea vessel and thanked the local craftspeople who work tirelessly to build, paint, sew, and create the shows each week of the summer. The magnificent detail on the colossal ship adorning the boom was the perfect example of the high-quality work of the cast, crew, and hundreds of Muny staffers. They work tirelessly throughout the year to bring top-notch entertainment to the stage in Forest Park. 

ANYTHING GOES is a perfect production to end the Muny season. It is filled with energetic dancing, superb performances, lots of laughs, and that splendid Cole Porter score. Marcia Milgrom Dodge, her cast, and crew have knocked it out of the park. It’s not just a hit, it’s a home run! 

On Sunday night, the curtain will fall on this delectable production and mark the end of an extraordinary season of musical theatre. It may quite possibly be the best season staged in the 106-year history of The Muny. Mike Isaacson, Michael Baxter, The Muny team, and their creative partners have gifted St. Louis a Muny season to remember.  

ANYTHING GOES continues at The Muny through August 25, 2024. Click the link below to purchase tickets. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Phillip Hamer

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