Manhattan Chowder, Back in the Big Apple

Musical Moments--Anything Goes

Anything Goes is one of the most successful Broadway musicals of the 1930s. It originally starred Ethel Merman and features an absolutely cracker-jack score by Cole Porter which includes such hits as "You're the Top," "It's De-Lovely," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" and of course the title song. Although the book has been revised and updated for the movie versions and revivals over the years, it has always managed to retain the screwball comedy feel of the original book writers, Lindsay and Crouse.

This clip is from the 1987 Lincoln Center revival which starred the incomparable Patti LuPone and the dreamy Howard McGillan (whom you can see at the very end of this number). I was in college at the time studying musical theatre when I saw this production no less than THREE TIMES. I can safely say I learned as much from watching those three performances as I did in four years of college. Ms. LuPone's performance in this role has become Broadway legend. She was that good.

Anyway, enjoy this clip of the Act 1 closer which the cast performed at the Tony Awards that year. Incidentally the conductor's arms you see waving around in the foreground belong to my friend Eddie Straus who was the musical director of that production. I didn't know him at the time though. But enough about me--watch the clip!

Labels: Musical Moments, Theatre

posted by Michael @ 3:18 PM