ScheckOnTheater

As Reno Sweeney, Sutton Foster may not have the powerhouse belt of Ethel Merman or the roof-shaking authority of Patti LuPone. But she’s got one thing that her predecessors didn’t. She’s got legs.

When this dazzling musical comedy performer aims those shapely, seemingly endless gams to the sky in the new revival of Anything Goes, it now makes perfect sense for her character to sing “I Get a Kick Out of You.”

Director/chorographer Kathleen Marshall’s effervescent production of Cole Porter’s 1934 musical features the sort of elaborate production numbers combining precision dancing and joyful exuberance that send you onto the street with a smile on your face. Add to that the classic score (augmented with songs written for other musicals), a gleefully silly, old-fashioned book and some first-rate comic performances, and you have an evening of musical comedy that is, to quote one of its composer’s famous songs, “Easy to Love.”

The plot, involving star-crossed lovers, crooks on the lam, and a dotty, near-sighted millionaire all coming together on a luxury liner crossing the Atlantic, is negligible. No wonder, with so many cooks in the pot: the original book written by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton was quickly revamped by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse and was then further altered by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman for the 1987 Lincoln Center production.

But the genial air of silliness never dissipates however hoary the jokes. And what does it matter, with a score featuring such songs as “You’re the Top,” “Friendship,” “It’s De-lovely” and the title tune.

Foster, who’s previously specialized in ingénue roles in such shows as Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Drowsy Chaperone, isn’t a perfect fit for the part of former evangelist turned tough-talking nightclub performer Reno Sweeney. But she carries the day anyway, thanks to her clarion vocals and boundless energy that infuses such show-stopping numbers as “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.”

Not everyone in the large supporting cast is up to her level. Colin Donnell is bland as Billy Crocker, the young stockbroker who stows aboard the ship to pursue Hope Harcourt (Laura Osnes), the pretty debutante with whom he’s fallen hopelessly in love; Joel Grey milks his cutesy shtick too shamelessly as the gangster Moonface Martin; and Jessica Martin is largely wasted as Hope’s gold-digging mother.

 But there are standout comic turns by the veteran John McMartin as the hapless tycoon and especially Adam Godley as the foppish English lord that Mrs. Harcourt has snared for her daughter’s betrothed. The duet between the similarly long-limbed Godley and Foster on the comic number “The Gypsy in Me” is but one of the evening’s many highpoints.

Derek McLane’s art-deco sets and Martin Pakledinaz’s old-fashioned, color-coordinated period costumes add further to the merriment, while Michael Gibson and Bill Elliott’s orchestrations and Rob Fisher’s vocal arrangements do full justice to the lustrous music.

Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St. 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.

The title character of the new play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is pretty pissed off. His country is in ruins, with death and destruction all around him. He’s still locked up in a dilapidated zoo. And when he follows his true nature by chomping on a bored U.S. soldier (Glenn Davis) who foolishly sticks his hand in his cage, he gets shot dead for his troubles.

As you probably already know, said tiger is being played by Robin Williams. The star is made to resemble an animal only through shaggy, matted hair and unkempt clothing. But he still speaks in those immediately recognizable comic rhythms, making his titular character seem less like a fearsome beast than a crotchety elderly man complaining about the conditions at his nursing home.

The movie star casting, although undoubtedly necessary for commercial reasons, seriously unbalances the overall effect of Rajiv Joseph’s surreal drama, a finalist for last year’s Pulitzer Prize. While Williams is admirably restrained in his relatively supporting role and gives a thoroughly credible performance, his presence only tends to emphasize the flaws in this thematically ambitious but unfocused play.

Set in the war-torn city in 2003, the play concerns the aftermath of the violent incident, as the ghost of the tiger wanders through the environs railing about God’s injustices.

Other characters who figure prominently in the story are Kev (Brad Fleischer), the soldier who killed the tiger with a gold-plated gun he appropriated from the former palace of Saddam Hussein’s thuggish son Uday (Hrach Titizian), and Musa (Arian Moayed), an Iraqi translator who previously worked as Uday’s resident gardener.

Past and present events are freely intermingled as the tiger ponders the meaninglessness of life even as he enters a Garden of Eden that in actuality was Uday’s ornate topiary garden. Meanwhile, Musa is forced to ponder his own role in his country’s tragic fate when he is faced with the ghost of his former employer.

The tiger’s running narration--which range from comic one-liners (“I get so stupid when I get hungry,” he admits about the incident that caused his demise) to existential musings. “When an atheist suddenly finds himself walking around after death, he has got some serious re-evaluating to do,” he admits.

The playwright certainly displays a flair for poetic language, and he has created a spooky, Beckett-like surreal atmosphere well befitting his subject matter. But there’s little narrative or thematic coherence to the proceedings, resulting in some undeniably fascinating moments that ultimately don’t add up to very much.

Director Moises Kaufman has provided a wonderfully spooky staging, albeit one that would probably have greater impact in a more intimate theater. Adding to the production’s impact are Derek McLane’s hauntingly abstract sets and the consistently excellent performances by the supporting cast. 

But it’s hard not to wish that all of this effort, not to mention the Broadway acting debut of its headlining star, had been put in the services of a more fully realized work.  

Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St. 212-307-4100. www.ticketmaster.com.

Contrary to what you may have heard, The Book of Mormon is not the second coming.

But it is a raucously entertaining and exhilarating musical comedy that is impossible to resist. Written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone along with Robert Lopez of Avenue Q fame, this show wins you over with its combination of cheeky outrageousness and theatrical savvy.

Much of the credit for the latter must no doubt be accorded Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone), who choreographed and co-directed the show with Parker.

Parker and Stone have previously demonstrated their affinity and chops for musical comedy with their early film Cannibal! The Musical and South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, the feature version of their iconic TV show. But they have outdone themselves here, creating a satirical musical about the Church of Latter Day Saints that manages to be simultaneously irreverent, scatological, and sweetly old-fashioned.

The show depicts the misadventures of a pair of Mormon missionaries, golden boy Elder Price (Andrew Rannells) and slovenly, pudgy Elder Cunningham (Josh Gad), when they are assigned to a poverty-stricken Ugandan village.

Needless to say, culture shock ensues, with the hapless pair confronted with natives beset by such issues as extreme poverty, female genital mutilation, an AIDS epidemic, widespread rape and slaughter, and a hostile warlord. No wonder that they greet each other with the phrase “Hasa Diga Eebowai,” which roughly translates to “Fuck you, God.”

Elder Price, who had dreamed of being sent to the paradise that is Orlando, Florida, is quickly overwhelmed by the conditions. But his partner is eager to take up the cause, particularly looking forward to the opportunity to personally baptize the beautiful native girl Nabulungi (Nikki M. James).

The show reveals plenty of research on the part of its creators with its plethora of jokes about Mormon history and protocol, including a wacky depiction of Joseph Smith’s encounter with the Angel Moroni and a mock Biblical pageant that must be seen to be believed.

While the sprightly score is more serviceable than memorable, it features plenty of fun production numbers that are enlivened by the riotous lyrics and energetic choreography featuring the clean-cut missionaries cutting loose with go-go style abandon.

A particular highlight is the “Mormon Hell Dream,” featuring a cast of costumed characters including Satan, Jeffrey Dahmer and Gehnghis Khan, Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer.

As with most relentlessly comic shows of this type, not all of the jokes land. Some are repeated to the point of exhaustion, and others simply feel cheap or exploitative. But thankfully there are far more hits than misses, and musical comedy aficionados will especially appreciate the parodic references to shows ranging from The Lion King to The King and I.

There are sight gags in abundance, from the statue of the Angel Moroni atop the proscenium to the dead animal carcasses dragged across the stage. Set designer Scott Pask and costume designer Ann Roth score consistent laughs with their wildly imaginative contributions.  

The ensemble is terrific, with Gad resembling a sweeter John Belushi as the hapless Cunningham and Rannells especially winning as his mortified counterpart. James is sweetly appealing as the native girl eager to embrace the new religion, while Michael Potts brings a sardonic comic edge to his village leader.

That a show featuring a character’s repeated refrain that “I have maggots in my scrotum” could manage to be so endearing is something of a miracle in itself. There will certainly be those who find The Book of Mormon more sophomoric than funny. But judging by the gales of laughter that rocked the packed theater, there probably won’t be too many of them.

Eugene O’Neill Theatre, 230 W. 49th St. 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.

Harvey Fierstein has finally claimed the part he was born to play in the newly cast revival of La Cage Aux Folles. The gravel-voiced performer has now assumed the role of Albin--the flamboyant drag queen performer who goes under the stage name Zaza--in this hit revival of the groundbreaking Jerry Herman musical for which he wrote the libretto nearly three decade ago.

Co-starring opposite Christopher Sieber--the Broadway veteran (Shrek, Spamalot) who quickly stepped into the role of Albin’s partner Georges after Jeffrey Tambor abruptly left the production--Fierstein delivers a wonderfully affecting and hilarious performance of true diva proportions.

His interpretation is quite different than that of Douglas Hodge, who originally played the role in this Menier Chocolate Factory revival that opened on Broadway last season after a hit London run. Hodge brought an edgy intensity and affecting insecurity to his Albin that realistically grounded the proceedings. Fierstein, on the other hand, delivers a true star turn, mining the comically outlandish aspects of the character in vaudevillian style.

He’s endlessly entertaining, but quite moving as well, especially in his bravura rendition of “I Am What I Am,” the showstopping Act I closing number that went on to become an unofficial gay anthem.

He also displays a real chemistry with his co-star that was somewhat lacking in his predecessor’s interactions with Kelsey Grammer. Although Sieber lacks Grammer’s effortless natural urbanity, he’s sweetly appealing as the endlessly aggrieved but deeply devoted Georges, and his renditions of such gorgeous songs as “Song on the Sand” and “Look Over There” are deeply touching.

In the other significant cast change, Wilson Jermaine Heredia (of the original cast of Rent) provides just the right amount of outrageousness to his gleefully over-the-top turn as the sassy “maid,” Jacob.

Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48 th St. 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying? It’s easy. Simply cast Daniel Radcliffe in the lead of a popular vintage Broadway musical, and sit back and watch his multitude of young Harry Potter fans throw money at the box-office.

Fortunately, the people responsible for the 50th anniversary revival of this classic show with its indelible score by Frank Loesser have tried. While this production directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford rarely hits the musical comedy heights that it should, it’s a solidly entertaining rendition that should well please audiences.

The immediate question, of course, is whether Radcliffe is up to the demands of his leading musical comedy role. The answer is a qualified yes. The young actor has clearly worked hard, very hard, and while his singing is merely pleasant at best, he displays a very likeable and charming stage presence as J. Pierrepont Finch, the relentlessly ambitious schemer working his way up the corporate ladder. He lacks the inspired comic impishness of such predecessors as Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick—his too earnest delivery of the classic self-love number “I Believe in You” falls flat, for instance—but his youthful eagerness serves him well here. He speaks and sings with a flawless American accent, and his athletic dancing reveals plenty of hours spent in the rehearsal room.

Ashford’s staging, very reminiscent of his work in the recent revival of that other corporate-themed, 60’s set musical, Promises, Promises, is suitably fast-paced and energetic. But it only truly soars with the fabulous choreography in the 11 o’clock number “Brotherhood of Man,” which stops the show.

The production’s other valuable asset is John Larroquette, terrific as the clueless company head J.B. Biggley. His comic interactions with Radcliffe are frequently inspired, particularly in their duet on the elaborate production number “Grand Old Ivy.”

Other than Rob Bartlett, who scores big laughs in his dual roles as the veteran mailroom head and CEO Wally Womper, and Ellen Harvey, drolly funny as Biggley’s savvy secretary, the supporting players are merely adequate. Rose Hemingway is appealing but fairly bland as the ingénue, Rosemary; Tammy Blanchard hits only predictable notes as the tarty Hedy La Rue; and Christopher J. Hanke fails to exploit the rich comic potential of his role as Finch’s rival, Bud Frump.

But the show itself, with its hilariously funny book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, still holds up marvelously well, and is if anything even more relevant in today’s cutthroat corporate world. And, in a cannily hip gesture, the voice of the narrator is provided by current journalism glamour boy, Anderson Cooper.

Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 301 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.