The musical at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre is very entertaining. With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin (nee Israel Isidore Baline) how can "Annie Get Your Gun" ever miss? Hit after hit abounds in this musical, such as "There's No Business Like Show Business","The Girl That I Marry", "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly", "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun" and "Anything You Can Do" to just name a few.
The star of the show is Tiana Checchia as Annie Oakley, the legendary sharp shooter with a rifle. She has gusto, zest and enough energy for two shows. Her renditions of Berlin's music is marvelous. Her magical voice soars over the rest of the cast. Her characterization of Annie has spunk and spontaneity.
Tiana has plenty of talented company on stage. Curt Dale Clark portrayed Frank Butler. the love interest of Annie. His melodic voice enriches the show. Comics J. R. Stuart, Jeff Stockberger and Katherine Procter shows their mettle in lesser roles. They join the comedic styles with expert comic Jack Milo as Chief Sitting Bull whose timing is extraordinary. Even if his "accent" wandered all the way from Arizona to Brooklyn in the second act he did not ruffle
any feathers. With all his humor he knew he could not "steal" the show from Tiana Checchia.
In the story Annie gets her man while losing a sharp shooting contest since her sights on the rifle were altered. I had the same problem in college while taking ROTC. At a target practice I was missing the target by more than two feet. I was finally told to, "Put the gun down, Epstein , and just say bang."
"Annie Get Your Gun" will play through May 8th. Next on the Beef & Boards stage will be another musical treat, "Cinderella" the Rogers & Hammerstein rendition, running May 12th to July 1st.
That might be the shortest review I have ever read... but you do the entire performance justice. Well said... I appreciate a writer that can say so much without saying anything at all! Cheers and glad you enjoyed the performance.
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