Amanda Lea LaVergne as Polly; Photo: Jonathan Doster.

LaVergne heads a cast of beautiful women who sing well and also dance like they were in the dream ballet in the film "An American in Paris." She, however, is a standout. I liked her very much last season as Reno Sweeney in Sharon's production of "Anything Goes," but this year she is truly the star I suspected she would become. From this petite form comes a voice that can rock the world, rivaling even the original big belter, Ethel Merman who introduced what is the first act finale of this show: "I Got Rhythm." Unlike the Merm, however, LaVergne finishes her chorus and then goes into her dance, dances fabulously and then comes back for the big sustained high notes that we associate with this song.

As an actress she has chops as well. Her dramatic scenes with her leading man and with her father and the towns people are touching and effective. She leads us through her character's emotions in the song "But Not For Me" which Ginger Rogers sang and set the world on fire. She handles the verbal and physical comedy beautifully and subtly. Here, for once, is the entire package without reservations. New York take note: This is a star for the 21st century. 

I think most people who go the theater have heard of the "triple threat," someone who can act, sing and dance equally well. In the case of Justin Boccitto we must add a fourth element and call him a "quadruple threat." Not only can he handle the above mentioned chores in a show, he is also a dynamic and exhausting choreographer. The dancing in this show is absolutely spectacular! Twelve of the numbers include dance routines and some of them at breakneck speed. His own dancing, tap dance or romantic pas de deux, is delicious to watch and listen to and he never seems to break a sweat.

As an actor Boccitto shows his comic chops more than once and he uses the dramatics of the story, the urgency and need of Polly and of his own mother and fiance, to good work. We understand Bobby's motivations, which are so musical comedy at times as to appear implausible, and we accept them without question. In the story he is a rich New Yorker who cannot satisfy his mother's hopes for his future and instead only wants to be a hoofer in a Broadway revue. It is his struggle to do both that moves the story along and sets up the romance.