Saturday, May 13, 2000

'Anything Goes' musical lures theater supporter

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By Jenny Callison
Enquirer Contributor

        MIDDLETOWN — When planning her spring musical for Hometown Productions, Leslie Jo Hood decided to call on two familiar figures.

        One is Cole Porter, the creator of Anything Goes, the show Ms. Hood chose. The other is Ron Palillo, an actor, director and artist who played Arnold Horshack on TV's Welcome Back Kotter.

IF YOU GO

• What: Carlisle Community Theatre production of Anything Goes. • When: 7:30 p.m. tonight. • Where: Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown. • Tickets: $8 at the door. • Information: 746-0777.

        Mr. Palillo is taking a one-week break from a schedule of TV commercials, screenwriting and theater directing to boost the cause of community theater.

        Ms. Hood, a professional actress and resident of Carlisle, met Mr. Palillo when he directed her in A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, at the Clematis Street Theatre in West Palm Beach, Fla.

        “When she told me she was going to produce Anything Goes and asked if I would be in it, I said absolutely,” Mr. Palillo said. “I play Moonface Martin, whom I've played before. He is one of the true comic characters in theater history.”

        “We're doing the revised version of Anything Goes, which came out in 1962,” Ms. Hood said. “Besides the title song, musical numbers include "You're the Top' and "It's DeLovely.'”

        It wasn't just the chance to reprise the role of Moonface that lured Mr. Palillo to southwest Ohio.

        “I love community theater; it makes me the happiest,” he said. “I enjoy the immediacy of it. I started my own theater company when I was 14. My roots are in community theater.”

        A role in the play Hot-L Baltimore got Mr. Palillo noticed by TV types and landed him the part of Horshack.

        Since graduating from Mr. Kotter's class, Mr. Palillo has divided his time among New York, Los Angeles and West Palm Beach.

        “But I always like to go back to the well of community theater,” he said. “It's about building audiences, educating audiences, and — above all — entertaining audiences.”

        Ms. Hood started Hometown Productions in 1996.

        “I was between professional jobs, so to keep my skills sharp I did community theater in Kettering. I couldn't believe how many people from the Miami Valley were driving up there to take part in theater. It was clear that there was enough talent and interest to start something closer to home.”

       

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