"Best in the business"

Amanda Lea LaVergne is about the best in the business at pre-Rodgers and Hammerstein musical comedy. Not only can she dance (can she ever), but her vocal interpretations of love ballads—“Embraceable You” and “But Not for Me”—combine sensitivity and power in rare combination. (Where does she get that big voice out of that 110-pound frame?) She’s perfect with Boccitto and he’s perfect with her, especially in the fall-in-love duet “Shall We Dance.”

"A star for the 21st century"

For this woman is both, wrapped into one dynamic performer. She is Amanda Lea LaVergne and she is worth the entire price of the ticket, the length of the drive and the cost of at least three intermission cocktails.

She is a standout…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.”

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 reservation. New York, take note: This is a star for the 21st century.

"Song-and-dance force"

At the Sharon Playhouse, the song-and-dance force Amanda Lea LaVergne creates her own Reno, with impressive vocal range and astonishing dance athleticism, that recalls the pluck of a feisty Debbie Reynolds and the savvy spunk of Ginger Rogers.

LaVergne belting out “Blow Gabriel Blow” backed-up with an exuberant tap-dancing ensemble pounding the wooden boards in the old Sharon barn is worth the ticket price alone.