Anything Goes 2008
Book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Directed by William Myatt
Director's Note
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As Reno sings in the title song, “times have changed.” Yet, this classic musical by Cole Porter plays on – and plays on wonderfully well. This is my third time working on this show. (The first time was as an underclassman at the University of Northern Iowa; I was in the ensemble as the Steward.) Anything Goes has something of a convoluted history. The original production in 1934 had Billy in love with Reno. He came to the ship to wish her “Bon Voyage” when he saw his former sweetheart, Hope, and decided to stay on board. A potential shipwreck and a near-marriage of Sir Evelyn and Hope to save a business believed to be near bankruptcy rounded out the story. However, an unfortunate ship fire and the deaths of 134 people off the coast of New Jersey as the show was set to open caused a major rewrite. Anything Goes was next released as a motion picture in 1956 with a storyline so altered as to be unrecognizable save for a few of the songs. The following reincarnation of Anything Goes is the “1962 Revised” version. (This is the version we are performing.) The plotline is still a little transparent, but the show features a number of wonderful songs and characters in a well-balanced production. The 1987 Beaumont Theatre Broadway revival is the version that Quad City Music Guild performed last summer. Characters were rewritten and songs were reallocated in order to create a star turn for Patti LuPone. I don’t care for the “Beaumont” version.
One of our goals in the PV Drama Department is to introduce students to the spectrum of dramatic literature. From Chicago to Anything Goes to the remainder of the 2008 – 2009 season, students have an opportunity to explore a multitude of styles and genres. Cole Porter is one of my personal favorites.
Anything Goes is American musical theatre at its most witty, creative, entertaining, and fun. We hope you will agree.
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CAST
Reno Sweeney - Kelsey Francis
Billy Crocker - Daniel Witcik
Hope Harcourt - Regina Pauly
Moonface Martin - Taylor Truster
Bonnie - Hannah Kurth
Sir Evelyn - Morgan Hoke
Mrs. Harcourt - Emily Myers
Captain - Tom McGee
Bishop - Kyle Woollums
Ling - Stephanie Yang
Ching - Amanda Phan
Purity - Caroline Kwan
Charity - Britney Carpio
Chastity - Caroline Kwan
Virtue - Madison Jensen
Purser - Garrick Ehlers
Ensemble - Tim Bawden, Amy Bay, Jori Colarusso, Christina Ehlers, Garrick Ehlers, Bishop Massey, Tom McGee, Megan Mohs, Haley Nellis, Jenni Park, Amanda Phan, Alyssa Phelan, Emma Thompson, Alyson Wennlund, Kyle Woollums, Stephanie Yang and Stefanie Zock
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CREW
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Technical Director - Mr. Tristan Tapscott
Orchestra Director - Mr. Drew Anderson
Choreographer - Mrs. Christina M. Myatt
Vocal Director/Accompanist - Mr. Gary Clark
Costume Designer - Mrs. Roya Francis
Assistant Director/Stage Manager - Connor Quinby
Assistant Stage Manager - Rebecca Perfette
Set Head - Linda Taylor
Sound Head - Anna Spaete
Costume Head - Jenni Park
Make-up Head - Amy Bay
Props Head - Claira Hart
Hair Head - Brianna Walker
Lighting Head - Ben Lewis
Front of House - Kyle Woollums
Crew - Colleen Barrette, Amy Bay, Molly Bryant, Claira Hart, Morgan Hoke, Lara Kasinski, Alex Kurth, Ben Lewis, Tom McGee, Sarah McCraw, Cassie Paddock, Regina Pauly, Catie Mullen, Rebecca Perfette, Marqui Petersen, Amy Reighard, Sarah Rodriguez, Brooke Schelly, Nick Schurr, Claire Spaete, Kimberlyn Stoddard, Linda Taylor, Brianna Walker, Audrey Weise, Alex Wilkinson, Daniel Wikcik and Jessica Winter
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Orchestra
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Flute - Emily Border and Hillary Neff
Tenor Saxophone - Leah Christensen and Lauren Nitzschke
Drum Set - Jordan Hale
Clainet - Christina Hesse and Laura Rodriguez
Trumpet - Toni Hoffmann, Andrew Piotter and Kelsey Hull
Auxiliary Percussion - Kelsey Hull
Bass - Ethan Jones
Oboe - Amy Skjerseth
Bari Saxophone - Alex Wilson
Trombone - Michael Newman
Alto Saxophone - Mitchell Roberts and Tom Cao
Bass Clainet - Sarah Schipper
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