Mt. Greylock Regional School to Present 'Anything Goes'
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Mount Greylock Regional School students in grades seven through 12 will perform the musical comedy "Anything Goes' on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27, 28 and 29, at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium at 1781 Cold Spring Road.
"Anything Goes" takes place in the mid-1930s onboard the luxury liner SS American between New York Harbor and London, England. Billy Crocker (ninth-grader Sam Tucker-Smith), a young assistant to Wall Street tycoon Elisha J. Whitney (10th-grader Jonah Hane), a passenger on the ship, decides to stow away in hopes of wooing his long-lost love and wealthy debutante, Hope Harcourt (12-grader Ashtyn Faas), who is also on board. However, much to Billy’s chagrin, Hope’s mother, Evangeline Harcourt (11th-grader Victoria Melkonyan), is delighted that Hope is engaged to be married to a stuffy Englishman who is also onboard, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (11th-grader Finn Ellingwood), upon arrival in England.
The passengers and crew are also fascinated with celebrity passenger Reno Sweeney (12th-grader Marleigh Briggs), an evangelist-turned-nightclub singer traveling with her cadre of “angelic” showgirls, who will be providing music and dance entertainment during the crossing. The ship has no sooner set sail than Reno runs into Billy, an old friend, and he persuades her to help him break up Hope’s engagement.
To add to the intrigue and hilarity of the voyage, "Moonface" Martin (10th-grader Krishan Rai), a gangster known as "Public Enemy 13" and his moll Bonnie (11th-grader Ruth Weaver) are disguised as a reverend and a missionary, respectively. Billy eventually learns the identity of this misfit bunch, and they too join in the scheme to break up Hope and Lord Evelyn. By the time the ship docks in London, Reno has made a successful run for Sir Evelyn, Billy wins Hope’s hand, Mrs. Harcourt finds love and money with Mr. Whitney, and Moonface is identified as the most harmless public enemy in U.S. history.
The show has music and lyrics by the incomparable (former Williamstown resident) Cole Porter and book by Guy Bolton, PG Wodehouse, Howard Lindsey and Russell Crouse. The score includes such 20th century American musical classics as "De-Lovely," "You’re the Top," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "Take Me Back to Manhattan" and, of course, "Anything Goes."
The show is directed by faculty member Jeffrey Welch, returning for his 21st season on Mt. Greylock's stage. Vocal direction is by Jean Kirsch and Ann Marie Rodriguez is the choreographer. The pit orchestra comprises both students in grades seven through 12 as well as local community musicians and is directed by faculty member Lyndon Moors.
Tickets are available at the door.
Tags: MGRS, Mt. Greylock High School, school theater,
