Publisher: Elizabeth Hurd

“Anything Goes” Outstanding Production from OCU Musical Theatre!

Oklahoma City University has a stellar weekend with the music of Cole Porter resounding and rejuvenating theatre patrons fortunate enough to attend “Anything Goes” this past weekend.  Director, David Herendeen, assembles talented and sophisticated students into the madcap story that has been enthralling audiences the world over since 1934.  Jan McDaniel directs music and conducts the powerful orchestra.  Cassandra VanHouten choreographs the dance numbers that are so perfectly suited to tap dancers with perfect timing, natural rhythm and sleek grace.

This group of students is not only extremely talented musical theatre performers; they are talented actors as well.  “Anything Goes”  is always a winner and in this production,  vocals soar throughout the auditorium, dancers kick higher than the balcony and the humor and camaraderie is developed through good expression and timing as the audience becomes enveloped in the story. 

As in many OCU productions, two casts for the major roles are used.  Each cast is in top form as the motley group sails to England on the SS American ocean liner.  A beautiful femme fatale and former evangelist is Reno Sweeney, nightclub singer on board with her back up group of angels.  She runs across on old friend, Billy Crocker, a young stockbroker who is seeing his wealthy boss, Elisha J. Whitney, off on a business trip.  Billy notices the beautiful socialite; Hope Harcourt who is traveling to England with her mother, Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt and Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, a wealthy Englishman Hope intends to marry reinvigorating the family fortune lost in the market crash of 1929.  Billy is befriended by Moonface Martin, a desperado masquerading as a minister with two Chinese converts.  Moonface has his gal, Bonnie along for the trip.  Everyone is either in love with the wrong person, about to marry the wrong person or should be in jail.  Hilarity abounds as they attempt to sort themselves out before arriving in port.

Katherine Metcalfe is Reno Sweeney, a sophisticated singer with a lilt in her voice and a tilt in her attitude that wows every audience.  Carley Dickey is Hope Harcourt, sweet young thing, with a strong moral compass, somehow a little askew as she prepares to wed a man she doesn’t love. Peyton Schoenhofer is Billy Crocker; devil may care, but Woops! He does care and stows away hoping to capture the heart of sweet Hope.  Hayley Pickess is Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt, determined to land the wealthy Sir Evelyn as a son-in-law.  Ryan Lambert is Sir Evelyn, an English gent continually surprised by life.  Thomas Hoblin is Elisha J. Whitney, imperious financial mogul.  Virginia Newsome is Bonnie, the typical gangster’s girl, and Casey Andrews is Moonface Martin, public enemy and private friendly charlatan.

These students make “Anything Goes” a brilliant production with virtual perfection.  A note may go a little low but the only flaw comes from the sound system with the occasional mushy microphone.  The highlights of “Anything Goes” comes from Andrews lively comic personification of lovable vice as Moonface and Lamberts slightly bumbling English gent as Sir Evelyn—it is easy to see the contributions of P.G. Wodehouse!  Dickey has a lovely voice and her ladylike behavior as Hope counters Newsome’s brazen and amusing misbehavior as Bonnie.  Schoenhofer’s Crocker is the handsome scamp with a heart of gold, never missing a trick.  Metcalfe creates the perfect Reno Sweeney in song, dance and timing. Metcalfe is clearly a performer with a brilliant future leading this excellent cast with extraordinary talent. In a production such as this, there may be a favorite song or scene, but clearly the tap dancers make “Anything Goes” a grand success!  This ensemble cast is strong, talented and dedicated.  Skilled in song, dance, and the occasional double-take, they are the glue that binds the cast in excellent shape.

The weekend is over and the curtain has closed, but the performers will return next season beginning with “Sister Act” just for starters!  Oklahoma City University is located at 2501 N. Blackwelder in OKC with a performing arts district lining Blackwelder Street.  For information visit www.okcu.edu/theatre or call 405-208-5000 for general information or the box office telephone, 405-208-5227.

Bonus Material:

“Anything Goes” has a great cast as can be seen above, but it is also my understanding that the alternate cast is equally excellent.  In the role of Reno Sweeney is Stephanie Feeback.  Hope Harcourt is played by Ashton Parrack and Bonnie is played by Kelsey Day.  Billy Crocker is played by Hayden Gray, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh is portrayed by Matt Flowers.  It is amazing that these demanding roles can be cast successfully by another nearly complete group of talented students.  They should be recognized for their amazing contribution.

Of course, not all the roles are doubled, but not mentioned in the review are the cameo roles that should be applauded.  They are Alison Fan and Jin Yu as the Converts.  The two of them are very funny and quite plausible.  Also, Chris Heron stands out as the Steward/Purser.

Additionally, the ensemble in this cast performs phenomenally!  The delightful angels are Savannah Kelley, Hannah Malinowski, Gabriella Ottersberg-Enriquez, Katie Pohlman, Sara Shomgard and Lindsay Sommers. The good looking sailors are Joel Andrews, Jonathan Flores, Anthony Giandiletti, Phillip A. Giandiletti, Thomas Olson and Simeon Rawls.

In the general ensemble performers are Melissa Campbell, Sydney Marie-Hughes, Sarah Lapaz, Taylor Paulson, Samantha Schneider-Behen, Victoria Erhardt, Jenna Mazzaccoli and Taylor Rey.  Taking a breath, the ensemble also includes Gavin Guthrie, Jonathan Lynch, Graydon McNally who also portrayed the drunk, Billy Speed who also was the Bishop, Jack Boyd included as the Captain, Collin O’Neille as the Reporter and Jackson Walker, the cameraman.

This is really a large cast and there was nary a miss-step among them.  Jan McDaniel conducts a large orchestra, and they didn’t miss a beat or sound a sour note in the demanding score.   There are nearly 40 excellent musicians and while they accompany the singers marvelously they are the unsung heroes of every show. 

All of these performers have strong potential for a stellar future whether they chose to become professional performers or chose a route, their talent cannot be minimized, and they should continue performing on some level.  This is a time in the life of students when they have choices to make, and although they have worked hard and seriously at the university, shortly there will be a time to get serious about the future.  As long as that future includes sharing their talents, we will all benefit.

While the floor is open, (!) an area that is frequently overlooked is the technical crew.  While there are a few sound difficulties that caused problems that are not due to human error (that can be verified as I know I wasn’t in the sound booth!) Sound designer Nathan Schilz has a clearly competent crew.  Those mushy microphones were kept minimally intrusive by that crew.  The light crew under Bradley Taylor should also be commended, not a soul washed out!  The crew that built the set under Jaime Dimas are fantastic artisans.  Technical director Luke Hadsall and stage manager, Paty Lopez certainly work very hard on this and all the productions

Costumes by Julianna Reese are amazing and the crew in the costume department bent over sewing machines and ironing boards should also be congratulated for bringing these beautiful costumes into view.  Each costume fit the actors perfectly-they measured not once, but twice, and possibly a third.  In a large cast somebody always gains or loses a few inches here and there, so the work doesn’t end when the costumes are finished.  And, the backstage must have been filled with unobtrusive bodies ready to move into high gear to help with quick changes.  Many of them wear a necklace of safety pins, and keep a pincushion in a safe yet handy place.  Congratulations to all of them!