The cast and crew of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School spring musical are almost ready to raise the anchor on their production of Anything Goes.
The show follows the antics of gangsters, an heiress and a nightclub singer as they board an ocean liner headed to London from New York City. The musical, written by Cole Porter and first produced in 1934, is a classic show known for its antics and tap numbers.
The high school production opens Thursday, Feb. 13 and runs through Feb. 16.
Two weeks before opening night, Josephine Powers changed into dancing shoes as students arrived at the school’s performing arts center for rehearsal. Ms. Powers is one of two seniors playing Reno Sweeney, an evangelist turned nightclub singer. She has been performing in shows at the high school since her freshman year, and for this production had to learn how to tap dance.
“It was really challenging because I don’t consider myself a dancer even though I’ve been doing it for years. It’s very rewarding,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for all of my years of high school and it is one of the most challenging things and most rewarding things that I’ve done. I’ll be forever grateful.”
Lulu White, who also plays Reno Sweeney on alternating performances, has been a part of the school’s productions since her freshman year.
“I was so excited to get Reno. This is such a fun role and such an iconic role,” Ms. White said. “You can play her as ditzy and sarcastic or with more depth.”
As opening night approaches, the cast has begun rehearsing with a live orchestra. Ms. White said the shift from working with pre-recorded tracks is challenging.
“Going from rigid tracks where you can’t play with the tempo to playing with a live orchestra, that’s a living thing you can interact with, and is very different,” she said.
Director Brooke Hardman Ditchfield said she chose Anything Goes this year in part because of the skill of her actors.
“We try to choose a show that will stretch the students but also give them a place to shine,” she said, adding that the senior class has strong dancers and voices well-suited for the show’s style. “It’s a giant show. It’s Cole Porter, so the music is beautiful and challenging.”
At rehearsal, Ms. Ditchfield stopped a scene to work on the reaction of character Hope Harcourt (played by both Georgia DeRoche and Jhennifer Silva). In the scene, Hope is seeing her beloved Billy Crocker (played by Aiden Weiland) for the first time after announcing her engagement to another man.
“If these two people have had a relationship, that they have a history, how can we show that?” Ms. Hardman Ditchfield asked her actors.
Performers not in the scene rehearsed choreography in the wings or met with the costumer. Senior Aedan Coogan plays Erma Latour, the girlfriend of public enemy number one Snake Eyes Johnson. Anything Goes is Ms. Coogan’s first show as a performer after helping backstage on earlier productions.
“I quit soccer and joined the musical and Minnesingers and I’m really happy about it,” she said. “Everything about it is so new to me. It’s such an eye opener to what we have at MVRHS.”
Amy Crawford, the show’s production manager and the school’s Latin teacher, said that the performing arts department focuses on making sure students are involved every step of the way.
“We want the students to do everything. Write the light cues, run the cues, build sets, do everything and we are mentors,” she said. “You go to a lot of high school shows, and you see adults doing a lot of the work backstage.”
Senior Henry Shank is one of two stage managers, alongside William Thorton. Mr. Shank got into stage management during the school’s production of Chicago two years ago.
“I saw no one was taking charge, so I decided to take the lead,” he said.
He has since become a fixture of the school’s theatre department, according to Ms. Crawford. In addition to working on the school’s shows, he gives presentations to freshmen in the school’s career technical education program. Henry said that he has always been interested in performance, even if he didn’t see himself treading the boards.
“A lot of my friends are actors. I’ve always been interested in what they’re doing. Ironically, despite my parents, I’d never get on stage,” he said, noting that his father is a musician and his mother is a teacher.
In the house, more technical work was underway. Quinlan Slavin, a senior, and Michael Waters, a sophomore, organized the body mics for the cast. Mr. Slavin has been working in sound since his freshman year.
“I like the art and technical stuff,” he said. “It’s a great community to be part of. These are the friends who have lasted since freshman year.”
Ms. Ditchfield emphasized that the students shoulder every part of the production, both backstage and onstage.
“We’re really trying to give them a soup to nuts experience,” Ms. Hardman Ditchfield said. “We hold them to a high standard and we’re very proud.”
Performances of Anything Goes are at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, Feb. 14, Feb. 15 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 16. General admission tickets are $10 and tickets for students and seniors are $5.
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