Anything Goes: All Aboard for Laughter and Romance at Kelsey Theatre

by Aimee Renna

Last night I had the delight of seeing the Mercer County Community College Academic Theater, Dance, & Entertainment Tech Programs spring production of Anything Goes. This musical, originally written in 1934 by Cole Porter has five different versions of its libretto:  the original, the 1962 off-Broadway revival, the 1987 revival, the 2011 revival, and the 2022 revised libretto. The production performed for this occasion is adapted from the 1987 Broadway Revival. While so much has changed over the years, the joy of this romantic comedy remains in the music and quick wit. It follows various characters in chaotically crossing storylines as they coexist on the S.S. American, primarily focused on the Evangelist turned nightclub performer Reno Sweeney and her friends. 

The production staff is made up of over 33 dedicated individuals, proving that it takes a village to bring a show like this to life. They are led by Director Jeremy Robinson who is a wonderful success in bringing so many people together into a cohesive production, accompanied by Assistant Director/ASM Cara Pergament. Production Stage Manager Rachel S. Piscopo works closely with a team made up of Pergament, Deck Captain/Assistant Stage Manager Jackson Siegel, and Aileen Lutz (Assistant Vocal Director/Production Assistant). Lutz works under Vocal Music Director Natalie Megules and closely with Pit Conductor Charles Megules. The orchestra, while not in the program, sounded impeccable with the direction of Megules, who I could see also plays the trumpet judging by the monitors at the back of the theater. Producer/ Choreographer Jody Gazenbeek-Person is a masterclass in clean and concise performance thanks to the help of Amanda Papa (Tap Dance Consultant), Melissa Hemel (Assistant Choreographer/ Dance Captain), and Tiasia Sabrina (Dance Captain). The look of the show is furthered by M. Kitty Getlik (Producer/Make Up Artist), Madelyn Morrison Lichtman (Props Master), and Costume Designers Katina Kay Webb Lindsay, Sheron Mzstar, and Alex Ridder. On the technical side, the show is supported by Technical Director/Sound Designer Nick Mastalesz and his team of Noah Schwartz and Dan Adamy (Audio Engineers), Maryanne Fiuza (Audio 2), Justin Stuart and Emily Clare Gocon (Lighting Designers), and Zoey Mantplaisir and Alexandria Chery (Light Board Operators). I was particularly impressed by the craftsmanship of the set and spent the entirety of act one thinking that it was rented material. I must commend Michael Almstedt (Set Designer/Master Carpenter), Shawn Simmons (Charge Artist/Assistant Set Designer), Wimar Pena (Set Assistant), Fabiola Bien-Aime (Set Construction), and the THR102 Stagecraft class (Set Construction) for exquisite attention to detail and dedication to their craft. The crew is rounded out by Danubia Vilar (Social Media Manager), Peyton Eggers (Assistant Social Media), and Observationship of Director, Ka’Niya Horton and Jawn Julian. 

While I knew the music well, I had never actually experienced the entirety of Anything Goes before and was thrilled to finally get the chance. The cast is led by Kaleigh Coyle as Reno Sweeney who is an absolute delight in the role. She exudes confidence and grace throughout with an impressive vocal range, a steady, well supported belt, and terrific tap skills to round out a consistent triple threat. She is accompanied by initial love interest Billy Crocker who is played by Matt Keelan and later love interest Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Alex Ridder (also a Costumer). Both performers have a lovely vibrato and a matching quick wit about them as they perform. The two paralleled one another beautifully, finding their strengths within their own character and making both of them deeply enjoyable to watch. The three are very smooth on stage both together and with other members of the cast. For instance Hope Harcourt, played by Margaret White interacts wonderfully with all three characters as she performs as the standard ingenue. The quartet alternates love interests and relationships consistently which provides a shakespearean-eque complexity within the production. 

These four are accompanied by several big personalities, including Hope’s mother Evangeline Harcourt (Cara Pergament- also Assistant Director/ASM), Billy’s boss Elisha Whitney (Jordan Schonberger), Moonface Martin (Emery Rivera), and Erma (Audrey Hosford). Pergament and Whitney work beautifully together as they experience their own flitting romance, both providing equal parts caricature and relatability. Meanwhile Rivera consistently steals the show with an exquisite comedic timing and impressive lower vocal register. The song “friendship” sung by Coyle and Rivera is a perfect example of skills beyond their years that have made this show truly enjoyable to watch. Rivera is often accompanied by Hosford as the original text has the two as a couple, but with this depiction of the characters, they are more seen as partners in crime. Hosford portrays the seductive stylings of this character well, often maintaining confidence particularly while interacting with the sailors in her song “Buddie, Beware”. These criminals are accompanied by Spit, played by Zlatin Ivanov, and Dippy Mardochee Boireau, who live most of their gambling story off stage but provide quick comedic moments

The cast is completed by members who cover several key characters. The ship captain (Cole Kaelin) and Ship’s Purser (Aileen Lutz - also Assistant Vocal Director/Production Assistant) work closely together as they try to run a tight ship. They are accompanied by sailors Ethan Shaev (also Fred), Val Rajan (Also Reporter), Emmanuel Ebba III, and Harrison Alexander. These four sing tight harmonies together with lovely precision. They are also countered by Reno’s four Angels: Chastity (Melissa Hemel - also Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain), Charity (Elise Carey), Virtue (Caitlin Burns), and Purity (Amira Merino). The angels accompany Reno in “Blow Gabriel Blow” where they exemplify their vocal and dance skills. The cast is finalized by Michael Havardansky (Minister/Passenger), Ludnie Monique (FBI Agent/Passenger), Tiasia Sabrina (Passenger- also Dance Captain), Paul Ravago (Old Lady/Passenger), Harper Wood (Passenger), Marya Anwar (Passenger), and Julmary Vargas (Passenger). What is most impressive is that this cast has one of the cleanest tap numbers that I have ever seen at a school, college, or community setting. It is so clear that the cast worked incredibly hard on this number to get each shuffle and maxi ford turn exactly together on the right beat. 

Overall, I found this performance to be very impressive considering the age of some of these performers. I believe that they were led by a gifted director and an equally well trained crew, giving these students an excellent opportunity to learn and hone their crafts. Robinson made a series of excellent choices throughout the production, including trusting Ridder with a complicated song that tore the house down. Robinson shows a faith in his performers, consistent dedication to the arts, and an excellent eye for direction. It is schools like these that allow our next generation of performers to come forward and bring truly divine moments to stage. I am so happy to see the drive in the heart of the cast. I cannot wait to see these performers again soon as they move on to the steps of their journey in performance, set design, and theater as a whole. While Anything Goes closes today, there are still some tickets available at https://kelsey.mccc.edu/