This year’s musical at Saint Joe is Anything Goes. The cast and crew are preparing for their performances on February 27, 28, and March 1.

This musical was written by Cole Porter, and was first performed November 21, 1934. It was performed for a year by the original cast which included William Gaxton, Ethel Merman, Victor Moore, and Bettina Hall as the leads (for any die hard musical fans wondering). It is estimated to have had about 420 performances since it was first shown in 1934; some of the venues being the Vivian Beaumont Theater and Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

Now about the show itself. The musical outlines a trip that the cruise ship the S.S. American takes from New York to England. Main characters include Reno Sweeney, a night club ‘evangelist’, Billy Crocker, a young businessman, Hope Harcourt, the debutant, Moonface Martin, the gangster, and Lord Evelyn Okleigh, the Englishman. Throughout the story, there is a shifting plot of love interests. At the beginning of the story, Reno is chasing Billy, who happens to be in love with Hope. However, Hope is engaged to Evelyn (albeit begrudgingly). After a bit of cat and mouse and an exciting performance at the nightclub, Reno ends up with Evelyn and Billy finally gets Hope.

The St. Joe theatre program will be having performances on February 27 at 7 p.m., February 28 at 7 p.m., and March 1, at 2 p.m. at the Everest-Rohrer Chapel/Fine Arts Center at Bethel College. Tickets are sold at the door. 

Below is the cast list of principal roles:

RENO SWEENEY Gabriella Parrish 

BILLY CROCKER David Polaniecki 

MOONFACE MARTIN Joey Harshman

HOPE HARCOURT Evolette Williams 

LORD EVELYN OAKLEIGH Peter George Baglow 

ELISHA WHITNEY Samuel Mark 

ERMA Becca Norwood

EVANGELINE HARCOURT Clare Dolezal

CAPTAIN Jack Betz

PURSER Andy Sorg

SPIT Rylan Rockwell

DIPPY Peter Dolezal

PURITY Emily Thain

CHASTITY Teagan Lake

CHARITY Isabella Loaiza

VIRTUE Annalise Lake