BON VOYAGE! Join the SUNY Cortland crew on a journey of comedy, mischief and madcap antics aboard a grand ship where absolutely anything goes!
“Anything Goes” is a lighthearted comedy-musical from the 1930s, following a group of passengers aboard a ship going from New York to London. Among the passengers are an American debutante engaged to a wealthy lord, an evangelist turned nightclub singer, public enemy #13, a Wall Street broker who happens to be a stowaway, the broker’s boss and many more hilarious additions to this already rowdy group of shipmates.
The story follows many different plots simultaneously happening as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic. One focus is on Wall Street broker Billy Crocker who sneaks aboard due to his love for American debutante Hope Harcourt who happens to be engaged to wealthy lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Another plotline happening is Nightclub singer Reno Sweeny who in addition to giving the audience unforgettable performances alongside her Angles, has feelings for Billy Crocker, not knowing he only snuck aboard for a chance with Hope Harcourt.
Alongside this intertwined love story between Mr. Crocker, Hope Harcourt, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh and Reno Sweeney is public enemy #13, Moonface Martin, and his partner Erma who sneak aboard.
In the SUNY Cortland production, Musical Theatre student Heather Hayes will be playing Reno Sweeney, a character she has described as being goofy and confident. Hayes said she related to the way her character cherishes time with friends.
“Through this production I hope I can gain some of her [Sweeney’s] unwavering confidence which is something I really admire in her character,” said Hayes.
Alongside Hayes will be Harry Sperduto in the role of Billy Crocker. Sperduto has described his process of becoming Crocker as digging into the idea of being young, dumb and in love, not really knowing what is ahead. Crocker’s youthful exuberance means he will stop at nothing to get his goal which is winning over Hope. Sperduto sees Crocker as a natural risk-taker who knows what he wants and does not hesitate to go after it.
“If there’s one thing I learned from Mr. Crocker it’s that nothing is too far out of reach, and just because you can’t see the end of the road, it doesn’t mean it’s not around the corner,” said Sperduto. “As Mahatma Gandhi once said ‘Where there is love, there is life.’”
Billy Crocker’s boss, Elisha Whitney, will be played by Nicholas Webster. Whitney, along with Moonface Martin, provides much of the comedy of the show. The character is inebriated for most of the voyage. who similarly to the character of Moonface Martin gives the show an additional comedic relief, seeing as his character is inebriated for most of not all of the voyage. Webster has described Eli Whitney as an Ivy League titian of wall street who has a bit of a problem bending his elbow.
“I relate to Whitney specifically with his excessiveness,” said Webster. “but the whole show is supposed to be very over the top which is why I love it so much. This show is a farce, there should be nothing but laughs.”
Webster described the show as being inherently funny, and said that while the show includes some sweet moments, the overall mood of the show is “lackadaisical hilariousness.”
“Everyone should come see Anything Goes,” said Hayes. “It’s a lighthearted, hilarious, classic piece of theater. I’ve seen the show so many times and I still laugh out loud watching our cast do what they do best.”
The production will be run during April in the Dowd Fine Arts building’s mainstage, on April 4, 5, 11, and 12 at 7:30 p.m., as well as April 6 and 13 at 2 p.m.. Tickets for the show will be $24 for the general public, $20 for senior citizens and faculty, and $15 for students. All children under 18 can see the show for free.