The Festus High School Drama Department will present four performances of the classic musical “Anything Goes.”
Curtain time is 7 p.m. today, March 23, through Saturday, March 25, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, all at the Festus R-6 Performing Arts Center, 501 Westwind Drive.
Admission is $5. The Support Our Stars (SOS) parent booster group will sell concessions.
The music in “Anything Goes,” composed by the legendary Cole Porter, includes “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “You’re the Top,” “Let’s Misbehave” and the title song.
Festus High English language arts teacher William Borgmeyer, who is directing the play, said it was time for the students to try their hand at a classic.
“I wanted to give them something challenging, and with all the dancing, they’ve had to step up,” he said. “This is tougher music and tougher dancing, particularly tap dancing and jazz dancing. It takes a lot of time to teach that, but I think they’ve stepped up their game.”
Renae Hampton, who coaches the Festus High pom team, is helping with the choreography, Borgmeyer said.
Sophomore Annabelle Whitener, 16, who plays one of the female lead roles, Reno Sweeney, said she’s definitely felt the need to rise to the challenge.
“When I heard that we were going to do ‘Anything Goes,’ I started taking dance lessons,” she said. “I’ve been walking on a treadmill while I’m singing every night to get my breath up to the level it needs to be.”
Junior Saigel Mickan, 17, plays the other female lead role, Hope Harcourt, a departure from playing the title role in “Annie” last school year.
“Hope is definitely more grown up than Annie,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun playing her.”
Mickan said she’s enjoying the dancing in “Anything Goes.”
“I’ve always done a lot of dancing,” she said. “It’s been work, but it’s been fun.”
Senior Chaz Seitz, 18, plays the lead male role, Billy Crocker, a Wall Street broker who’s in love with Hope but is being pursued by Reno.
“I’m not used to being a love interest,” said Seitz, who has supplied broad comedic relief in previous plays. “But this isn’t a boring leading man type of character. Billy is trying to solve a lot of the passengers’ problems by playing tricks, which gets him into a little bit of trouble, and he’s always trying to stay one step ahead. So I’m still able to show off my comedic timing.”
Senior Maddy Griffin, 18, said she has been learning a Jersey accent for the character she plays, Erma Latour.
“She is a gangster’s girlfriend, or I guess a moll, as they called them, and I guess you could say she takes advantage of every opportunity she wants to,” Griffin said. “But playing her is a lot of fun.”
The large cast of about 45 is supplemented by a crew of 20, including junior Jackson Bauman, 17, who is the head of both the tech crew and the lighting.
“This play involves a lot more people, so we’ve had to do a lot more communication regarding the technical aspects, including the lighting,” he said. “This set is definitely the biggest one I’ve been involved with.”
Senior Natalie Bayless is the stage manager, a role she’s filled since her sophomore year.
“She’s been doing a terrific job,” Borgmeyer said.
Fellow Festus High English language arts teacher Erin Pruneau is assistant director.
Other cast members include Joey Huntsman, Marley Shepherd, Alex Kester, Connor Zustiak, Alex Pratt, Brian Rhodes, Carter Zinn, Astaria Herring, Mackenzie Weston, Mackenzie Fish, Katleyn Bishop, Kyla Hatfield, Caitlyn Gerstenschloger, Mia Fjone, Kane Seitz, Oz Pratt, Connor Mooney, Robin Reed, Braydin Sheerin, Pursey Knubley, Cale Huskey, Angela Moore, Lexi Flotron, Sol McNary, Liza Richardson, Tobi Beck, Anna Berezowski, Zach Rector, Mallory Burton, Emma Zimmerly, Crystal Nguyen, Olivia Schepe, Lily Davis, Isabella Micco, Pixie Willis, Courtney Cozine, Kylie Gripp, Kenzie Boehmer, Mariah Waters and Gabrielle White.