By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays High cast of “Anything Goes” is sure to tap and croon their ways into your heart this week.

Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Twelfth Street Auditorium.

“Anything Goes” is a 1934 musical that features notable tunes such as “Anything Goes,” “You’re the Top” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” The musical is a romantic comedy that takes place aboard a vessel en route to London from New York.

“I chose this musical for a handful of reasons. First of all, I think it fits our students incredibly well. There are lots of roles for many students to have opportunities, which I really like,” Alex Underwood, director, said. “Beyond that, I think it is important for students to get to explore cultures, time periods, and utilize skills that are different from their own. In this case, they get to study 1934 New York and learn some pretty significant tap dancing.

“Finally, it’s just a lot of fun. The music is charming, and the comedic bits are hysterical. It’s a wonderful way to spend a few hours.”

The principle roles in this show are Reno Sweeney, an evangelist-turned-night club singer whose brassy personality drives the plot, Underwood said. That role is double cast — played by Shirley Lee and Caitlin Leiker.

Billy Crocker is the leading man in this production, played by Gabe McGuire. Finally, Moonface Martin is a second-rate gangster disguised as a minister who drives quite a bit of the mayhem and fun in the show. Moonface is played by Kai Kaufman.

The show features a slew of dancers — Reno’s four angels and a quartet of dancing sailors. Beyond that, there are tons of other bit parts that are quite hilarious, Underwood said.

The challenges with this show revolved around the difficult production numbers — particularly the tap dancing, Underwood said.

“We hired a choreographer from New York to teach the students, and we’ve spent hours and hours working on it. Once it’s all said and done, it looks incredible!” he said. “I’m so proud of them for pulling off super tricky choreography. And we didn’t cut the dance breaks even one measure — it’s the full Broadway orchestration.”

Underwood said he has been proud of the work the students have put in thus far.

“I think these students bring some amazing skill as well as heart and commitment,” he said. “So many of them are fiercely dedicated to the success of this production and have been working tirelessly for months in preparation. It’s inspiring to watch, honestly.”

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketsource.us/hays-high-school, at the box office at Twelfth Street Auditorium between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. this week, or at the door. They are $10.

Cast list

• 

  Reno Sweeney – Shirley Lee (Nov. 14 and 16) and Caitlin Leiker (Nov. 15 and 17)

• Hope Harcourt – Alisara Arial
• Evangeline Harcourt – Katelyn Engel
• Lord Evelyn Oakleigh – Tom Drabkin
• Elisha Whitney – Andrew Duke
• Billy Crocker – Gabe McGuire
• Moonface Martin – Kai Kaufman
• Erma – Hanna Dannar
• Luc – Alexis White
• Jean – Matthew Bollig
• Captain – Ashley Vilaysing
• Purser – Sierra Adkins
• Reno’s Angels
•          Purity – Anna Brull
•          Chastity – Marie-lyn Castaing
•          Charity – Jessica Leiker
•          Virtue – Savanna Lawson
• Dancing Sailors – Nathan Leiker, Alex Flavin, Sydney Wittkorn, Stanna Flinn
• Singing Sailors – Seth Tripp, Alex Johnson, Nathan Leiker, Quinton McGuire
•        Fred – Eliana Buller
•        Henry T. Dobson – Carson Brooksher
•        Newspaper Photographer – Zach Chance
•        Reporter – Tegan Hartman
•        FBI Agent 1 – Samantha Vesper
•        FBI Agent 2 – Jocelyn Rigler
•        Old Lady in a Wheelchair – Eliana Buller

Passengers

• Elizabeth Dickman
• Michaela Dickman
• Devlyn Jochum
• Emry Lundy
• Macy Meyers
• Spenser Mills
• Summer Schneider
• Gracie Wente

Sailors

• Aidan Gregory
• Gabe Nichols
• Da’Vontai Robinson

Orchestra

• Conductor—Alex Underwood
• Violin—Douglas Drabkin
• Bass—Cami Moore
• Reed 1 — Matthew Rome
• Reed 2 — Kristin Pisano
• Reed 3 – Dawson Whalen
• Reed 4 – Patric Norhtrop
• Trumpet 1 — Brad Dawson
• Trumpet 2 — Gavin Blehm
• Trombone 1 — Jennifer Shinska
• French Horn — Renetta Dawson
• Trombone 3 – Peter Lillpopp
• Piano — Alexis Robinson
• Percussion 1 — Spencer Wittkorn
• Percussion 2 — Emma Tschanz
• Percussion 3 — Hanna Eikenberry

Production Staff

• Stage & Musical Direction — Alex Underwood
• Rehearsal Pianist and Production Assistant — Alexis Robinson
• Technical Direction — Jeremy Wann, Jeff Bitikofer
• Choreography — Adrian Rifat
• Director’s Assistant — Elijah Zimmerman
• Stage Management — Mazzy Sacia
• Assistant Stage Management — Alicia Feyerherm and Zoe Buffington
• Light Board Operation — Marshall Meier
• Set Construction — Brad Moritz (lead), Lisa Brooksher
• Set Painting — Yvette Moritz (lead), Lisa Brooksher, Jessica McGuire
• Properties — Jessica McGuire (lead), Lisa Brooksher, Cathy Drabkin, Jeff Flavin, Adonia Gould, Jennifer Leiker
• Costumes — Emily Buller (lead), Sabrina Adkins, Mary Vilaysing, Shauna Chance, Lisa Brooksher, Dara Jochum, Lynette Danner, Jasmine Arial, Kiera Vilaysing
• Box Office — Jenni Leiker (lead), Randy Adkins, Sandra Meyers, Jolene Kaufman, Amy Flavin, Laurie Dickman
• Development — Jenni Wittkorn, Josephine Squires
• Hair — Stanna Flinn (lead), Heather Stringer, Jessica McGuire, Valerie Wente
• Make-up —Tegan Hartman (lead), Carl Denny, Sabrina Adkins, Lisa Brooksher
• Lobby Display — Jodie Leiker (lead), Jeff Flavin, Lisa Brooksher
• Spots — Zoey Urban, Liam Buller
• Headshots — Caitlin Leiker