*ABOUT THE PLAY*

Okay, I’ll admit it. When I was a fledgling actor back in my oh-so-serious college days I did not like musicals. I thought they were light frothy escapist entertainment and beneath the importance of “serious” theater. My heroes were Miller, Odets and Williams and dealing with the big issues of the day, political and emotional. Now, after all these years, I’ve learned – I was right! The musical you are about to see, Anything Goes, is about as frothy as the ocean the S.S. American sails upon. It’s about silly romance and chock full of stereotypes from Cole Porter’s 1930’s. It has zero political content and draws humor from a dog stuffed down a guy’s pants.

There is one important distinction: the younger version of me was an idiot. I’ve grown enough to realize that the American musical, from No No Nanette on may be the best art form on Earth. The brilliant music of Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Sondheim should be experienced live and enjoyed by every American. It’s ours. Tonight’s show is the penultimate definition of a classic. Anything Goes reflects at times and you might not get a few of the jokes (I had to look up Gertrude Ederle myself) but the music is timeless. I absolutely have to thank Rachael Gigar (Choreographer) and Colleen Kennedy (Music Director) for their tireless and essential efforts in getting this boat to float. And finally, the cast of the show, probably from top to bottom one of the most talented I’ve ever had the pleasure of directing.

MIKE KNARR DIRECTOR