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Tri-State Area talent performs musical comedy featuring Cole Porter songs
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| Song and dance are a big part of this weekend’s production of the musical comedy “Anything Goes.” Area high school students perform in this Great River Player’s Summer Youth Theatre show with songs by Cole Porter at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Theater. Admission is a free-will donation. |
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
The Titanic is resurrected - the Great River Players' Titanic stage set, that is.
High school students from the Tri-State Area dance, sing and tap dance aboard the oceanliner as it sails across the Atlantic in 1920s style.
GRP Summer Youth Theatre performs “Anything Goes,” a musical comedy featuring Cole Porter songs, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Theatre, 26 N. Sixth St., Keokuk.
Doors open an hour before curtain time, admission is by free-will donation.
High school students from Keokuk, Central Lee, Clark County in Missouri, Illini West in Carthage, Hamilton and Warsaw, all in Illinois, join together to bring to life a cruise ship featuring romances, sailors in spiffy white uniforms, a choir, dancers and a few gangsters.
Several actors play more than one role, combining main characters with participating in the chorus dancing and singing.
Aaron Zetterlund of Keokuk, brings his acting and trumpet playing talents to the show. As Billy Crocker he stows away on board to woo his love, Hope Harcourt, played by Ryanne Nason of Warsaw, daughter of a stuffy socialite Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt, played by Kelly Krueger of Keokuk, all while cruising to England.
Matters are complicated by the fact that Hope is on her way to England to marry Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Brandon Caldwell, Hamilton.
Zetterlund dons many disguises, from sailor to cook to an older woman passenger, and more, to keep ahead of the ship's purser, Thomas Montgomery of Keokuk and other ship staff.
“I like the kissing scenes the best,” said Zetterlund. “This is a fun show.”
False identities, plots and schemes ensure comedy and confusion that sorts out in the end.
The musical comedy showcases many talents.
Elsa Scott of Kahoka, Mo., is aptly cast as Reno Sweeney, a nightclub singer turned evangelist. Her strong singing voice and high dance kicks add life to the party.
Merissa Lewiston of Montrose, is the perfect flapper in a blonde bob wig as Bonnie LaTour. She taps with a chorus line of dancers in the title song, “Anything Goes,” that closes the first act.
Also tap dancing talents are Natalie Bozorgzad, who plays a ship's passenger, is a student at the American School in Dubai, in Keokuk for a summer visit with relatives. Andy Farnsworth, a Central Lee student, also plays a camera man and Ching, a Chinese convert. Additional tap dancers are Krueger (the socialite mother), Amanda Winkler of Keokuk, a passenger; Lindsay Rupert, a student at Illini West, another passenger; and Zach Boecher, ship's passenger, of Keokuk.
Several familiar Cole Porter songs add to the enjoyment: “You're the Top,” “Bon Voyage,” “It's De-Lovely,” “Heaven Hop,” “Friendship,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Anything Goes,” “Public Enemy Number One,” “Let's Step Out,” “Let's Misbehave,” “Blow Gabriel, Blow,” “All Through the Night” “Be Like the Bluebird,” “Take Me Back to Manhattan,” and “You're the Top.”
Live music in the pit accompanies the songs and dancing. Play director Christal Lewiston, Montrose, plays bass accompanied by her husband, Jim, on percussion and Glenna Eagan on piano. Zetterlund and Eli Broomhall of Keokuk, play trumpet. Broomhall also plays a news reporter aboard ship and Ling, the other Chinese convert.
Will Coeur of Hamilton and Drake Falcon of Keokuk, are the sailors. This is the first GRP summer theatre performance for both of them.
“I wanted to be in the show to meet new people,” said Falcon. “I like to sing and I like being on stage. I've been in school plays before.”
Couer said he would have liked to audition for a larger role but he was away with his band at the time and came to the production asking to be cast in what was available.
“I really enjoy plays,” he said. “I've student-directed shows.”
Angels are: Charity, Johanna DeGroot of Keokuk; Virtue, Alexis Handyside of Warsaw; Chastity, Leah Thomas of Keokuk; and Purity, Andrea Small a student at Clark County.
“I've never been in a show this wild,” said Handyside, who has performed in GRP's regular season and Warsaw High School productions.
Other cast members include: Zach Fett, Central Lee, as Elisha Whitney; Keokuk's Jordan Sprunger is a ship's steward; Cody McCarty is Bishop Henry T. Dobson; and Rhett Nason, Warsaw, as Moonface Martin.
“This is a lot of fun,” said Nason. “I like acting.”
Additional ship passengers are Samantha Reed, Tiffany Rader, DeGroot and Autumn Williams, all of Keokuk; and Grace Buerklin of Hamilton.
“This is my first GRP show,” said Buerklin. “I love it. My favorite part is the ‘Heaven Hop.' I want to be an actress.”
KHS student Eric Rader is working with the stage crew. It is his first experience with GRP.
“My sister is in the show,” he said. “Working stage crew is not as easy as it looks.”
Central Lee student Alex Zaprudsky is producing and running the sound board.
Stage manager is Bobbi Lutzen; costumes are done by Liza Alton; KHS student Emily Barrett played piano for rehearsals; make-up is by Sarah Vigen and Kristine Campbell.
Ann Hester and Isiah Hartweg are running lights; Chris Wright is house manager.
High school students from the Tri-State Area dance, sing and tap dance aboard the oceanliner as it sails across the Atlantic in 1920s style.
GRP Summer Youth Theatre performs “Anything Goes,” a musical comedy featuring Cole Porter songs, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Theatre, 26 N. Sixth St., Keokuk.
Doors open an hour before curtain time, admission is by free-will donation.
High school students from Keokuk, Central Lee, Clark County in Missouri, Illini West in Carthage, Hamilton and Warsaw, all in Illinois, join together to bring to life a cruise ship featuring romances, sailors in spiffy white uniforms, a choir, dancers and a few gangsters.
Several actors play more than one role, combining main characters with participating in the chorus dancing and singing.
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Matters are complicated by the fact that Hope is on her way to England to marry Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Brandon Caldwell, Hamilton.
Zetterlund dons many disguises, from sailor to cook to an older woman passenger, and more, to keep ahead of the ship's purser, Thomas Montgomery of Keokuk and other ship staff.
“I like the kissing scenes the best,” said Zetterlund. “This is a fun show.”
False identities, plots and schemes ensure comedy and confusion that sorts out in the end.
The musical comedy showcases many talents.
Elsa Scott of Kahoka, Mo., is aptly cast as Reno Sweeney, a nightclub singer turned evangelist. Her strong singing voice and high dance kicks add life to the party.
Merissa Lewiston of Montrose, is the perfect flapper in a blonde bob wig as Bonnie LaTour. She taps with a chorus line of dancers in the title song, “Anything Goes,” that closes the first act.
Also tap dancing talents are Natalie Bozorgzad, who plays a ship's passenger, is a student at the American School in Dubai, in Keokuk for a summer visit with relatives. Andy Farnsworth, a Central Lee student, also plays a camera man and Ching, a Chinese convert. Additional tap dancers are Krueger (the socialite mother), Amanda Winkler of Keokuk, a passenger; Lindsay Rupert, a student at Illini West, another passenger; and Zach Boecher, ship's passenger, of Keokuk.
Several familiar Cole Porter songs add to the enjoyment: “You're the Top,” “Bon Voyage,” “It's De-Lovely,” “Heaven Hop,” “Friendship,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Anything Goes,” “Public Enemy Number One,” “Let's Step Out,” “Let's Misbehave,” “Blow Gabriel, Blow,” “All Through the Night” “Be Like the Bluebird,” “Take Me Back to Manhattan,” and “You're the Top.”
Live music in the pit accompanies the songs and dancing. Play director Christal Lewiston, Montrose, plays bass accompanied by her husband, Jim, on percussion and Glenna Eagan on piano. Zetterlund and Eli Broomhall of Keokuk, play trumpet. Broomhall also plays a news reporter aboard ship and Ling, the other Chinese convert.
Will Coeur of Hamilton and Drake Falcon of Keokuk, are the sailors. This is the first GRP summer theatre performance for both of them.
“I wanted to be in the show to meet new people,” said Falcon. “I like to sing and I like being on stage. I've been in school plays before.”
Couer said he would have liked to audition for a larger role but he was away with his band at the time and came to the production asking to be cast in what was available.
“I really enjoy plays,” he said. “I've student-directed shows.”
Angels are: Charity, Johanna DeGroot of Keokuk; Virtue, Alexis Handyside of Warsaw; Chastity, Leah Thomas of Keokuk; and Purity, Andrea Small a student at Clark County.
“I've never been in a show this wild,” said Handyside, who has performed in GRP's regular season and Warsaw High School productions.
Other cast members include: Zach Fett, Central Lee, as Elisha Whitney; Keokuk's Jordan Sprunger is a ship's steward; Cody McCarty is Bishop Henry T. Dobson; and Rhett Nason, Warsaw, as Moonface Martin.
“This is a lot of fun,” said Nason. “I like acting.”
Additional ship passengers are Samantha Reed, Tiffany Rader, DeGroot and Autumn Williams, all of Keokuk; and Grace Buerklin of Hamilton.
“This is my first GRP show,” said Buerklin. “I love it. My favorite part is the ‘Heaven Hop.' I want to be an actress.”
KHS student Eric Rader is working with the stage crew. It is his first experience with GRP.
“My sister is in the show,” he said. “Working stage crew is not as easy as it looks.”
Central Lee student Alex Zaprudsky is producing and running the sound board.
Stage manager is Bobbi Lutzen; costumes are done by Liza Alton; KHS student Emily Barrett played piano for rehearsals; make-up is by Sarah Vigen and Kristine Campbell.
Ann Hester and Isiah Hartweg are running lights; Chris Wright is house manager.
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