KAYSVILLE — The Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, which was first performed in 1934, has been performed, rewritten, revived, across the country for decades. A fun and light-hearted romp on a cruise ship, the production features an updated book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman. Directed at Hopebox Theatre by Jan Williams and Wyatt Welch, the cast and crew bring to life a fun and carefree night of classic music, great dancing, and Golden Age theatre. The plot is truly cheesy and classic. The story follows lovers who are mismatched and entangled with the wrong partners, cases of mistaken identity, people chasing celebrity at any cost, and the ability to get away with anything because of status.
Editor’s Note: Production Photos have not yet been received by UTAJ. When they are, they will be added to this review.
The Hopebox Theatre is a renovated building with a very small stage, and their ability to take big shows like Anything Goes and make them work in such an intimate venue is always impressive. Of note this summer, is the new addition of a larger parking lot, which is something the company has worked on for awhile. Past patrons will know this is a big improvement and a much appreciated addition.
The set design, by Williams, Ashley Collins-Dowse, and Ian Fife, makes great use of the small stage space. As a self-confessed cruise addict, I felt I had just walked onto a ship deck. In particular, each area of the audience felt like a different part of the deck. The small space cleverly used the ship doors in multiple ways so that they could be moved and made into things like beds and tables during scene transitions.
Another wonderful tech element was the lighting design by TJ Bettolo. During the musical number “It’s De-Lovely,” the mixed colors blended so well with the colors chosen for the ballroom dresses that the effect was mesmerizing. This leads to the standout technical element of the night, the costume design by Mark Riddle. Each scene had impeccably planned out costumes and attire for the cast. The design used vibrant color palettes, fabulous hats, and excellent costume changes tailored for major dance numbers. The overall design was some of the best and most cohesive costuming seen at Hopebox Theatre.
Anything Goes is a show that relies on the dancing. Choreographers Kelsey Turner and Kayley Turner did a fantastic job of connecting the technical elements of costume and lighting together with the dancing. The musical numbers “Anything Goes” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” had high energy. It was wonderful to see the whole cast joined in the numbers with tap dancing, rather than only a few lead dancers.
As for the cast, Lindsay Stephens as Reno Sweeney was great fun. Stephens brought great charm and enough stage presence to be able to command a crowd. Stephens displayed playful chemistry interacting with Daylen Bills as Billy. Bills and Stephens performed, “You’re the Top,” one of Porter’s more famous songs, and the number was a highlight of the evening. Stephens interacted equally well with many of the other players, such as Cody Eisenbarth as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, and Stefan Kurzius as Moonface Martin. Savannah Ruiz was a lovely addition as the romantic ingénue Hope Harcourt.
The ensemble was quite strong, with great comedic stand outs such as Andrew Cole as Elisha Whitney. Cole’s ability to play up Whitney’s inability to see without his glasses was very amusing. Rylee Harris as Erma Latour was charming and amusing without being too exaggerated. Anything Goes is one of those shows that truly does not have much depth or complexity when you sit and think about the story as it leans into lighthearted entertainment. The catchy score and lively routines will leave audience members tapping their toes and singing melodies during intermission and as they go home at the end of the night.
Hopebox Theatre continues with its mission fundraising at each performance to support individuals in the community who are dealing with cancer. The person they are honoring with this production of Anything Goes is Kirsten Jacobson, who has been a part of the theatre family in Utah. This wonderful community service is a successful match as Hopebox successfully matches wonderful community service with an enjoyable and fun evening of local theatre.
Editor’s Note: This show is double cast with alternating actors. This review covers the Silver cast.
MORE INFO: ANYTHING GOES plays at the Hopebox Theatre (1700 Frontage Road, Kaysville UT, ) through September 5th. Evening performances are held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm with 2:00pm matinees on Saturdays. Tickets are between $18 – 25. Visit https://www.hopeboxtheatre.com for more information.
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