'Anything Goes' features humor, entries from the Great American Songbook

The Franklin Regional Senior High School auditorium will transport its audience back to the days of the Golden Age of Hollywood, big-band music and the end of prohibition in its spring musical.

The high school’s Theatre Guild will stage “Anything Goes” on Feb. 27-28 and March 1-2, presenting a madcap take on the classic “boy-meets-girl” story aboard the S.S. American as it sets sail from New York to England with passengers in disguise, romantic foibles and plenty of humor, all set to the music of classic American composer Cole Porter.

“Aside from the two main songs — “Anything Goes” and “I Get a Kick Out of You” — I hadn’t heard this style of music,” said senior Sofia Izaguirre, 18, who portrays nightclub singer Reno Sweeney. “I’ve always been a bit of a theater nerd, so musical tunes have always found their way into my playlists. I like these songs and the musical is really funny and upbeat.”

That’s a big change from last year’s FR production of “West Side Story,” a tragic love story that generally leaves most of the audience in tears by the end.

“I thought it was important to do something with a lighter theme that wasn’t as heavy as ‘West Side Story,’” said director and FR science teacher Mark Wolfgang. “I still like doing the classic-era musicals; I think it’s a an important part of the learning process. A lot of schools are going with some very contemporary shows. But I think there’s still a lot to gain from the older ones.”

Not everything about older shows works — there have been several different iterations of “Anything Goes” over the years. Wolfgang’s cast is working with a version that was revised in 2022, one of several revisions through the decades.

“They’ve done away with some of the stereotypes and rewritten some of the problematic characters,” he said. “The last time I directed this show was 12 years ago, and the version we’re doing now also has more dancing in it, so that’s been a little bit of a challenge.”

The cast, crew and orchestra of about 150 began rehearsals shortly before the district’s holiday break in December.

For senior Mac Miller, who plays the romantically hopeful Billy Crocker, preparing for the show has been a juggling act.

“Being kind of a key component in our swim team this year, and also a key component in the musical has been a difficult balance,” said Miller, 18. “I had to build time into my schedule to make it work. It’s definitely been a challenge, but it’s one I think I’m prepared for.”

“Anything Goes” will be performed Feb. 27-28 and March 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a 2:30 p.m. matinee performance on March 2.

Tickets are $15 for adults and seniors, and $8 for students. They are available at Showclix.com — enter “Franklin Regional Anything Goes” in the search box.

VIP reserved parking is also available for an additional fee. The box office will open an hour before showtime if additional tickets are available.

For more, see FRHSmusical.com.