Cappies Review: 'Anything Goes' At Justice High School

By Jack Child of Falls Church High School

A famous nightclub singer, a notorious criminal, and a pompous British man all board a ship - for the next five days, on the S.S. American, Anything Goes!

"Anything Goes" tells the story of a Wall Street assistant named Billy Crocker who teams up with nightclub singer Reno Sweeny and Public Enemy #13, Moonface Martin, to win the hand of Hope Harcourt, a girl with whom he has a history, in marriage. It opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1934. Since then, it has had two movie adaptations, a television adaptation, and two Broadway revivals, each of which won a Tony award for Best Revival of a Musical. Songs such as "Friendship," "You're the Top," and "Anything Goes" have become well-known staples in American culture. Justice High School's Wolfpack Theatre group did this classic show justice, delivering a performance full of well-executed dancing and strong technical aspects.

In the lead role of Billy was Sam Wells, whose antics as he toyed with different identities delighted the audience. Wells accomplished the difficult task of playing a character who is playing someone else, and he did it exceptionally smoothly. The star of the show was Andrea Pedemonte, who played Reno Sweeny. Pedemonte repeatedly proved herself to be a triple threat - she was able to belt high notes, tap dance, and portray Sweeny's pinings for Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, Hope Harcourt's fiancé, without dropping character for even a split second. Another standout was Darien Roby, who played the crooked gangster Moonface Martin. Roby kept a consistent accent, earned laughs through his understanding of comedic timing, and dropped jaws with his gorgeous voice in "Be Like the Bluebird."

The phenomenal dancing in "Anything Goes" is worth mentioning. Complex numbers were performed in sync, and numerous soloists from the ensemble had memorable moments as well. Especially remarkable was the tap dancing that was present throughout the show and was entertaining to watch.

Technical elements also helped to bring the S.S. American to life. By far the most impressive technical aspects were the costumes, designed by Zoe Greer and managed by Naila Ohmke. The costumes were period and always visually appealing. Standout costumes included the outfits worn by Reno and her backup singers, Reno's Angels. This ensemble always had costumes that were complementary but not exactly the same, keeping the visuals dynamic and interesting. Many different costumes worn by the backup singers, but most notable were the costumes during the show-stopping number "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," where Reno's angels wore bright, sequined outfits. Lighting, operated by Liv Findorff, also added a charming element to the show. Spotlights were used well to focus attention on certain characters during important moments and to project a moon on the side of the auditorium. There was also a lighting effect designed to imitate water that was projected during transitions; this made transitions more interesting to watch and served as a reminder of the setting of the show.

Justice High School gave a memorable and impressive performance of "Anything Goes." Consistently strong dancing and standout voices by principals created an altogether enjoyable experience for the audience. "Anything Goes" truly was "delightful, delicious, and de-lovely!"