Anything Goes

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Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The "book" was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, revised by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It introduced such songs as "Anything Goes", "You're the Top", and "I Get a Kick Out of You". It was first produced on Broadway in 1934 and has been revived several times in the United States and Britain, and has been filmed twice. Anything Goes and Porgy and Bess are the only 1930s musicals that are still regularly revived.^[1] The musical has long been a popular choice for school and community productions.^[2]

[edit] History

Anything Goes is a farce set below decks on an ocean liner bound for London from New York. The original idea came from producer Vinton Freedley, who was living on a boat, having left the US to avoid his creditors. ^[3] He selected the writing team, and the star, Ethel Merman. The first draft of the show was called Crazy Week, which became Hard to Get, and finally Anything Goes. Hard to Get was set on a mid-ocean liner that was in danger, but, just a few weeks before the show was due to open, a fire on board the passenger ship SS Morro Castle caused the deaths of 137 passengers*-* and crew. According to one version, ^[4] Freedley judged that to proceed with a show on a similar subject would be in dubious taste and he insisted on changes to the script. But theatre historian Lee Davis maintains that Freedley wanted the script changing because it was "a hopeless mess". ^[5] Bolton and Wodehouse were no longer available, so Freedley turned to his director, Howard Lindsay, who recruited Russel Crouse as his collaborator, beginning a lifelong writing partnership.

According to theatre legend, the show's new title, along with the title number, was born from the haste with which the show was revamped: at a late night production meeting, an exasperated and over-worked member of the production team cried out "And just how in the hell are we going to end the first act?" "At this point," responded one of the producers, being more helpful than he realized, "anything goes!"^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Productions

The musical had a pre-Broadway tryout in Boston, before opening at the Alvin Theatre, New York, on November 21, 1934; it ran for 420 performances, becoming the fourth longest-running musical of the 1930s, despite the impact of the Great Depression on Broadway patrons' disposable income. Directed by Howard Lindsay with choreography by Robert Alton, it starred Ethel Merman as Reno Sweeney, William Gaxton as Billy Crocker and Victor Moore as Moonface Martin.

Charles B. Cochran, a British theatrical manager had bought the London performance rights during the show's Boston run, ^[4] and he produced it at the Palace Theatre; the show opened on June 14, 1935 and ran for 261 performances. The cast included Jeanne Aubert as Reno Sweeney (the name changed to Reno La Grange), Sydney Howard as Billy Crocker and Jack Whiting as Moonface Martin. P G Wodehouse was engaged to replace the specifically American references in the book and lyrics with references more appropriate to an English audience. ^[6]

The production was revived in an Off-Broadway production in 1962, opening on May 15, 1962 at the Orpheum Theatre. It was directed by Lawrence Kasha and the cast included Hal Linden as Billy Crocker and Eileen Rodgers as Reno Sweeney. For this revival, the script was revised to incorporate several of the changes from the movie versions. Most changes revolved around the previously minor character Erma, whose name was changed to Bonnie. This revision was also the first stage version of Anything Goes to incorporate several songs from other Porter shows: "Take Me Back to Manhattan" from The New Yorkers, 1930, "It's De-Lovely" from Red Hot and Blue, 1934, "Friendship" from DuBarry Was a Lady, 1939, and "Let's Misbehave" from Paris, 1928.

For the 1987 Broadway revival, John Weidman and Timothy Crouse (Russel's son) updated the book and re-ordered the musical numbers, borrowing Cole Porter pieces from other Porter shows, a practice which the composer often engaged in. ("Easy To Love" was from the 1936 movie Born to Dance.) The music was rescored for a 16-piece swing band, in the style of early Benny Goodman, instead of the earlier 28-piece orchestrations. ^[7] This production opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on October 19, 1987, and ran for 784 performances. With direction by Jerry Zaks and choreography by Michael Smuin, it starred Patti Lupone as Reno Sweeney and Howard McGillin as Billy. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, and won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Revival and Best Choreography. Leslie Uggams and Linda Hart were replacement Renos.

This version was also produced in London in 1989, at the Prince Edward Theatre with Elaine Paige in the role of Reno Sweeney (she was replaced for the last month or so of the run by Louise Gold).

The National Theatre revived the musical, which opened at the Olivier Theatre on December 18, 2002 and then transferred (2003) to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in the West End. Directed by Trevor Nunn, it starred Sally Ann Triplett and John Barrowman.

[edit] Movie versions

For more information about these film versions, see Anything Goes (film)

In 1936, Paramount Pictures turned Anything Goes into a movie musical. It starred Ethel Merman (again as Reno), with Bing Crosby in the (newly renamed) role of Billy Crocker.

The book was drastically rewritten for a second film version, also by Paramount, released in 1956. This movie again starred Bing Crosby (whose character was once more renamed) and Donald O'Connor.

[edit] Television version

In 1954, Ethel Merman, at the age of fifty, reprised her role as Reno in a specially adapted television version of the musical, co-starring Frank Sinatra as the hero, now renamed Harry Dane, and Merman's good friend Bert Lahr (who had co-starred with her on Broadway in DuBarry Was a Lady) as Moonface Martin. This version was shown as an episode of the Colgate Comedy Hour, and has been preserved on kinescope. This version used five of the original songs plus several other Porter numbers, retained the shipboard setting, but had a somewhat different plot.^[8] It has been reported that Merman and Sinatra did not get along well; this was the only time they worked together.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Synopsis

Billy Crocker, a young love-sick Wall Street broker, stows away on the S.S. American, in hopes of winning the heart of his beloved Hope Harcourt. His boss, Yale graduate Elisha J. Whitney, is also on board. He plans to relax before the tremendous sale of his own company's stock (or, in the 1962 version, to make an important business deal in England). Hope is on her way to England to be married to Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in the 1987 version), a stuffy, hapless British nobleman. Also on the boat are "Moonface" Martin, a second-rate gangster on the lam labeled "Public Enemy 13," and his friend Bonnie (originally named Erma); the two have disguised themselves as a minister and a missionary, respectively, after stranding the ship's real chaplain back at the port. They also, mistakenly, left behind their leader, "Snake Eyes" Johnson, Public Enemy 1.

On board, Crocker runs into his friend, Reno Sweeney, an evangelizing nightclub singer, who resolves to help Billy win over Hope, to the dismay of Hope's mother, Mrs. Harcourt (though she doesn't know about the original plan), who insists she marry Evelyn. Billy simultaneously learns the true identities of Moonface and Bonnie, and in exchange for his silence, they join the plot to break up Hope and Evelyn. However, as Billy doesn't have a ticket or passport, Bonnie and Moonface let him have Snake Eyes Johnson's, without telling him to whom it belongs. But the ship's crew figures out that Public Enemy number 1 is on board, and Billy has to take on a number of hilarious disguises to hide from them--which at first makes Hope angry with him. As the show progresses, Hope, Evelyn, Billy, Reno, Elisha, Mrs. Harcourt, Bonnie, and Moonface all end up in a variety of compromising positions with members of the opposite sex, with Reno seducing Evelyn Oakleigh, originally just to get seen by Hope or Mrs. Harcourt so they would reject him, but eventually she wins him over for real and they even get married. Hope and Billy also get married, Mrs. Harcourt (widowed) and Mr. Whitney get married, and Moonface Martin receives a notice on board that the government considers him "harmless."

[edit] Characters

• Reno Sweeney — an Evangelist turned nightclub singer
• Billy Crocker — assistant to Elisha, love-struck would-be suitor to Hope
• Hope Harcourt — American debutante and the object of Billy's affection
• Mrs Evangeline Harcourt — Hope's mother
• Lord Evelyn Oakleigh — Hope's wealthy English fiancee
• Moonface Martin — a second-rate gangster, "Public Enemy Number 13", soon to not be thought as a public enemy at all.
• Bonnie — sidekick to Moonface
• Elisha J. Whitney — Ivy league Wall Street banker, Billy's boss
• Reno’s Angels (Purity, Charity, Chastity and Virtue)(1934 original & 1962 revival/2002 concert)
• Ritz Quartette (1934 original)/Lady Fair Quartet (1987 revival)
• Ching and Ling §— Two Chinese 'Converts' who accompany Reverend Henry T. Dobson
• Captain
• Purser
• Ships crew, Passengers, Reporters, Photographers and F.B.I. Agents

§"Luke" and "John" in the 1987 revival and 2002 concert

[edit] Musical numbers

• Take Me Back To Manhattan (only in 1962 revival) -- Reno Sweeney

This chart shows all songs that were performed; placement of the songs varied. Source: ^[9]

[edit] Awards and nominations

• 1962 Revival

Outer Critics Circle Awards-Best Revival

• 1987 Revival

Outer Critics Circle Awards-Best Revival

Tony Awards

Reproduction (Play or Musical) WINNER

Best Choreography WINNER

Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Bill McCutcheon) WINNER

Best Actor in a Musical (nominee)

Best Actress in a Musical (nominee)

Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Anthony Heald) (nominee)

Best Scenic Design (nominee)

Best Costume Design (nominee)

Best Lighting Design (nominee)

Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)

Drama Desk Awards

Outstanding Revival WINNER

Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Patti LuPone) WINNER

Outstanding Choreography WINNER

Outstanding Actor in a Musical (nominee)

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (McCutcheon, Heald) (nominees)

Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)

Outstanding Orchestration (nominee)

Outstanding Costume Design (nominee)

Outstanding Lighting Design (nominee)

Outstanding Set Design (nominee)

• 2002 London Revival

Olivier Awards

Outstanding Musical Production WINNER

[edit] In popular culture

For more information about the title song and references to it in popular culture, see Anything Goes (song)

• In the 1974 movie Blazing Saddles, "I Get a Kick Out of You" is performed comedically by Cleavon Little and the other actors portraying black railroad workers, complete with a full harmony arrangement.
• In the 1984 film, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", Kate Capshaw performs the title song in Mandarin.
• In the Family Guy episode Saving Private Brian, the Sergeant trainer claims Anything Goes to be one of his most favorite shows.
• Lucy and Ethel sing "Friendship" in an episode of I Love Lucy.
• Felix and Oscar from The Odd Couple sang "Friendship" on their 1973 record called The Odd Couple Sings.
• In an episode of Summer Heights High Mr G cancels a production of "Anything Goes" one week before opening.
• In the Disney Sing Along video "Friend Like Me," "Friendship" is sung by Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
• In the play Dancing at Lughnasa by Irish playwirght Brian Friel, the song Anything Goes is played on the Radio and sung by some of the characters.

[edit] References

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Anything Goes

[edit] External links

• Internet Broadway Database listing for premier production
• Lortel listing for 1962 off-Broadway revival
• Internet Broadway Database listing for 1987 revival
• Internet Broadway Database listing for 2002 concert
• Tams-Witmark listing for 1987 production
• Tams-Witmark listing for 1962 production
• Notes on history of Anything Goes