Jan. 12, 2011 

              Morningside College theatre department to present “Anything Goes”

The Morningside College theatre department will present the Cole Porter musical “Anything Goes” at 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, February 17 to 19, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 20, at Klinger-Neal Theatre, 3700 Peters Avenue.

"Anything Goes” takes place aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London. The story revolves around Billy Crocker, a stowaway in love with the heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Crocker gains the assistance of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and Public Enemy #13, Moonface Martin.

Porter wrote the music and lyrics for “Anything Goes,” which is based on a book that was collaboratively written by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse. The play made its debut at the Neil Simon Theatre, then known as the Alvin, on Broadway in 1934.

The Morningside production will be directed by Michael Rohlena, visiting assistant professor of theatre & dance. The music director is Stephen Lundberg, the choreographer is Tracy Bennett, and the costumer is Bette Skewis-Arnett, professor of theatre. The pianist is Marta Nelson of Sioux City.

Cast members are Autumn Knipp, a junior from Elberon, Iowa, as Reno Sweeney; Kelsey Levenhagen, a senior from Grimes, Iowa, as Hope Harcourt; Athena Riesenberg, a senior from Sioux City, as Evangeline Harcourt; Jacob Sandvick, a senior from Sioux City, as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh; Drew Kambach, a junior from Sioux City, as Elisha Whitney; Nicholas Brincks, a freshman from Carroll, Iowa, as Billy Crocker; William Vereen, a senior from Sioux City, as Moonface Martin; Mandy Suing, a junior from Sioux City, as Erma; Demirae Dunn, a sophomore from Cherokee, Iowa, as the angel Charity; Mary Horton, a junior from Sioux City as the angel Virtue; Nancy Seeman, a sophomore from Stanton, Neb., as the angel Purity; Georgia Mize, a sophomore from Bronson, Iowa, as the angel Chastity; Levi Liester, a senior from Stanton, Neb., as a photographer/reporter; Randy Madrigal, a senior from Nuevo, Calif., as the FBI agent; Jay Myers, a junior from Sioux City, as a reporter; Lihua Yan, a senior from Fujian, China, as Luke; Madalyn Mardesen, a junior from Elliott, Iowa, as the woman in a wheelchair; Garret Manuel, a sophomore from Des Moines, Iowa, as Fred, the bartender, and a FBI agent; and Michael Stern, a freshman from Santiago, Chile, as the minister Henry T. Dobson.

Members of the male quartet are Elijah Wolf, a freshman from Denison, Iowa, as the captain; Eric Furness, a freshman from Sioux City as the purser; Chris Bevill, a junior from Plainview, Neb., as a sailor; and Michael Bryant, a senior from Farragut, Tenn., as a sailor.

Members of the female quartet are Brianna Carter, a senior from Sioux City; Haley Gabriel, a junior from Holdrege, Neb.; Haleigh Pigott, a freshman from Sioux City; and Annalise Tecken, a freshman from George, Iowa.

Other members of the cast include Juliene Brown, a freshman from Omaha, Neb.; Courtney Kinnander, a senior from Armstrong, Iowa; Aimee Little, a freshman from Louisville, Ky.; Melissa Richter, a freshman from Rock Valley, Iowa; Kelsey Saboe, a senior from Royal, Iowa; Jordan Staples, a junior from Spencer, Iowa; and Adam Sullivan, a junior from Peosta, Iowa.

Cristina McCrystal, a sophomore from Sloan, Iowa, is the stage manager and Andrew Curry, a junior from Urbandale, Iowa, is the back stage manager.

Other members of the crew are Brittney Foxhoven, a senior from South Sioux City, Neb.; Laura Krengel, a junior from Wyoming, Minn.; Andrew Poeckes, a freshman from Remsen, Iowa; and Ronald Morton Jr., a sophomore from St. Louis, Mo.