Shelly West Thompson considers several factors when selecting Marion’s annual musical. One of the most important aspects of her decision centers around one question: Does the show fit the cast?
Thompson believes that she found a perfect match for this year’s musical in “Anything Goes,” a Cole Porter production that made its Broadway debut in 1934. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, March 10 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. Tickets are $10 and go on sale to the public on Feb. 28.
This year’s production also includes a new wrinkle. Tap dancing, lots of tap dancing.
“I chose it because we haven’t done a tap show in a long time and the kids wanted to do a tap show,” Thompson said. “I also chose it because it has a lot of roles and I know that I had the students to fill them. I had the right kids.”
Potential cast members, including many with no tap experience, got an early start on this year’s production.
“We started tap lessons in September,” Thompson said. “I taught them the basics and we just took it from there.”
Senior Ryan O’Leary, who plays the role of Moonface Martin, is participating in his fourth musical. He did a little big of tapping in “Beauty and the Beast” as a ninth grader, but it was nothing like the amount involved in his current role.
“It has been a great time learning to tap and hopefully I can keep on tapping later on in life,” O’Leary said. “You have to be on beat. If you can’t get in rhythm, you aren’t going anywhere.”
Senior Jacob Couperous was a member of the stage crew last year and joined choir this fall in hopes of participating in the musical. He is playing the role of Elisha Whitney.
“It’s a new experience and it’s given me a better view on things,” Couperus said. “I am usually coming at things from the sports side, but this has been so much fun being here with my buddies and my girlfriend.”
As for the tapping?
“It challenged me, it’s hard,” he said. “But Frau just makes it look like we are walking on water, she’s amazing.”
Senior Faith Rinella is in her sixth musical and plays Reno Sweeney, an evangelist turned nightclub singer.
“She’s very brassy and she’s very blunt,” Rinella said. “She tells it like it is and is unapologetically her.”
Senior Mia Little is in her fifth musical and is playing debutante Hope Harcourt. The role presents a bit of a challenge for Little, who normally sings alto, because it is a soprano part but she is finding her range.
“My favorite part about Hope is that she is connected to Billy (played by Noah Hamill), and he is one of my best friends,” Little said.
Alan Cruz described himself as a “shy kid” when he joined musical in eighth grade and the experience has helped him to “get outside of my box.” He is cast in the role of Lord Evelyn Oakley, Hope’s wealthy and eccentric fiancé, this spring.
“It’s pretty fun,” Cruz said. “I get to dance around and make a fool of myself.”
The musical has become such a large part of the community and cast members are grateful to the support they have received and the bonds they have forged through the years.
“It was just an overall good experience,” Rinella said. “I got to work with a ton of different people, play a bunch of different characters and do a lot of dancing.”
Ticket Information
Marion Junior-Senior High School’s spring musical “Anything Goes” is scheduled to be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 10 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.
Tickets cost $10 went on sale to the general public on Feb. 28.
Presale tickets can be purchased the following ways:
- In the High School foyer on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on March 7 and March 9.
- At a ticket table at the West Door to the parking lot (Door 16) from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 6, March 7 and March 8.
- At the door before each show.
- Will-call tickets (to be paid and picked up either at any of the later sale times or at the door) will be available by emailing: tickets4marionmusical@gmail.com. Please note that priority for ticket sales each day will be given to in-person sales and will-call seats will be put aside in the evening.
Cast
Reno Sweeney: Faith Rinella
Angel No.1 (Purity): Jillian Edinger
Angel No. 2(Chastity): Bella Keyser
Angel No. 3 (Charity): Cora Muller
Angel No. 4 (Virtue): Meredith DeYoung
Hope Harcourt: Mia Little
Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt: Alysha Kuhn
Lord Evelyn Oakley: Alan Cruz
Elisha Whitney: Jacob Couperus
Billy Crocker: Noah Hamill
Moonface Martin: Ryan O’Leary
Erma: Meredith Kemp
Spit: Aaron Meyer
Dippy: Aidan Rittenhouse
Ship’s Captain: Sean Meyer
Ship’s Purser: Maddie Bonafede
Male Quartet Sailors: Ryan O’Leary (lead tenor); Aaron Meyer (tenor); Roger Olivera-Ortiz (bass one); Aidan Rittenhouse (bass two).
Fred / Bartender: Tobey Roegiers
Henry T. Dobson: Roger Olivera-Ortiz
Newspaper Photographer: Haden Williams
Newspaper Reporter: Alexis Schultz
Two FBI Agents: Reegan Fenn, LeeAnne Taylor
Old Lady in a Wheelchair: Carly Chapman
Young Swell: Haden Williams
Passenger #1: Ava Sirkin
Passenger #2: Maria James
Passenger #3: Ashley Bulger
Sailor #1: Roger Olivera-Ortiz
Sailor #2: Tobey Roegiers
Ensemble
Bradley Alip, Maddie Bonafede, Ashley Bulger, Ashley Cervantes-Castillo, Carly Chapman, Brenna Durfey, Reegan Fenn, Maria James, Isabelle Marshall, Sienna Mattison, Taylor Mattison, Aeris Maynard, Ashllyn Maynard, Patience Murray, Tobey Roegiers, Alexis Schultz, Ava Sirkin, Emery Sirkin, LeeAnne Taylor, Rebecca VanCamp, Emma Whalen, Haden Williams.
DeLovely Dancers\Billy and Hope
Aidan Rittenhouse, Aeris Maynard, Ryan O’Leary, Rebecca VanCamp, Alan Cruz, Ava Sirkin, Jake Couperus, Meredith DeYoung, Aaron Meyer, Ashley Bulger, Regan Fenn, Jillian Edinger, Toby Roegiers, Alexis Schultz, Sean Meyer, Ashlynn Maynard, Roger Olivera-Ortiz, Sienna Mattison.
Tap Core
Noah Hamill, Alan Cruz, Aidan Rittenhouse, Roger Ortiz, Faith Rinella, Carly Chapman, Mia Little, Alexis Schultz, Alysha Kuhn, Maria James, Meredith Kemp, LeeAnne Taylor, Meredith DeYoung, Jillian Edinger, Bella Keyser, Cora Muller, Sienna Mattison, Taylor Mattison, Ashley Bulger, Emma Whalen, Isabelle Marshall, Ava Sirkin.
