Connor Nichols, left, as Billy Crocker and Drew Hubbard as Reno Sweeney sing “You’re the Top” during Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Jonathan Neawedde, left, as the captain and Sam Dyer as the purser rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Rehearsing a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes” are, from left, Allie Schocke, Drew Kerkhof, Emily Keller, Marley Coomler and Alex Overgaard.
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Rehearsing a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes” are, from left, Allison Ward, Enola Vandercar, Delaney Williams, Dianna Munoz and Drew Hubbard.
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
From left, Emory Helton, Adam Sutton and Evan Shuler rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Benjamin Neawedde, left, as Elisha Whitney and Zander Roggow as Fred rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Carson Bowling, left, as Erma and Brad Dyer as Moonface Martin rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
The cast of Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes” sings “Bon Voyage.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Emily Keller, left, as Hope Harcourt and Connor Nichols as Billy Crocker sing during Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Drew Kerkhof, left, as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh and Emily Keller as Hope Harcourt rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Connor Nichols, left, as Billy Crocker and Benjamin Neawedde as Elisha Whitney rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Drew Hubbard, left, plays Reno Sweeney and Connor Nichols portrays Billy Crocker in Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
From left, Allie Schocke, Emily Keller and Connor Nichols rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
Drew Hubbard portrays Reno Sweeney in Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
From left, Brad Dyer, Carson Bowling and Jonathan Neawedde rehearse a scene from Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes.”
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
As the S.S. American is sailing between New York and England, a comically colorful assemblage of passengers is onboard.
They include Reno Sweeney, a popular nightclub singer and former evangelist; her pal, Billy Crocker, a lovelorn Wall Street broker who has come aboard to try to win the favor of his beloved Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to another passenger, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh; and a second-rate con man named Moonface Martin, aka Public Enemy No. 13.
Song, dance and antics ensue as Reno and Moonface try to help Billy win the love of his life.
That’s the synopsis of “Anything Goes,” which will be presented by Trinity Lutheran High School at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Seymour school. Tickets are $10.
The show premiered on Broadway in November 1934, and Trinity’s show is the 2022 revised version.
Leah Schneider, who is directing the show with Jayme Lowe, said she was in a production of the musical when she was a freshman in high school in the 1970s and helped direct the show at another school in the 1990s. The newest version was updated for modern sensibilities, Lowe said.
“It was a fun production. I think the music is fun. I did enjoy that,” Schneider said.
Lowe said they chose the show because there are some strong female leads in the seniors.
“I was especially looking for one that would have a really fun female lead. This one has two. We’ve got Reno and Hope,” she said. “Just thinking about the cast of kids that we had this year, when we were digging through the stacks of musicals, this one stuck out to us as one that would fit.”
Schneider said there are multiple leads.
“Some of those musicals, you’re lucky if they have three, maybe four, but this is double that, and we had a lot of talented students,” she said.
“We have the different couples that emerge over the play, but also, there’s a lot of friendship in this, like the friends helping each other out, kind of playing wing man and stuff like that,” Lowe added. “That’s my favorite part of the musical, that they get to be friends with each other and support each other.”
Senior Connor Nichols is playing the role of Billy.
“He’s very charismatic. He’s really devoted to his one girl, but he’s willing to do anything he can do to get there,” he said. “He’s fast-talking. He sells stocks and is part of a bigger corporation trying to move up so that he can look important. I really enjoy getting in character like I have every year, being a whole different person.”
He said he likes the show because of all of the scenes with two friends.
“They are just being friends, joking around with each other and messing around. It’s really special about this show,” he said.
Sophomore Emily Keller is portraying Hope.
“She is a young debutant. She’s very put-together, and she falls in love, and then she gets to actually be herself,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to play a character that gets to go through that.”
While she wasn’t familiar with the storyline or characters before, Keller said she knew the title song.
“I like that it’s such a musical musical,” she said. “It’s very showy, and all of the nice costumes and dancing, I think it’s a lot of fun.”
As for the message of the show, Lowe said she sums it up as being true to yourself, being open to new experiences, surprises and love and supporting your friends.
If you go
What: Trinity Lutheran High School’s production of “Anything Goes”
When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Trinity Lutheran High School, 1 Trinity Way, Seymour
Cost: $10 (stop by the school or call 812-524-8547)
Directors: Jayme Lowe and Leah Schneider
Cast: Drew Hubbard, Emily Keller, Allie Schocke, Drew Kerkhof, Benjamin Neawedde, Connor Nichols, Brad Dyer, Carson Bowling, Evan Shuler, Emory Helton, Jonathan Neawedde, Sam Dyer, Dianna Munoz, Delaney Williams, Enola Vandercar, Allison Ward, Zander Roggow, Adam Sutton, Marley Coomler, Alex Overgaard, Jeremiah Clay, Landon Gasaway, Ezra VanCuren
Ensemble: Kaylie Burns, Jeremiah Clay, Marley Coomler, Addison Garcia-Velasco, Landon Gasaway, Cadin Gruenwald, Grant Hall, Alana Hammett, Chloe Lorenz, Ava Malone, Alex Overgaard, Carmendee Quirino, Zander Roggow, Adam Sutton, Nolan Teipen, Ezra VanCuren, Brooklyn Whipker