‘Anything Goes’ within limits at family theater

Besides the title song, the musical “Anything Goes” features other classic tunes such as “Delovely,” “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” and the Glendale Centre Theatre’s production of the show will set sail on Friday.

“You’ll walk out of the theater singing. When you hear (those songs), they get stuck in your head,” said Tim Dietlein, the theater’s owner.

Dietlein, who is in charge of all programming at the theater, selected “Anything Goes” because it’s an audience-pleaser, especially since so many of the musical’s songs are easily recognizable.

“Unlike a lot of musicals today, all the songs from musicals of that era became standards and major hits on the radio. You’ve got “Let’s Misbehave” and so many songs that you hear and say, ‘Hey, I know that song,’” Dietlein said.

Director Mark Knowles said he was thrilled when Dietlein called him, especially because he specializes in tap dancing and “Anything Goes” is one of the quintessential American musicals featuring tap. With the help of choreographer Paul Reed, the cast is working hard on the choreography featured in almost every number in the musical.

Written in 1934 by Cole Porter, “Anything Goes” features madcap antics set on a London-bound ocean liner from New York.

The plot follows Billy Crocker, a Wall Street broker who is hopelessly in love at first sight with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is betrothed to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, a noble Englishman for whom she has no feelings.

Moonface Martin, a second-rate gangster, along with nightclub singer Reno Sweeney help Billy in his mission to win over Hope while wacky tomfoolery and Porter’s classics set the tone of the shipbound adventure.

The Glendale Centre Theatre, originally the Hale Centre Theatre which opened in 1947 by Ruth and Nathan Hale, is a family theater passed from generation to generation for the past 66 years.

“The Glendale Centre Theatre advertises (that) it’s a family theater and it’s very true,” Knowles said. “Not only the material they choose and how they present to the audience, but the cast members have created a family amongst themselves.”

Sarah Vanek, who plays Reno Sweeney, the evangelist and nightclub singer, agreed. “The cast chemistry couldn’t have been better if we tried,” she said.

Nonetheless, the production doesn’t come without challenges for the actors.

“The show is so hilarious and over the top, and Hope’s moments are almost the ones that bring everyone back down to Earth,” said Katie Moya, who plays Hope Harcourt.

This isn’t the first time Moya has been cast as Hope. “I’ve played Hope before, a long time ago, when I was very young,” she said. “Now that I’m playing her as an adult who has been in love and is a little more understanding of her dynamic between her and her mother and the responsibility she feels toward her, it’s been challenging to find where in the show I fit.”

Moya is focused on developing Hope to be entertaining, loveable and real, while maintaining the integrity of her character, because “in a lot of productions of ‘Anything Goes,’ Hope ends up being a little bit whiny, a little annoying,” Moya admitted.

Glendale Centre Theatre’s stage is in the round, which means the audience surrounds the performance space, and that can pose a few challenges when setting the blocking and choreography for the production.

“This is a tough show in-the-round because you’re on a boat and the moment you establish that that’s ocean, you can’t exit that way anymore. You’ve established a fourth wall and the audience is all around you.” said David Gallic, who plays the hapless gangster, Moonface Martin.

Bobby Burkich, who plays Billy Crocker, agreed. “Playing to all four sides is a lot different than one fourth wall,” he said.

However, Knowles takes a different perspective. “I love working in-the-round because it’s three-dimensional. Since I’ve done other shows here, I don’t find it challenging. I think it’s more creatively liberating,” he said. “It makes it very immediate, and no matter where you’re sitting, it feels like you’re in the middle of it.”

Despite the various challenges of the theater-in-the round and the production’s extensive choreography, cast members said they agree on two things: Cole Porter’s brilliance in writing and the chemistry among the cast.

“They don’t write musicals like this anymore, with just that quick-quick banter, plays back and forth into these songs. They are iconic for a reason,” Vanek said.

The cast came to a consensus that Porter’s musical was ahead of its time — in its humor, passion and especially his timeless music.

“Anything Goes” was considered progressive and even racy for its time, with subtle hints of unexpected blue humor. Nonetheless, Porter managed to maintain tact, making for an all-ages appropriate show.

“It’s nice to know you can be tasteful and be a family-oriented theater and still have fun and a little spice. It never goes crude or dirty, but it’s just like a wink and a nod,” Knowles said.

“The music keeps people coming back, but the show is hilarious and that always resonates so well with audiences,” Moya said. “That’s one thing about Glendale — the comedies do so well at this theater.”

“Anything Goes” will run from Friday through Oct. 8 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Saturday matinees at 3 p.m. and Sunday matinees on Sep. 11 and 18 at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $32 for adults, $25 for seniors and $20 for children under 16.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call (818) 244-8481 or buy tickets online at glendalecentretheatre.com.

Toy is a contributor to Times Community News.