ANYTHING GOES ENSEMBLE CAST ANNOUNCED

Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini AM and theatre producer John Frost AM today (February 3) announced the final lead cast member and the ensemble cast for their new production of Cole Porter’s musical comedy Anything Goes, which will tour Australia this year.

Bartholomew John, who played Captain Brackett in the OA/John Frost production of South Pacific in 2013, will play Ivy league Wall Street banker Elisha J. Whitney, and the Anything Goes ensemble will comprise Aljin Abella, Annie Aitken, Spencer Bignell, Jan Di Peitro, Samantha Leigh Dodemaide, Xander Ellis, Josh Gates, Alex Gibson-Giorgio, Bridget Hancock, Nicholas Kong, Evan Lever, Hayley Martin, Suzie Melloy, Imogen Moore, Glen Oliver, Natasha Paramor, Nathan Pinnell, Jordan Pollard, Ashleigh Rubenach, Mason Schaube, Greta Sherriff, Ashlee Smith and Lyndon Watts.

These performers will join the other principal cast previously announced: Caroline O’Connor as evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney; Todd McKenney as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh; Alex Rathgeber as young Wall Street broker Billy Crocker; Claire Lyon will be American debutante Hope Harcourt; Carmen Duncan in her musical theatre debut as Evangeline Harcourt; Alan Jones as Captain of the S.S. American; Wayne Scott Kermond will play second-rate gangster Moonface Martin; and Debora Krizak as Erma.

“We’re thrilled with the stellar lineup of amazing performers we have assembled, both leads and ensemble,” said John Frost and Lyndon Terracini. “The dream creative team - Helpmann Award-winning director and choreographer Dean Bryant and Andrew Hallsworth, with musical director Peter Casey, set and costume designer Dale Ferguson, lighting designer Matt Scott and sound designer Michael Waters – is creating an exhilarating version of this classic musical that will have audiences tapping their feet, and coming back a second and third time. All aboard for this saucy and splendid new production of Anything Goes!”

The plot of Anything Goes features the madcap antics aboard the S.S. American. When the ocean liner embarks from New York to London, etiquette and convention get tossed out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to find true love… proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail.

Anything Goes was described by Ben Brantley of The New York Times as “a deluxe candy box of Cole Porter’s best songs,” features a hilarious tale of topsy-turvy relationships, mistaken identities and foiled plots, peppered with some of musical theatre’s most memorable standards including You’re The Top, De-Lovely, I Get A Kick Out Of You and of course the title song, Anything Goes.

Winner of three Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival and Choreography during its most recent Broadway run, Anything Goes is a stunning nautical favourite. This first-class musical extravaganza will dock in Melbourne in May, Brisbane in July and Sydney in September. Hailed by The New York Times as “musical-comedy joy” and USA Today called it “glorious and exuberant!”, you will be ‘all at sea’ if you miss out!

www.anythinggoesmusical.com.au

More Reading - Musicals in 2015 and Beyond

SEASON DETAILS

Princess Theatre, Melbourne

Season:                                From 31 May, 2015

Performance Times:        Wed–Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Tues & Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm & Sun 3pm 

Price:                                     From $79.90*

Bookings:                            Ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 111 011

Groups of 12 or more call 1300 889 278

Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane

Season:                                From 28 July, 2015

Performance Times:        Wed–Sat 8.00pm, Matinees Tues, Wed & Sat 1.30pm & Sun 3pm

Price:                                     From $79.90*

Bookings:                            qpac.com.au or phone 136 246

                                                Groups of 12 or more 07 3840 7466

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Season:                                From 8 September, 2015

Performance Times:        Wed–Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Tues, Wed & Sat 1pm, Sun 3pm 

Price:                                     From $79.90*

Bookings:                            sydneyoperahouse.com or 9250 7777

Ticketmaster.com.auor phone 1300 723 038

Groups of 12 or more call 02 8240 2290

* An additional transaction fee and/or a credit/debit payment processing fee may apply

Image: Carmen Duncan, Claire Lyon, Alex Rathgeber, Caroline O'Connor, Todd McKenney, Wayne Scott Kermond, Debora Krizak and Alan Jones in Anything Goes. (c) Kurt Sneddon.