August 2, 2005 > Anything Goes with Star Struck

by Susana Nuñez

Climb aboard the S.S. American for a night of twists and turns, where everything and Anything Goes. The talented cast of Star Struck Theater will soon revive this classic tale, written by the legendary Cole Porter, set in the early 1930s. Director Lori Stokes worked with choreographer Jeanne Batacan-Harper, music director Nancy Godfrey and costume designer Marlene Borlaug to bring this colorful musical to the local stage.

The story unfolds on the S.S. American as it sails from New York to England. An unusual group of passengers embark on this voyage including a gangster (Moonface Martin), a wealthy girl and her mother (Hope and Evangeline Harcourt), a nightclub singer (Reno Sweeny), and a New York millionaire and his assistant (Elisha Witney and Billy Crocker). Through humorous encounters, these strangers soon discover connections between one another. Hope turns out to be Billy's long-lost love, but to his dismay, she is engaged to a wealthy Englishman, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

With help from his friend Reno, Billy manages to woo Hope after a series of amusing events. Hope's mother, however, has her mind set on her daughter's marriage to Lord Evelyn, maintaining their social status. Meanwhile, Moonface Martin attempts to achieve notoriety as public enemy number one. These lively characters and stories-within-a-story will captivate audiences and keep them guessing about what will come next.

Star Struck Theater is making a special appeal for community attendance on opening night, August 5th. The group hopes to recoup some of their losses suffered by a recent burglary when $7000 worth of equipment was stolen.

Anything Goes
August 5 to 7 & August 11 to 13
8:15 p.m.
Ohlone College Outdoor Amphitheater
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont
(510) 659-1319
Adults, $15; students and seniors, $12

For more information, contact the Star Struck Theater box office at (510) 659-1319 or visit www.starstrucktheater.org.