Photos: Go Inside Opening Night of Porchlight Music Theatre's ANYTHING GOES

Porchlight Music Theatre’s 90th Anniversary production of Cole Porter’s crown jewel musical comedy, Anything Goes, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, original book by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and a new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman, is now playing through February 25, 2024, at the Ruth Page Center, 1016 N. Dearborn St. See photos from opening night!

Starring internationally renowned powerhouse Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney” and featuring the Chicago debut of a newly commissioned 2022 libretto, Anything Goes is directed by Porchlight Music Theatre’s Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreographed by Tammy Mader and music directed by Nick Sula.

The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m, Fridays at 7:30 p.m, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Open caption performances are Saturday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. with post-show discussions immediately following the performances on Friday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Subscriptions and single tickets are currently available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/Anything-Goes or by calling 773.777.9884. 

Chicago will get a kick out of this 90th anniversary production of Cole Porter’s smash-hit musical comedy, Anything Goes starring the Chicago-based international sensation Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney.” Launching Porchlight Music Theatre’s 29th season, this legendary toe-tapping voyage across the Atlantic is filled with laughs, romance and intrigue. Porter’s iconic score includes a shipload of tunes that built the Great American Songbook including "Anything Goes,” “Friendship,” "You're the Top" and "I Get a Kick Out of You.”

Anything Goes is the centerpiece of Chicago’s Cole Porter Festival - A Celebration of the Man and his Music, the recently launched live and digital, multi-partnered festival commemorating the career of one of America's greatest composers and songwriters. 

The cast of Anything Goes, in alphabetical order, includes Logan Becker (he/him, Ensemble); Tommy Bullington (he/him, Ship's Purser); Rachael Dec (she/her, Charity); Tafadzwa Diener (she/her, Erma); Nick Dorado (he/him, Ship’s Captain); Jackson Evans (he/him, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh); Josiah Haugen (he/him, Henry T. Dobson, Ensemble); Ciara Hickey (they/them, Dippy); J. Christian Hill (he/him, Ensemble); Kelsey MacDonald (she/her, Ensemble); Steve McDonagh (he/him, Moonface Martin); Emily Ling Mei (she/her, Chastity); Meghan Murphy (she/her, Reno Sweeney); Luke Nowakowski (any with respect, Billy Crocker); Emma Ogea (she/her, Hope Harcourt); Hannah Remian (she/her, Virtue); Nataki Rennie (she/her Purity); Jenna Schoppe (she/her, Ensemble, dance captain); Gabriel Solis (he/him, Spit); Mack Spotts (they/he, Ensemble); Jerod Turner (he/him, Ensemble); Genevieve VenJohnson (she/her, Evangeline Harcourt) and Anthony Whitaker (he/they, Elisha J. Whitney).

The Anything Goes band includes Linda Madonia (she/her, conductor/piano); Greg Strauss (he/him, trumpet); Cara Strauss (she/her, reeds 1); Sophie Cruetz (she/her, reeds 2); Justin Akira Kono (he/him, percussion); Marcel Bonfim (he/him, bass) and Stephanie Lebens (she/her, trombone). 

The creative team of Anything Goes includes Michael Weber (he/him, director/artistic director); Tammy Mader (she/her, choreographer); Nick Sula (he/him, music director); Jeffrey D. Kmiec (he/him, scenic designer); Milo Bue (he/him, associate scenic designer); Rachel Boylan (she/her, costume designer); Kevin Barthel (she/her, wig designer); G. Max Maxin IV (she/her, lighting designer, projection designer); Matthew R. Chase (he/him, sound designer); Patrick McGuire (he/him, properties designer); Kristi Martens (she/her, production stage manager, AEA); Drew Donnelly (he/him, assistant stage manager); Andrea Enger (any with respect, assistant stage manager); John McTaggart (he/him, technical director); Danny Carraher (he/him, assistant technical director); Wendy Ann Huber (she/her, scenic charge); Josh Derby (he/him, master carpenter/spot 1); Tina Stasny (she/her, costume director); Rachel West (she/her, lighting director); Samantha Anderson (she/they, assistant lighting supervisor / spot 2); Matt Reich (he/him, audio/video director); Joe Court (he/him, A1); Christine Burquest (she/her, A2); Jack Zanger (he/him, wardrobe supervisor); Amanda May (she/her, hair and makeup supervisor); Gabrielle Lux (she/they, wardrobe assistant); Heather Lynn Gervasi (she/her, production manager); Majel Cuza (she/her, director of production) and Frankie Leo Bennett (he/him, producing artistic associate).

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