Stratford High School Playhouse presents "Anything Goes." (Photo: Stratford Playhouse)
The lights dim. Around 50 students shift nervously backstage. Nine months of preparation. It’s almost time.
The Stratford playhouse underwent its first performance of its flagship musical for the year, “Anything Goes,” on Thursday, Jan. 28. Auditions for the musical were in May, and extensive dance practices and rehearsals began in the summer. After taking a few months off for the fall play, “Leading Ladies,” the cast began rehearsals again in October.
In its first weekend, the cast put on four shows, including a matinee on Saturday. While shows open to the public didn’t begin again until Thursday, Feb. 4, the Brat-Mat, which is put on for around 700 middle school students, was on the 3rd.
The show follows several overlapping stories taking place upon the SS American in the 1930s. “There are a bunch of love triangles, and people with fake identities, and it’s all tied together with Cole Porter’s classic music,” senior and cast member Katie Newsom said. “It’s a show I’ve wanted to do for a really long time, and it’s been really exciting to do it with all of my friends.”
“Anything Goes” has three more showings, although tickets are selling out rapidly. They are on Friday at 7:30, and Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30. Ticket information is available online at shsplayhouse.org.