The S.S. American is preparing to set sail from New York to England. Billy Crocker, a young assistant to Wall Street tycoon Elisha J. Whitney, a passenger on the ship, decides to stow away in hopes of wooing his long-lost love and wealthy debutante, Hope Harcourt, who is also on board. However, much to Billy’s chagrin, Hope’s mother, Evangeline Harcourt, is delighted that Hope is engaged to be married to a stuffy Englishman, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (who is also onboard), upon arrival in England.
Also on the ship are Reno Sweeney, an evangelist-turned-nightclub singer, and her bevy of “angelic” showgirls, who will be providing music and dance entertainment during the crossing. The ship has no sooner set sail than Reno runs into Billy, an old friend, and he persuades her to help him break up Hope’s engagement.
“Moonface” Martin, a gangster known as “Public Enemy 13” and his moll Erma are disguised as a reverend and a missionary, respectively. They have two Chinese “converts” and all four attempt to evade the law while on board. Billy eventually learns the identity of this misfit bunch, and, in exchange for his silence, they too join in the scheme to break up Hope and Lord Evelyn.
After more disguises, ploys, confessions, mistaken identities, and marriage proposals, all done to the fantastic music of Cole Porter, how will everything work out? Who knows? Anything goes!
Listen to the 2011 Broadway Cast Album HERE.
Cast of characters:
Reno Sweeney: Sarah Armitage
Billy: Joshua Bain
Hope: Rachel Holland
Lord Evelyn Oakleigh: Chris Wurster
Moonface Martin: Phil Huestis
Evangeline Harcourt: Debby Lambert
Elisha Whitney: Dylan Arnold
Erma: Amaya Jones
Spit: Noah D. Pettit
Dippy: Trenton Bright
Captain: Ric McFadden
Purser: Scott Armitage
Reno’s Showgirls:
Purity: Chloe Gardner
Chastity: Ruby Sullivan
Charity: Hope Evans
Virtue: Hallie Rice
Sailors: Pete Grajewski, Brian Cook
Freda, bartender: Amanda Standers
Henrietta T. Dobson, minister: Suzanne Funk
Photographer: Samantha Funk, Savannah Mattox Taylor
Reporter: Ashton Kirton
FBI Agents: Cameron Wunderlich, Brandon Wunderlich
Old Lady in the Wheelchair: Jessica Walter
Ship’s Passengers: Samantha Funk, Savannah Mattox Taylor, Ashton Kirton, Amanda Standers, Suzanne Funk, Reilly Anderson, Hannah Newlin