The Details… Music and lyrics by Cole Porter – Born in Peru, Indiana Book written by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse Premiered in 1934 Only musical besides Porgy and Bess from the 1930’s that are still regularly revived Crazy Week and Hard to Get were original titles Farce about the antics aboard a ocean liner from New York to London SS Morro Castle crash weeks before opening night of Hard to get Hastily revised script and changed title and opening song to Anything Goes

The Characters Reno Sweeney-Evangelist turned nightclub singer, friend of Billy Crocker Hope Harcourt-Debutante (American aristocrat), Billy Crocker-assistant to Elisha, hopelessly in love with Hope Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt-Hope’s overbearing mother Lord Evelyn Oakley-Hope’s wealthy fiancee Elisha Whitney-Wall Street Banker, Billy’s boss Moonface Martin-wannabe gangster

The Synopsis Billy meets Hope Harcourt and immediately falls head over heels in love with her Runs into friend Reno, who sings “I Get a Kick Out of You” though he just wants to be friends with her As he bids Reno and his boss Elisha farewell on the S.S. American, he sees Hope get on the boat, and he sneaks on.

The Synopsis Billy runs into Moonface Martin (Public Enemy 13) and his sidekick Bonnie, dressed as a minister and missionary. Billy helps Moonface evade detectives, winning his approval and they give him a ticket belonging Snake Eye Johnson, Public Enemy 1, whom they accidently left behind Billy and Hope run into each other, confess that they both have been dreaming about each other, but Hope insists she must marry Lord Evelyn (in order to save her family from financial ruin) They sing All Through the Night, as they continue to think of each other

The Synopsis The ship’s crew get word that Public Enemy 1, Snake Eyes Johnson is on board. Moonface and Bonnie disguise Billy as a sailor in order to help him Hope and Lord Evelyn talk and realize they really don’t want to get married. Reno says she’ll help break up Hope and Evelyn and sing You’re the Top

The Synopsis The crew catches onto Billy’s disguise and quickly creates a new disguise, including a beard from Mrs. Harcourt’s pomeranian Reno tells Billy that Lord Evelyn kissed her and they may get married. Billy gets caught at Public Enemy 1 and becomes an instant celebrity saying that Moonface and Bonnie (still disguised as a minister and missionary) are helping him reform

The Synopsis With the help of Reno, they put on a revival where they sing Blow, Gabriel, Blow, and Lord Evelyn confesses he once had a one night stand with a Chinese woman. Hope gets mad at Billy, and confesses that Billy is not Snake Eyes, ruining the cover for everyone. Billy, Moonface, and Bonnie are thrown into the brig, where they can’t leave until they get back to America

The Synopsis They win some clothes from Chinese men in the brig during a game of poker, and are able to get off the boat early in their new disguises. They go to Lord Evelyn’s estate pretending to be the Chinese girls family, demanding reparation. Hope and Evelyn still don’t want to get married, and she wants to marry Billy….but can she? Her family’s business depends on this marriage!

Other Facts Became the 4 th longest running musical during the Great Depression 1936 movie starring Bing Crobsy and Ethel Merman 1954 TV movie, starring Frank Sinatra-changes a lot of songs 1956 movie, also starring Bing Crosby, overhauled the show-changes the entire plot and character’s names 1962 Broadway Rival 1987 Broadway revival, overhauled the show, changed order of songs, added songs from other Cole Porter shows-won Best Revival at the Tonys

Impact on Society Ethel Merman-changed the way women sing in musicals with belting, creating her own song style. Porter wrote show about rich and famous, not average people John Dillinger connection Most of the main songs were recorded by pop singers and were huge hits Invention of the “list song”-You’re the Top