Massapequa Students Take On A Broadway Classic

MASSAPEQUA, NY — Massapequa High School’s Drama Club is bringing old-school Broadway to the stage with its upcoming musical production of “Anything Goes.” In-person performances are scheduled for March 3-5, featuring a cast of 43 students.

“We wanted the student-actors and the pit musicians to have an experience doing a classic, fully-orchestrated show,” Director Katie Tauches said on choosing this year’s show. “We also have very talented dancers so we wanted to feature tap as a major component.”

Leading members of the cast include seniors Nicole Ferretti as Hope, Vincent Arenella as Elisha Whitney, Joseph Corey as Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, Emmeline McBride as Reno Sweeney and Amanda McCarty as Bonnie, juniors Arianna Surrow as Mrs. Harcourt and Jessie Findling as Moonface Martin, and sophomore Cooper Arbisi as Bill Crocker.

The show is set in the 1930s on a ship from New York to London. Major musical numbers including “Anything Goes,” “Bon Voyage” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.”

Emmeline is the veteran actor of the group, having performed in more than two dozen shows already at Massapequa High School, Berner Middle School and with theater groups around Long Island. She said her character is very fun to portray, describing Reno Sweeney as classy but sassy.

“For all the seniors,” Vincent added, “this is a good way to end our high school theater careers, because it is such as classic Broadway show.”

Supporting Tauches are choreographer Danielle Coutieri, vocal director Craig Coyle, pit director Andy Dwork, production assistant Nichole Greene and senior stage manager Chris Varvi.

There will be a free matinee performance for senior citizens on March 3 at noon in the high school auditorium, and the cast will also perform a few musical numbers at the Board of Education meeting that evening. Full shows are scheduled for March 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call the Fine and Performing Arts department at (516) 308-5085.