Candlelight’s ‘Anything Goes’ taps into old-school spectacle

A lively, tap-filled revival at Candlelight Dinner Theatre delivers Cole Porter’s classics with polish and punch.

People have been trying to fix the book of Anything Goes since its 1934 debut, revising and reshaping it for decades. But some creakiness is baked in and at Candlelight Dinner Theatre, Kate Vallee wisely doesn’t try to overcomplicate things. Instead, she doubles down on the tap, the spectacle and the Cole Porter score that still sells the show.

Set aboard a transatlantic ocean liner, the musical follows Billy Crocker (Jacob Meyerson) as he stows away to pursue Hope Harcourt (Rachel Turner), who is inconveniently engaged to the delightfully odd Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Jack Cordray Griffin). Meanwhile, nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Libby Shull) circles Billy with her own affections, while Public Enemy No. 13 Moonface Martin (Brandon Sutorius) bumbles his way through a series of disguises and schemes.

Mistaken identities pile up, romances tangle and untangle, and eventually everyone lands exactly where they’re supposed to — more or less.

This is the streamlined 1987 revival version, which trims some of the original’s more problematic elements and tightens the narrative. Even so, the book remains uneven. The first act, in particular, takes a long time to get where it’s going, with inconsistent jokes and exposition that occasionally stalls the pace. Vallee’s production knows this and wisely keeps the story moving with enough showbiz flair to keep you invested and has the cast to pull off the show’s big moments.

Libby Shull as Reno Sweeney with the cast of Candlelight’s Anything Goes. | Photo: RDGPhotography

All aboard with a talented crew

Shull’s Reno Sweeney is the engine that powers the evening. Making her Candlelight debut, she arrives with a commanding belt, sharp comic instincts and the kind of stage presence that can fill the theater’s cavernous space without strain. Her voice cuts cleanly through the room, and she maintains a clear sense of intention in Reno’s pursuit of Billy Crocker, played with earnest charm by Jacob Meyerson.

“I Get a Kick Out of You” lands with a welcome touch of vulnerability, grounding Reno’s bravado in something more human. By the time Shull returns in Act 2 for “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” she’s fully in command, leading a red-clad ensemble through one of the production’s most electrifying sequences.

Meyerson and Rachel Turner give the central romance a needed sense of sincerity, particularly in “It’s De-Lovely,” where their chemistry sells the stakes beneath the farce. Jack Cordray Griffin’s Lord Evelyn Oakleigh finds comedy by leaning into the character’s eccentricities. Brandon Sutorius, meanwhile, delivers one of the evening’s most consistent comic performances as Moonface Martin, pairing an exaggerated East Coast swagger with sharp timing and a lanky physicality that plays well across the large stage.

Brandon Sutorius as Moonface Martin and Jacob Meyerson as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. | Photo: RDGPhotography

Elsewhere, the production allows for broader comic turns without losing cohesion. Stephanie Garcia Ochs’ Erma leans fully into flirtation and physical comedy, particularly in her interactions with the sailors, while Ian Doyle and Justin Alexander Pappas go big as Spit and Dippy, embracing the show’s more cartoonish edges. Michelle Jeffres’ Evangeline Harcourt rounds out the group with a high-strung, delightfully over-the-top presence.

Vallee’s ensemble is fully locked into the show’s tone, navigating the shifts between romantic sincerity and heightened farce with consistency. Together, the cast strikes a careful balance. Not every joke lands, but the performers commit fully to the material, smoothing over its rougher edges with a shared sense of play.

Anything Goes at Candlelight Dinner Theatre. | Photo: RDGPhotography

Tap, brass and a showstopper that stops the show

If the book is a bit inconsistent, the music is not. Under music director Mason Siders, the 10-piece orchestra sounds lush and precise, handling Porter’s jazzy rhythms with clarity and drive. Trumpet lines cut cleanly through the mix, percussion snaps with energy, and the ensemble maintains a brisk pace that keeps the show buoyant.

Vallee’s choreography follows suit, building from playful movement into full-blown spectacle. Early numbers like “You’re the Top” make effective use of Casey Kearns’ expansive two-story ship set, but the production’s defining moment arrives with the title number.

Anything Goes at Candlelight Dinner Theatre. | Photo: RDGPhotography

“Anything Goes” is staged as an extended tap extravaganza and it earns the hype. The sequence builds in layers, starting small before expanding into a full-company showcase of intricate rhythms and synchronized footwork. It’s the kind of number that feels designed to trigger applause breaks, and on this night, it did exactly that — mid-number.

It’s also the clearest expression of what Candlelight does best: big, brassy, unapologetically entertaining musical theater that prioritizes spectacle without sacrificing polish.

Act 2 benefits from that momentum. “Be Like the Bluebird” gives Sutorius a comic highlight, while “Buddy, Beware” turns into a playful, dance-driven showdown. The pacing tightens, the stakes feel lighter and the show hits its stride.

Anything Goes at Candlelight Dinner Theatre. | Photo: RDGPhotography

Reliable crowd-pleaser

As with most Candlelight productions, the experience extends beyond the stage. Service is smooth and attentive, the pacing of the meal aligns well with the performance, and the overall evening feels carefully orchestrated. (The country fried steak, for what it’s worth, holds its own against the onstage entertainment.)

That full-package approach is part of Candlelight’s appeal and part of why Anything Goes feels like such a natural fit. This is their wheelhouse: Golden Age musicals delivered with polish, energy and enough technical precision to make demanding choreography look effortless.

You may not remember every plot twist. You will leave humming and dazzled by the talent onstage in Johnstown.