After rigorous months of preparation and six performances, the highly anticipated Notre Dame production of Anything Goes came to a close on Saturday, May 7th- with sparkling reviews from its audiences.
By | Gabrial Pollon
What made this musical ever so special was the fact that it was the first musical for Notre Dame to put on for live, in-person audiences, after a whopping three years.
“I was completely and utterly amazed when I saw it,” one viewer raved of the performance. “You could tell every one of those kids- whether they were onstage or behind the scenes, put in so much talent and effort, it looked like a Broadway show.”
Not only was it a dazzling experience for onlookers, but the joy and excitement it brought to the lives of the students in the cast underlines the importance and necessity of such productions in high school environments.
“There’s been such a disconnect in the past couple of years because of the pandemic, so none of [the members of the cast] have been able to have this kind of amazing opportunity,” said Carlo Marchet, a twelfth grader who played one of the lead roles – Moonface Martin.
“For me, I got the opportunity to be a mentor to the younger kids and have that kind of influence on them. It felt really nice to have them look up to me, because I always looked up to the Grade 12s when I was younger.”
Carlo Marchet
Like any prestigious Notre Dame production, “Anything Goes” was no ordinary high school musical. A huge wooden boat was constructed onto the stage, a spectacular technical feat especially considering that it was built in a short amount of time.
From the impeccable costumes that emulated the fashion of the 1930s to the set design, lighting, choreography and, of course, the onstage talent, “Anything Goes” was a musical to remember and a regrettable one to miss.
“After the last show, it was quite a bittersweet feeling,” explained Marchet. “I wish we could have done even more shows – the moment it was over, I was ready to do it all again. The memories I made here… I’ll remember it for life.”
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew for a job well done.