Anything went in Lakota West High School's production of Anything Goes by Cole Porter.

In a scene from Lakota West's production of Anything Goes, Moonface Martin (Bradly Hale, left) and Billy Crocker (Jeff Berger) dupe Evangeline Harcourt (Emily Heidrich) into thinking her soon-to-be son-in-law is a deranged murderer in disguise. (Photo provided)

Set in the 1930s, this musical farce follows Billy Crocker as he chased his true love, Hope Harcourt, onto a ship to win her hand in marriage. With the aid of nightclub sensation Reno Sweeney, Moonface Martin - "Public Enemy No. 13" - and the feisty Erma, Billy worked to usurp Lord Evelyn Oakleigh's position as Hope's fiance.

Lauren Sprague portrayed Reno. Commanding the stage with strong vocals that filled the auditorium, Sprague's sharp performance captured the audience. Sprague astounded when she broke into high kicks and fancy tapping during the "Anything Goes" number. The entire cast followed her onto the stage, executing time steps and wings to the student orchestra's energetic rendition of the title song. The energy of the show skyrocketed as the cast smiled through tapping synchronicity.

Jeff Berger, as Billy Crocker, embodied the character of a desperate Wall Street kid hopelessly in love, singing with a smooth vibrato and a clear, deep sound to woo Hope Harcourt (Melanie VonWahlde). VonWahlde was soft-spoken and innocent, torn between the man she loved and her fiance, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Justin Vrbancic.Vrbancic affected a British dialect for his stuffy character, drawing many laughs with his pokerfaced delivery and many a cultural faux pas.

As Moonface Martin, Bradly Hale was delightful as Billy's bumbling sidekick, using wacky expressions and hilarious vocal variety during "Be Like the Bluebird." The stage crew, led by Aly Cruze, handled scene changes quickly and quietly, without disturbing the flow of action.

Sound, by Adam Caudill, was crisp and clear. The orchestra accompanied the show with flair and good timing. In the words of Billy, the cast and crew of Anything Goes showed the audience a "delovely" time.

Jeff Lynch, Cincinnati Country Day

EXCERPTS:

When sophomore Lauren Sprague strutted on stage, she took over, and not only were her words articulated but her movements were very precise as well.

Kevyn Babbitt, William Henry Harrison High

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During "You're the Top," a number with Billy Crocker (Jeff Berger), she demonstrated her abilities through both her high-kicking heels and her warm, vibrato voice, combining with Berger's stage presence, voice, dancing and acting.

Kellie Geist, William Henry Harrison High

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The student orchestra provided a solid foundation on which to build this lively, upbeat production. Crisp sounds of the gifted brass section reverberated as the steady percussion propelled the story forward. Andy Morelock's jazz horn solo during "Blow Gabriel" emphasized the sultry rhythms.

Whitney Groth, Indian Hill High