The hysterical musical comedy, Anything Goes set sail on the Herricks stage this past weekend and without a doubt it is one of director John Hayes' finest offerings; each year he just gets better and better. His unique directorial ability is clearly defined by his careful selection of the cast, but especially the leads. Each and every cast member is hand picked and then patiently worked with, like a fine artist honing his craft on the canvas, to enable them to produce their fullest potential in whatever demanding role each one portrays, all under the talented guidance of Hayes.

The best news is you still have another weekend to see the show. It may also be seen on May 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. and May 3 at 3 p.m. at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Road, New Hyde Park. For tickets or further information, please call 742-1296.

Anything Goes, written by Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsey and Russell Crouse with show stopping music and lyrics by Cole Porter is a goofy musical farce intertwined with the liveliest and by far the loveliest music ever written for a Broadway show. It lends itself to talented tap dancers and wonderful strong singers and, for the record, the Anything Goes cruise liner, on the Herricks stage, rivals only that of the Titanic. What a set and what set dressing...it will "blow your mind" when you see it, complete with a working gangplank.

Any set, as everyone knows, is only as effective as the lighting that surrounds it and Herricks is very privileged to have in its midst a professional lighting engineer, Brian Dunn. Dunn, without a doubt will someday be lighting major Broadway shows, because he has a talent that will not be stifled, as it is now, he does the Queens Theater In The Park Productions. In this show he has done an unbelievable job of making you think you are actually on a moving ship or that the ship is encased in moonlight and his "running" lights, the brainchild of stage manager Peter Triolo, are a very effective touch. Dunn is truly a lighting genius.

The sound, too, plays a major role and for this show both Ed Connelly and Mark Laura are in charge. Particularly effective is the ship's blast as it is about to cast off for foreign shores.

Carol Hayes has been the producer of almost all of the Herricks Community Players shows and has more energy that the "Energizer Bunny." This time she enlisted the help of her talented daughter Laura Hayes Bresch, who worked many long hours on much of the set dressing including the portholes and the smokestacks just to mention a few.

Each and every member of the cast of this show plays an integral part so it is hard to pick out just one "star." However, if we had to it would go "hands down" to Jean Toomey for her dynamic performance of Reno Sweeney, the famous nightclub singer cruising to Europe with her bevy of Angel chorus girls in tow.

The role was originally performed by Ethel Merman, who had a strong tendency to yell. Jean Toomey doesn't have to yell, she has such a magnificent voice and a strong stage presence. The moment she steps on the stage, it is immediately electrified by her presence. Her movements, her energy and the fun she is obviously having playing this part come through clearly to the audience. She is absolutely, positively marvelous.

Playing the "romantic interest" opposite Reno Sweeney is Sir Evelyn the stuffed shirt Englishman who is on his way, abroad, to be married to his fiancee Hope Harcourt, also aboard with her mother, Mrs. Harcourt. Chosen for this part was Bill Kane, who made his debut on the Herricks stage as Nicely, Nicely in Guys and Dolls. He was funny in that role, but in this he is hilarious, especially when he discovers that he really would rather be with the "worldly" Reno Sweeney than with the sweet, young Hope. Reaching that realization is what makes it so much fun and what makes Kane such a standout is that he, too, is having fun with the role. Plus, he brings a very "Frasier-like" quality to the Sir Evelyn role, which is totally charming.

Charlie Angeli plays Billy Crocker, the young business-type that is only on board to deliver a passport to his boss, when he runs into Hope Harcourt, and renews an old acquaintance that he doesn't want to end. Angeli has been the lead and has been featured in many Herricks productions and can always be depended on to deliver a very solid and believable performance and in this role he even has a chance to also do a little comedy, which he does well. In fact, he's just good. Angeli has a solid voice and in this show has the opportunity to sing some of the best Cole Porter songs including: It's DeLovely, Friendship, You're The Top, Anything Goes and by far the most beautiful in the whole show, All Through The Night.

Angeli plays opposite Andria Amarosa, no stranger to community theater stages, or to Herricks. She plays Hope Harcourt, the young ingenue, who realizes she is in love with Billy instead of her fiance Sir Evelyn. Amarosa has a hauntingly beautiful voice that she is able to show off in an outstanding manner when she sings, with Billy, All Through The Night.

Barbara Murphy, plays the totally dingbat role of "Bonnie" and, as always, she delivers a sterling performance and in this case a very funny one. She really is a very funny comedienne, both on and off the stage. This young woman is unbelievably talented she can do anything on a stage. This time out, not only is she one of the choreographers, one of the main tap stars, a great soloist, because she knows how to sell a song, but she plays this crazy role, singing and dancing all over the stage. When she is on the stage, she just dominates it. She is just the best!

Paul Canestro, a newcomer to the Herricks stage, plays the role of Moonface Martin, who keeps telling us he is Public Enemy No. 13, but would rather be Public Enemy No. 1 or even maybe No. 2, but not No. 13. Bonnie helps to smuggle him onboard and the rest is hysterical mayhem, as he runs around disguised as a minister, a Chinese gambler and heaven knows who else. He has so many really funny lines, corny, but funny and he does a good job in maintaining a totally zany pace throughout the whole show, which is not really easy to do, but he does it with ease. He is a cross between Jackie Gleason, Bert Lahr (he sounds like the lion in Wizard of Oz) and one of the three stooges. The bottom line, he's funny!

Karla Osuna, also a newcomer to the Herricks stage, but someone who has been in community and regional theater all her life, is excellent as the supporting role of Mrs. Harcourt. She has the same quality on stage as Angela Lansberry, very sensible, with just enough fun. She turns what could be a routine role into one with class and fun. What an addition to the Herricks group.

The smaller character parts in this show are also "delicious." For instance, T. C. Weiss, always funny whenever he steps on stage, plays the Purser and for this role he has acquired the funniest Mr. Magoo glasses that work in this role. So much so that when he is on the stage, you won't stop laughing. The same will hold true with Frank Hendricks, who has played the romantic lead in too many Herricks productions to name. He has a cameo role, the one of Whitney and he is having just the best time playing the "Wallstreet" tycoon who can't stay out of the ship's bar. He plays this role really straight and that's what makes it so funny. As usual, Hendricks, always "looks the role" of every part he plays and his Whitney portrayal is no exception.

Hal Bloom, a Herricks Community Players "fixture" plays the role of the Captain and does it very well. Both John Martin and Jim Brady are excellent as Chinese gamblers. And, as usual Mike Fagan, Mike Misilli, Dino Pinchiaroli and Don Fanning can be depended upon to do a super job in portraying the character parts of the Bishop, Steward, Reporter and Cameraman.

The Angels, who follow around Reno Sweeney, are played by the four choreographers: Gina Fata, Mary Guzzo, Barbara Murphy and Melissa Ryan with the addition of Denise Martin and Joan Rapp Dunn and Maureen Connolly. Each one, in her own right, is an accomplished tap dancer and they take over the tap numbers and shine. You will especially love Blow, Gabriel, Blow. This number led by Reno with the Angels, as the dance lead, followed by the dance ensemble including talented dancers: Pat Allaire, Christine Eisen, Jennifer Ferreiro, Fran Geir, Christine Huber, Lyndsey Kane, Patti Leahy, Linda Lefton, Sherry Markowitz, and Ann Marie Monaco, the Herricks stage vibrates and stops the show dead in its tracks.

The members of the chorus, under the talented and gifted hand of Musical Director Susan Weber bring alive every beautiful Cole Porter tune. Weber works so hard from the first day of rehearsal, with the cast, to the very last performance with the wonderful orchestra that she assembles and her efforts always result in a flawless, musical production. She and Velma Adams, the rehearsal pianist, are to be commended, they do a superb job and this show is no exception

The members of the chorus in this show include: Eileen Bileski, Irene Casagranda, Rita Connelly, Carole Fazzolare, Cheryl Gluzband, Karen Murtagh, Maura Ryan, Claire Boylan, Marie Catapano, Pat Dugal, Eileen Gambino, Terry Martorano, Tom Moschetto, who is outstanding in his rendition of Let's Step Out performed with Bonnie, Lorraine Roarty and Mary Sirianni.

Peter Triolo is the stage manager and he is truly a "jack-of-all-trades." He could just about build a house with the time and energy that he put into constructing and reconstructing this ship, the gangplank and the overhang deck. Further, he is in charge of moving around the stage crew, the props and just making sure that each production runs efficiently and on time; that the cast is where it should be, when it should be, not to mention keeping the backstage immaculate. He does this with the right hand help of Joe Moore, who this time out was scheduled to appear in this production, but thankfully was persuaded to once again work crew along with Amber Jansen, Mary Lou Trombino, Bob Oyama, Kevin Ryan, James Reilly, Kevin Dugal and Maureen Dunn and Nancy Sullivan.

What would Herricks ever do without the dynamic Leslie trio? The talented Bob who does all the construction of the sets along with Bob Bardekoff, following the design of set designer Nick Voltaggio, who also designed the wonderful life-saver logo hanging on the Herricks Community Center wall. Then Eleanor and Shelly take over with the costuming and they make all the men and women look just perfect on the Herricks stage with their sewing talents. It's nothing to hear either one of them to say, "I'll just whip that up on the sewing machine and bring it in tomorrow." What a gift; such talent.

To have a successful show everyone involved in that show must work in harmony and that is what happens with this production. The Herricks Community Players all do work together and that is why they always come up with stupendous hits; Anything Goes is no exception.

Make that call today and be sure not to miss this fantastic show. And, when you leave the theater, believe me you'll say, as so many did exiting the theater on opening night, "It's the Tops!"