THE choreography in St Agnes Choral Society’s performance of ‘Anything Goes’ is good enough to appear in any West End or Broadway show.
That’s the opinion of Allen Gordon, who plays one of the principals in the Cole Porter musical.
Allen is originally from Annalong, and will be familiar with those in Newcastle as a committee member and performer with the Newcastle Glees Musical Society.
A passionate performer, Allen likes to moonlight with the Belfast amateur troupe. This is his fourth appearance with St Agnes.
Allen said: “The choreography is worthy of any West End or Broadway stage.
“It is incredible what they are producing every week for the cast.
“The tap routine at the end of Act One is a spectacle. If it doesn’t have audiences on their feet, I will be shocked.”
The director of this performance of ‘Anything Goes’ is Laura Kerr, the music director is Adam Darcy, and Ann Marie Morgan is the choreographer. She is from Newry.
This performance will be his third time performing on the Grand Opera House stage.
Allen experienced the thrill of performing as the lead in the Grand Opera House when he played the part of Gomes in the St Agnes’s performance of ‘The Addams Family’.
“I opened that whole show. I have to say that was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.
“If I hadn’t had Lorraine (Jackson) as my partner for that show, it would have been very different because we help to keep each other calm.
“Yes, it is the Grand Opera House, but you have to treat it like any other show.”
This show, ‘Anything Goes’, involves Billy Crocker (Allen Gordon) falling in love with an heiress, Hope Harcourt (Aideen Fox), and then stowing away on an ocean liner travelling from New York to London.
Lorraine Jackson plays the part of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney.
The notable songs in the show are ‘Blow Gabriel Blow’, ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’, the duet pieces ‘You’re the Top’ and ‘It’s De-Lovely’, and ‘Anything Goes’, which is a huge tap routine.
“I get to do some lovely routines with Lorraine Jackson and Aideen Fox, who are playing the two lead females.”
Allen said that having co-stars he is familiar with helps to make the performance even better.
“I don’t know what it is, but Lorraine and I always work so well together. I seem to implicitly trust her on stage and the same goes for her towards me.
“We have a great relationship on and off the stage.”
In the full article read what Allen had to say about the auditions, rehearsals and the lengths he went to learn new skills to help with the part.
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