IU grad plays lead role in Indianapolis

Who wouldn't enjoy a play that talks about a boy meeting a girl, falling in love with her and wanting to marry her? "Anything Goes" is the new version of Hoosier native Cole Porter's Broadway extravaganza, which won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Revival.\n"The musical is very exciting, and we've wanted to do it for a long time," said Ulrike Steinert, the director of marketing at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre.\nThe story, written by England's Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse and America's Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, is based on the romantic complications that arise between the lovers and is combined with comedy.\nThis new musical focuses on the characters Reno Sweeney, a lively nightclub singer; Reno's friend Billy Crocker; and Billy's true love, Hope Harcourt. IU graduate Denise Jaeckel plays Reno, who helps Billy (played by Rob Leffler) hide away on a trans-Atlantic luxury liner to England to find Hope (played by Bobbi Bates). Billy uses a phony passport to get on board and wants to convince Hope she is the one for him and that she should not marry an Englishman to save her family's fortune.\nWhile at IU, Jaeckel performed in IU Opera Theater's "West Side Story" and the Department of Theatre and Drama's "Chicago." She graduated with a major in telecommunications and worked as a freelance photographer and production assistant until she realized that acting was her hobby and passion. Since then, Denise has modeled and has been in commercials and industrial videos throughout the Midwest.\nShe said she sees this as "an opportunity to work with more talented people, and in return, talented people make you act better."\nBates has played several leading roles in her acting career. Some of them include Sarah Brown in "Guys and Dolls," Esther Smith in "Meet Me in St. Louis" and Kathy Seldon in "Singin' in the Rain." \nRob Leffler was also in "Guys and Dolls" as Benny Southstreet. He recently made his debut at the Hilbert Circle Theatre and with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Not only does he make stage appearances, but he is responsible for the vocal direction of many productions in Indianapolis.\nKriss Griffiths-Holm plays Evangeline Harcourt, the mother of Hope. She said the role is somewhat challenging to her because she has to portray a character who is 20 years older than her.\nBut all of the effort she puts in is worth it, because she said she "wants her audience to leave with a song in their step and to say that their evening was well spent."\nGriffiths-Holm's other roles include Sylvia Fowler in "The Women" and Constanza in "Amadeus."\n"Anything Goes" plays 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre. Tickets are $25 for the main floor and $20 for balcony seats.