Anything Goes

It's opening night again!  Every year we celebrate the first night of the musical production of the Braintree High Theatre Guild. Why you wonder? Because I am the director!  Because lots of colleagues and friends come to show their support by being in the audience or by donating money to the production we have a celebratory/recognition cake hour so I can thank everyone for getting involved one way or the other.

Our in house director

This year the production was the Beaumont Version of the Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes".  This is in my humble opinion the best version.  Patti Lupone starred in it and it was a big success. As part of the revision they put back in some of the original songs, took out some frivolous ones that they added in a 1962 version and then threw in a few of Porter's most popular numbers for added measure.  The orchestration was one of the best things, however.  It was reorchestrated to sound like a ship's band so it is big and brassy and just freakin' awesome. The band also was on the stage like it was on the boat where the action takes place.

Patti Lupone in the title number

Interestingly,  this version was revived in 2010 featuring the latest Broadway diva Sutton Foster. it also did very well but in my opinion they made it softer and cuter. Sutton did a great job and the tap dance was indeed a showstopper, as it was in the Lupone version, but Patti and the 1987 version wins out and we did the full version - five minute tap dance and all.  And as was expected once those kids put on those tap shoes there was not stopping them.

The 2010 version with Sutton Foster

It was tradition to bring a Black Forest cake from Ursula's to opening night but since they went out of business it has been tough finding a comparable cake.  So now I pick up something at Pastiche - another excellent bakery cafe in Providence.  We had two cakes- their Almond Dacquoise - or I think that's what it is by the description on the website.  The second was a pumpkin tart - like a pumpkin pie but in a tart shell.  The mocha almond cake was especially good. It was surprisingly light - probably because of the almond meringue and was unique.  The filling for the pumpkin tart was also delicious and hopefully, unlike most, prepared fresh and not from a can.

Two cakes for the day in lieu of the Black Forest Cake

With the name of the show!

Well decorated dacquoise

Seasonal Pumpkin walnut tart.

Almond meringue, mocha mousse and other good stuff!

White chocolate disc with the inscription!

How the layers stack up!

Genuine pumpkin filling or so we hope!

People showed up to enjoy cakes which were a big hit. The show was too. Four sold out performances, an incredible audience response and lots of exhausted tap dancers who probably didn't realize what they were getting into.

If you brought your check or bought your tickets you get the cake!

The Braintree High Tap Number

With Our Reno Sweeney!