The spring musical “Anything Goes” will be held at FHN from April 9-11 and features new props, new
music and a new choreographer, Megan Maier. Maier recently graduated with her teaching degree from Lindenwood University and is excited to work with students.
“Maier is an awesome dancer, so she’s able to to do things that I could never do, and just another adult here helps,” Director and drama teacher Kim Sulzner said.
“Anything Goes” takes place in the 1940s and is set aboard an ocean liner. It follows four different characters and their complicated love stories en route from New York to England.
“I really like it because it has a huge cast, it has lots of tap dancing routines, and it’s considered a classic,” Sulzner said.
Maier choreographs the numbers in the musical which each reflect the setting of the 1940s by including Charleston dance moves and excluding hip-hop and jazz. One of the largest routines in the musical is a tap number, which Maier is excited about because of the hard work the dancers are putting in.
“This play is very special to me, as it was the last high school play I did before I graduated,” Maier said. “The music is great, and the show gives you a peek at what the 1940s were all about.”
Maier started dancing when she was two years old, and within the 22 years of classes she’s taken, she discovered that she enjoyed choreographing because she also loves teaching. She then went and taught dance for eight years at Sherry’s School of Dance and JAM Academy of Dance, both in Illinois.
“I love teaching dance and enjoying musical theater, so choreographing is the best of both worlds,” Maier said.
Sulzner is happy that Maier is helping out with the musical and that she’s bringing her dance skills to the stage. The cast enjoys working with Maier because of her teaching skills, and is excited to perform her unique 1940s choreography.
“She’s really great because she customizes the choreography for everyone in the play so everybody’s able to do it, which makes it a lot more fun,” freshman Kayliani Sood said.
