Anyone Can Whistle

I usually avoid writing director’s notes, however, when presented this play to direct, I had to give in. This musical intimidated me as I knew very little about it. Anyone Can Whistle isn’t a popular title. It was an “oldie” and the reaction of the students was hesitant. I wanted to serve the students, but I was nervous. Then I thought, what a marvelous gift! We have the opportunity to learn about a show we do not know. We can put on a production for others so they too can experience something new. So, let’s do it!

The students showed up, did their homework, and climbed on board. There was no known production to compare or refer to. Anyone Can Whistle truly became theirs through the choices made and the discussions had. As a cast we collaborated our thoughts and ideas about the content of the show. We laughed and welcomed these zany characters and fictional town. We recognized the relevance of the message the script carries. The cast embraced the absurdism and created their own production.

Anyone Can Whistle is a show rarely produced, a piece of musical theater history, considered one from Sondheim’s canon, and for some, a “cult classic.” It is one of Sondheim’s early works when he was a young writer, written in 1961. Anyone Can Whistle is described as a satirical social commentary of the socially pressured and the “insanity of the so called sane.” The musical was written during a time when anyone who veered from what was considered the “norm” was persecuted. It is an absurdist musical with a message about the importance of the individual in a conformist society, while criticizing government, religion and science. Although it has never received the same recognition as some of Sondheim’s other musicals, it comes with memorable and popular musical numbers that became standards for Sondheim revues.

We hope you will embrace this experience and remember we are all wonderful cookies… The question is what flavor are you?