Wireless Mics and Projection for Anything Goes (2022 Revision)
Show guide · Full-length · 7 principals, 13 supporting roles and chorus · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026
Short answer: plan on 12 channels. 10 body mics for the principals plus 2 spares. Cover the sailors, passengers and tap chorus with 3 area mics at the stage edge, and add floor mics if you want the taps heard.
Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Anything Goes (2022 Revision).
Licensing note: Concord now licenses the 1987 Lincoln Center book (the one used for the 2011 Broadway revival) as Anything Goes (2022 Revision), with a revised script. The older 1962 version is also available, so check which version your license and scripts cover.
Who gets a mic
We counted roles that sing solos or carry lines over music: Reno, Hope, Billy, Moonface, Erma, Lord Evelyn, Whitney, Evangeline, the Captain and the Purser. That is 10 body mics plus 2 spares, for 12 channels. This plan uses the 2022 Revision, which is the 1987 Lincoln Center book that most schools mean by Anything Goes.
Borderline: the Sailor Quartet. They sing "There'll Always Be a Lady Fair" and back up Billy, Hope and Erma. On a tight budget, place two area mics close to where the quartet stands. Spit and Dippy have comic lines but usually share scenes with Moonface or Erma, so area mics can cover them. Evangeline doesn't sing, but her lines often fall over music.
Bigger budget: give the four Quartet sailors packs, and add Spit and Dippy, for about 18 channels. That makes the harmony numbers much cleaner.
Mic plot
| Ch | Role | Mic | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | Reno Sweeney | Headset, beige | Leads the big tap number and belts "Blow, Gabriel, Blow." |
| Channel 2 | Billy Crocker | Hairline, brown | Disguises and sailor hats; tape firmly for dancing. |
| Channel 3 | Hope Harcourt | Hairline, beige | Period wig; sings "Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye." |
| Channel 4 | Moonface Martin | Hairline, brown | Disguised as a minister; hats and comic business. |
| Channel 5 | Erma | Headset, beige | Dances with the sailors in "Buddie, Beware." |
| Channel 6 | Lord Evelyn Oakleigh | Hairline, beige | Sings "The Gypsy in Me"; physical comedy. |
| Channel 7 | Elisha Whitney | Earset, beige | Older role, often balding; sings "The Crew Song." |
| Channel 8 | Evangeline Harcourt | Hairline, beige | Non-singing; big hats and lines over music. |
| Channel 9 | Captain | Hairline, brown | Captain's cap; leads "There's No Cure Like Travel." |
| Channel 10 | Purser | Hairline, black | Cap; sings in "Public Enemy Number One." |
| Channel 11 | Spare | Headset, beige | Backup for Reno or Erma during tap numbers. |
| Channel 12 | Spare | Hairline, brown | Ready for a Quartet sailor or Spit and Dippy. |
Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.
The ensemble
The sailors, passengers and the four Angels sing and dance as a group in "Anything Goes," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" and the finale. Cover them with 3 area or choir mics along the stage edge. For the tap break, add 2–3 boundary mics on the deck if you want the taps louder. Give a Quartet sailor or an Angel a spare body mic if they have a solo line.
Show notes from our team
- The title-song tap number. "Anything Goes" is a long, full-company tap break. Secure Reno's headset, belt every pack, and add boundary mics on the deck if you want the taps louder.
- Belting "Blow, Gabriel, Blow". Reno belts this one hard. Set her gain during a full-voice run-through, not a marked rehearsal, so the loudest notes don't distort.
- Hats and disguises. Sailor hats, captain's caps, a minister's disguise and Billy's quick changes all crowd the mic. Fit hairline mics with every hat and disguise on, and plan pack moves during changes.
- Stateroom farce. The cabin scenes pack several principals into a tiny space trading fast lines. Script your cue sheet line by line and keep unused mics off to avoid phasing.
Projection
The New York bar, the open deck at sea, the staterooms and the moonlit deck for "It's De-lovely" suit projected scenery, and a moving ocean horizon helps the ship feel like it's sailing. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.
Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Anything Goes (2022 Revision). Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.
Rent it for the run, or own it
| What you get | Next step | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent for the show | A 12-channel wireless rental, Monday to Monday around tech week. Tested before it ships, return labels in every case. | See rental systems |
| Own it | Creative Audio Show-Ready, 16 channels: receivers, bodypacks and antennas racked, programmed and tested. $ 11,190.38. | See the system |
| Mics for the packs you have | Bodymics for the whole cast: hairline from $79, earsets and headsets from $99. | Build your Bodymics |
Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.
Common questions
- How many wireless mics does Anything Goes need?
- Plan on 12 channels: body mics for Reno, Hope, Billy, Moonface, Erma, Lord Evelyn, Whitney, Evangeline, the Captain and the Purser, plus 2 spares. Add the Sailor Quartet for cleaner harmonies if your budget allows.
- How do we mic the tap chorus in Anything Goes?
- Cover the voices with 3 area mics along the stage edge. For the taps, place 2–3 boundary mics on the deck and bring them up only during the dance break.
- Which version of Anything Goes do schools license?
- Most schools license Concord's Anything Goes (2022 Revision), a revised script of the 1987 Lincoln Center version used for the 2011 revival. The 1962 version is also available. Check your contract and scripts.
- Can we rent mics just for our show week?
- Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.
Doing Anything Goes (2022 Revision) this year?
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Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Anything Goes (2022 Revision) is licensed through Concord Theatricals (Tams-Witmark); production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!
