Do you dream of taking a cruise to those more elegant times that Cole Porter tunes immortalized in the sassy, flirty musical, “Anything Goes”? With the Music Center Theatre Group’s Eileen Roberts as your social director, get on board this special New Year’s Eve-Eve cruise for a night of dinner, theater and dessert and dancing–all for a mere $98.

What will $98 get you? First, dressed in your holiday festive best, you’ll have an early dinner (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) at the elegant supper club First & Hope. Don’t worry. You won’t need Dramamine  on this cruise, nor will you need a microscope to see the food nor a metrosexual to explain it to you. First & Hope serves upscale comfort food: jambalaya, black truffle macaroni and cheese, roasted rosemary garlic chicken au jus, Coca Cola braised short rib and grilled seasonal vegetables. Carefully selected white and red wines are included in the meal. Some hunky dancing sailors and a few other cast are scheduled to mingle. What would a cruise be without special guests or celebrities?

From there, you’ll walk to the 6:30 p.m. evening show of “Anything Goes” and sit in $100 mezzanine seats.

Fans of the movie musical may also been surprised, but remember Hollywood often changes original musicals plot. In this case, Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse’s original book has been revised by Howard Lindsay and John Weidman. Yet “Anything Goes” has a history of revisions so purists shouldn’t be offended. The 1962 off-Broadway revival was revised, influenced by the movies. More Cole Porter songs were added such as “It’s De-Lovely” from “Red Hot and Blue” and “Friendship” from “DuBarry Was a Lady.”

The Tony Award-winning 1987 Broadway revival changed the order of some of the musical numbers and re-scored the music. It’s the revival of this 1987 version (which starred Patti Lupone) that opened on Broadway in 2011 with Sutton Foster playing Reno Sweeney. Foster went on to win a Tony for Best Actress. Rachel York takes Foster’s place on the national tour and her  Sweeney has plenty of glamour and she was able to muddle through a few technical problems with the microphones on opening night (for my full review)

After the curtain closes, you’ll head on back to First & Hope for post-show beverages and desserts. Pair your champagne, tea or coffee with brownies, sugar cookies, profiteroles, peppermint marshmallows and a chocolate fountain. Cast members are expected to attend as well.

First & Hope’s swank Bar Fedora will have music to call you to the dance floor. The original drawings from the estate of the show’s costume designer Martin Pakledinaz will be on display. If that inspired you to find your inner glamour girl or channel the old Hollywood debonair air of say, Cary Grant, why not go tux and bow tie?

You don’t have to get all dolled up or dandified to attend. Holiday festive is requested. Dinner, delightful dancing and singing on-stage and the possibility of romance off-stage–what more can you ask as part of your New Year’s festivities?

For $98 what could be more delightful and delovely?  For more information, contact your social director for New Year’s Eve-Eve, Eileen Roberts at (213) 972-7249. The event is for adults. Parking is available at the Music Center parking lot off Grande Ave. for an additional fee of $9.