Before last week, I wasn't sure if I liked Guys and Dolls. I saw it once about 15 years ago and it didn't make much of an impression on me. I knew it had a few memorable songs, but was the plot kind of dull? And wasn't there a questionable scene with alcohol in Havana?
Well, thanks to Ashland Productions, I know now that I do like Guys and Dolls. I think my different experiences then and now have a lot to do with age. This is a show about adults with adult concerns: the characters wonder if they should stay in or leave relationships, if they should settle down, if they should change careers... It didn’t reel me in when I was younger, but the characters are awfully relatable now that I’m an adult myself!
Guys and Dolls follows a handful of characters through an eventful few days of their lives in a quasi-realistic Depression-era New York City. Nathan Detroit is trying to find a location to host his illegal gambling ring, while his girlfriend Adelaide wonders if they'll ever get married after 14 years of being engaged. Nathan makes a bet with notorious gambler Sky Masterson to win the favor of Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown, who is fervently anti-gambling. Things get complicated when Sky and Sarah start to see each other in a different light. But will gambling keep getting in the way, or will the men reform?
Ashland Productions' show brings out the charm in each of the characters. Joey Brueske played gambler Nathan Detroit as a swaggering tough guy, which made it more entertaining each time he was taken by surprise or had his plans uprooted. Jessica Halverson played showgirl Miss Adelaide with good comic timing and impressive vocal power. Brueske and Havlerson played well off each other and brought a lot of humor to their banter and in the physical comedy of "Sue Me."
As Sky Masterson, Thomas Friebe started the show cool and aloof but grew more emotionally engaged as his character got attached to Katie Miller's Sarah Brown, who hit just the right balance of moral righteousness and openness to others. The scene in Havana that I was worried about is one in which Sarah unknowingly gets drunk for the first time, while Sky watches and purposefully doesn't tell her what she's drinking. Miller played the scene, and the song "If I Were a Bell," with a cheerful ease (and an appropriately moderate level of intoxication), and Friebe's Sky seemed to really appreciate what Sarah was saying and why. The following scene between the two actors was quiet and tender, giving the audience a reason to root for the unusual couple.
Gamblers Nicely Nicely Johnson (Christopher Teipner) & Benny Southstreet (Tyler Eliason) had good chemistry together and made a fun pair for “Guys and Dolls.” In the second act Teipner led a rousing rendition of “Sit Down” that was definitely a crowd pleaser; Teipner brought the necessary charisma and the entire cast created a impressive full sound for the song. Ro Tripi was marvelous as tough Chicago gambler Big Jule, Julie Cambronne brought out the humor in the role of Salvation Army leader General Cartwright, and as Sarah's grandfather Arvide Abernathy, James Donnelly exuded kindness and wisdom.
Kirstin Nelson's choreography had a lot of the group movement that I most love to see (especially in "Oldest Established"). "Bushel and a Peck" was raunchy and funny, and the instrumental opener was a very interesting introduction of the various groups interacting in the city. The show-stealer, though, was "Luck Be a Lady." The choreography had West Side Story vibes and was tense, bold, and exciting. There were many amazing dancers among the gamblers, and I was impressed by the moves that they brought to the number. Under costume designer Meredith Arbuckle, all the characters were well-dressed and period appropriate. Most of the costumes were fairly straightforward, but Arbuckle had the chance to go bigger and bolder with the Hot Box dancers and in both of those scenes the looks did not disappoint. I was also a fan of Adelaide's wedding dress and its fuzzy trim. Jacob Lee Hofer's lighting was very colorful and playful, which is just what I want for most musicals. In promotional materials, I was unsure about the green lighting for "Luck be a Lady," but when the scene came along I was on board with the unusual tint, which heightened the tension and added an extra edge to the dance number. Tim Van Ness's set design was in intriguing mix of more and less realistic pieces, and the combination of flown and rolled pieces made for very smooth scene changes. I particularly liked the sewer tunnel, which was an efficient way to set the scene while leaving a lot of room for the action.
Much of the credit for this production's success should go to director Rob Sutherland. Even the weirder bits in the play came off very nicely, and all of the characters were the most charming versions of themselves. I suspect that the instrumental section of the Havana scene was trimmed, meaning less drunk dancing and a quicker transition to Sarah and Sky's dialogue--a wise cut. Before the show I was surprised by the size of the cast and how many teens were playing gamblers, but once the dance numbers began it all made sense.
Ashland used recorded music, and this can be difficult for actors to work with; in this show there were multiple songs with accompaniment that I would have classified as "hard to follow." "Guys and Dolls," for example, opens with multiple unmetered sections--an orchestra with a conductor can follow the actor, but with recordings the actor has to have a very precise sense of timing. Under vocal director Chad Garrels, the actors seemed very well trained and the whole cast sounded great.
Ashland Productions put together a production that is fun, exciting, and delightful. Guys and Dolls is more than 50 years old, but this group has proved that it's a show worth revisiting.
Guys and Dolls is playing through February 1st.
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