Guys and Dolls

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls, playing at Country Dinner Playhouse, opened last week as a good solid exciting show on its way to becoming a great. Produced and directed by Paul Dwyer, and Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck choreographed the musical fable of Broadway with her special flavored zing.

Guys and Dolls at Country Dinner Playhouse.

The stunning 21-member cast proved their mettle opening night under incredible stress knowing the show must and can go on.

Two days before, two actors in the dark ran into each other leaving lead Tamara Jenkins in the hospital with a concession. Two days of extra long rehearsals were required to bring understudy Barnstormer Sara Seever and the cast into sync. Seever grabbed hold of Sarah Brown holding her in the palm of her hand, playing her like a pro.

Admittingly, it took most of Act I for the stunning cast to rev up their gears. When Act II hit the spotlight, they were running at full throttle for all they were worth.

Opening night, however, is just opening night, and once they got it under their belts, the cast could smile with the realization they got it, they own it, and this much beloved musical will live up to its highly appreciative reputation. Ever since it opened on Broadway in 1950, it has been a favorite.

Filled with definite unique characters sideling up to each other in juxtaposition, Save-A-Soul mission types run head first into street hoodlum gamblers always on the run from the long arm of the law. Running into each other head first is suppose to be figurative speech only, but in this case, dark aisles took the cast at its word. The flashy vs. well-mannered characters demand top-flight dancers, strong voices, and in depth characterizations and this cast has it all wrapped up.

Jordan Leigh plays Nathan Detroit with a nervous Nathan Detroit atmosphere. He has reason to be nervous running an on-going crap game in different locations to keep one step ahead of Lt. Brannigan (Arthur Payton) of the New York Police Department. And, oh, what a pickle Nathan finds himself in. A game sits on the horizon, the boys clamor to know where it will be. Out of money to secure a place, Nathan grabs at straws.

Word on the street has it Sky Masterson a gambler’s gambler is coming to town. With a gigantic voice and easy on the eyes look about him, Jay Montgomery takes on Sky’s role. With his wife Tamara in the hospital, and extra long rehearsals, Montgomery in the first act showed difficulty keeping up with the highfalutin high roller. When Act II breaks loose, so does he, particularly with his “Luck Be A Lady Tonight,” and he has the role tightly wrapped up as neatly as Sky’s bankroll.

Nathan begins to concoct a sure bet for himself along with Nicely-Nicely (Jimmy Ferraro) and Benny Southstreet (Rob Costigan). Too clever to fall for Nathan’s doughnut and strudel game, Sky laughs him off. Not a moment too soon The Save-A-Soul Mission band marches by, and Nathan grabs his chance betting Sky he wouldn’t be able to make a date with the Mission leader, Sarah Brown (Seever). With Sky’s arrogant confidence riding high, the bet is on, and the musical fable turns complicated with run away feelings and hot emotions.

The show begins as the stage descends and the ensemble mills around the stage in New York City in brightly colored delicious costumes designed by Joanne Kearns and Costume World, Inc. Nicely Nicely, Benny, and Rusty Charlie (Robert Hoppe) kick the show into high gear with the favorite Fuge for Tinhorns, better known as “I’ve got The Horse Right Here,” “Can Do, Can Do.”

Aside from having to scramble to win a bet against Sky, finding a place for the crap game, Nathan finds himself closed in with another problem, his girlfriend, Adelaide (Sharon Kay White). Engaged for 14 years, Adelaide wants to get married. Nathan just doesn’t think they are ready. White brings Adelaide to comedic life with grace, style, and flair wrapped up in a hundred laughs. A singer at the Hot Box club, White engulfs herself with this determined, not so bright, very-much-in-love, frustrated bombshell who lets loose with “Bushel and A Peck,” revealing her confusion in “Adelaide’s Lament.”

The memorable and much loved songs, turned popular, are treated by the entire cast as though they have never before been sung including “Guys And Dolls,” “Havana”, Sarah’s “If I Were A Bell,” Sky’s “My Time Of Day,” their “I’ve Never Been In Love Before,” Nathan and Adelaide’s “Sue Me,” and Nicely Nicely’s mouth-gapping “Sit Down Your Rockin’ The Boat.” His voice, words and power could easily apply to the audience. With that number in full stride, it is difficult to sit still.

Musical Director Mitch Samu attacks the music on the keyboards with Tag Worley, percussion; Harry Grainger, reeds; and Terry Sawchuck, trumpet with the big sound, hell-bent-for-leather tempo, Guys and Dolls requires.

Nearly every song becomes a showstopper in its own right.

Sarah finds herself swimming in confusion. Taken in by conflicted confessing Sky of what a sinner he is, agreeing to go to dinner with him not knowing they were flying to Havana, falling in love, discovering he was only acting on a bet, feeling like a fool but unable to shake her truth that she loves the scoundrel, her mixed up feelings sends her into orbit. Attempting to keep her composure, she thinks she has fooled everyone. One with keen observation hasn’t been fooled, Arvide Abernathy, a colleague of Sarah’s in the Save-A-Soul Mission. D. P. Perkins folds himself beautifully into the perceptive, gentle, and wise Abernathy. Encouraging Sarah to follow her heart, he sings to her “More I Cannot Wish You” and the audience barely breathes. Perkins gives Abernathy a wonderful, gentile demeanor to melt even the hardest of hearts. The connection between Abernathy and Sarah speaks louder than the words he sings. Chemistry between actors can’t be described, but when it exists, it blinks with a bright light.

This solid cast exhibits a great deal of chemistry that will carry them to the great show this production of Guys and Dolls really is. One of the highlights of this show is the expertise of the ensemble including Stephen Bertles, Brian Mallgrave, Hilsabeck, Mike Muniz, Matthew D. Peters, Adrianne Hampton, Cliff Thompson, and Christiana Sullins.

A strong character without much of a sense of humor but comes very much to life in voice and temperament is Big Jule played with “gustomic” seriousness to straighten out the gamblers by Thaddeus Valdez.

As Big Jule comes to set the gamblers in their proper places, so does General Matilda Cartwright arrive to announce the Save-A-Soul Mission will have to be shut down unless it can prove it has followers. Played by Deborah Curtis, Cartwright comes across like a bull in a china shop. She means business. Ironically Sky and the gamblers becomes the mission golden savior. Adelaide finally hears wedding bells rung for her and Nathan, and for Sarah and Sky who finds himself deliciously reformed.

The set for this many-placed musical fits the demands with originality and clarity. Designed by Production Designer Rob Westan, the set adds spice, color and definition to this already high rolling roller coaster musical that employs several twists and turns with plot and character and music that make one laugh, cry, and fall in love with life. Of course, it’s a fable, but wouldn’t it be grand if it weren’t?

Call for reservations now. No need to take bets about what you’ll see. By now it has gone from good and solid to great.