 All attempts at love are a high-stakes gamble, but even more
so when the guys are professional gamblers and the dolls that want them don’t
want them to roll the dice. Such is the setup for the classic musical Guys
and Dolls featuring Frank Loesser’s famous score that includes the title
song, Luck Be a Lady, Fugue for Tinhorns, Sit Down You’re
Rockin’ the Boat, and ballads including If I Were a Bell and I’ve
Never Been In Love Before. And at J*Company in La Jolla, the show also
features some great vocal and acting talents leading a nicely polished
production with good humor and romance.
The show is led by four strong leads. Dorothy Guthrie
is the prim and proper Sister Sarah Brown, a “mission doll” trying to save the
sinners of New York City. Besides her powerful voice, Dorothy also does a nice
job of seeming truly sincere about her cause, and truly drunk on love when she
falls for a sinner. That sinner is Mr. Sky Masterson played by Seth
Biberstein who drives the show with his solid portrayal of the secure,
confident gambler who unexpectedly falls for Sister Sarah, as well as
contributing impressive vocals for the romantic duets with Sarah, whom he
accidentally bet he could take to Havana for dinner.
Tricking him into making that bet is the not-so-self-confident
Nathan Detroit, organizer of NYC’s most famous floating crap game, who is
stressing over where to hold the next big game and how he’s going to extend his
fourteen-year engagement to nightclub singing sensation Miss Adelaide without it
ending in marriage or losing her. Charles Evans Jr. is an affably and
amusingly humble felon in love with Adelaide, and it’s easy to see why. Tatiana
Holthaus is a dynamite Adelaide, mixing the spot-on signature Adelaide
voice with a gifted knack for comedy and a clear understanding for her
puh-sychological affliction caused by Nathan. She teams up with Dorothy Guthrie
for some memorable man-bashing in Marry the Man Today, and leads a fun
and flirty ensemble of Hot Box Dancers in a couple of numbers.
The impressive ensemble also includes the gambling
“guys” who turn in a spirited Luck Be a Lady (choreographed by director by Rayme
Sciaroni) and the biggest scene of the show – a holy rolling Sit Down,
You’re Rockin’ the Boat number production led by Taylor Wade Marrs
as Nice-Nicely Johnson. Costume Designer Shulamit Nelson has both the
guys and the dolls of 1950s New York looking like a million bucks.
Performed through March 19, 2006.
Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre
~ Cast ~
Nicely-Nicely Johnson: Taylor Wade Marrs
Benny Southstreet: Josh Herren
Rusty Charlie: Austin Potts
Sarah Brown: Dorothy Guthrie
Arvide Abernathy: Matt Maretz
Harry the Horse: Curtis Gordon
Lt. Brannigan: Christopher Pineda
Nathan Detroit: Charles Evans Jr.
Miss Adelaide: Tatiana Holthaus
Sky Masterson: Seth Biberstein
Mimi: Jennifer Bendelstein
General Cartwright: Emily Mann
Big Julie: Kevin McRee
Crapshooters:
Micah Frank
Sam Jacobs
Kevin-Patxi LeBras
Michael Popov
Adam Recht
Hot Box Dancers:
Jennifer Bendelstein
Jess Jacobs
Zoe Katz
Alexa Kern
Adrienne Krichman
Danielle Levin
Emily Mann
Addie McKinley
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Madeline Ross
Danielle Smotrich
Mission Band:
Claire Broad
Taylor Cole
Natalia Essinger
Chelsea Gelboin-Burkhart
Julia Karis
Hannah Leavenworth
Olivia Lenhart
Kelly Rubin
Lindsey Steinert
Director/Musical Director/Choreographer: Rayme Sciaroni
Set and Light Design: David Kevit
Costume Design: Shulamit Nelson
Sound Design & Operation: Scott Westrick
Stage Manager: Robin Raskin
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