Guys & Dolls is a musical written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Ashlie Corcoran directed it and Frank Loesser wrote the songs. Guys & Dolls is based on the short story, The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown written by Damon Runyon in 1933.
Set in New York City in the 1950s, Guys & Dolls tells the story of con-man Nathan Detroit’s (played by Josh Epstein) efforts to quickly find a new home for his illegal crap game after his former venue got found out by the police. He then found a place that might work but needed $1,000 to secure it. That is when Nathan along with his gambler friends, Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Tenaj Williams), Benny Southstreet (Daniel Curalli) and Rusty Charlie (Jason Sakaki) meet Sky Masterson (Jonathan Winsby), a high-rolling gambler who is willing to bet on almost anything. Sky claims that he can pull any doll he wants. He makes a bet with Nathan and attempts to pursue missionary Sarah Brown (Chelsea Rose). Sarah was suspicious of him at first but he eventually won her over. He took her on a trip to Havana, then the tables turned.
The actress who stood out to me was Madeleine Suddaby who played Miss Adelaide. Her performance as Miss Adelaide was entertaining and brought humour to the show. She nailed the New York accent as well!
The atmosphere of the musical was vibrant and the mood was energetic. The set design; which was designed by Canadian set and costume designer Scott Penner was very colourful, captivating, and featured lots of bright lights.
My favourite part of the musical was when Nicely-Nicely Johnson performed “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat”. I experienced a feeling of nostalgia once the chorus came on, as I remembered that song was performed on the pilot episode of one of my favourite TV shows, Glee—which I adored as a teenager. It was a heartwarming moment.
Director Ashlie Corcoran did an excellent job assembling a show that allowed the audience to experience the 1950s Broadway vibe. I’m glad I got to watch this epic musical!
Rating: 5/5
Date watched: June 6th, 2024
Location: Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, Vancouver BC
Theatre 604 