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Peer Reviews

Guys & Dolls is a Sure-Fire Hit at CenterStage

By A.S. Waterman

Entire contents are copyright © 2007 A.S. Waterman. All rights reserved.



It's hard to miss with Guys & Dolls, and CenterStage's charming production is right on the money. Set on the seamier side of Times Square in the 1950s, this glorious musical presents us with a tableau of entertaining rapscallions who sing and dance their way through a musical comedy that's sure to delight. Will sleazy Sky Masterson win the heart of soul-saver Sarah Brown, or will he have to settle for simply winning a bet? Will burlesque queen Miss Adelaide finally get crap-game host Nathan Detroit to the altar after 14 years, and if so, will it cure her cold? Will the fearsome General Cartwright shut the Mission down? We may already know the answers, but we nonetheless thrill to the story again and again, while enjoying some of the finest singing and choreography ever to grace a Louisville stage.

CenterStage's large cast and chorus do an excellent job with their roles, with some as clear standouts. Melissa Shepherd is marvelous as Miss Adelaide, the whiny, sneezy nightclub queen who really is a star. Peter Holloway and Monty Fields, as scumbags Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Benny Southstreet, are strong in their comedic routines, and Holloway lends some nice solo vocals in Act II. Colette Delaney Barney and Alex Craig, as unintentional sweethearts Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson, are appealing romantic leads. Although her voice tends toward the operatic and his toward Broadway, they blend beautifully. The entire performance is a credit to artistic director John R. Leffert, music director Justin Hornback and choreographer Sandra Simpson.


 

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Left: The 14-year engagement between shady gambler Nathan Detroit (Shawn Slone) and burlesque singer Miss Adelaide (Melissa Shepherd) lends the show some of its finest moments.

Right: As the crap-shooters roll the dice, the performers deliver some outstanding musical numbers and choral harmonies.

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On opening night, the cast had more than a little trouble with the sound system and microphones, and one might have wished that the harmonies from the live orchestra were as finely tuned as the vocals, but the production nonetheless makes for a delightful evening. The casual, relaxed atmosphere of the CenterStage auditorium adds to the mix. Guys & Dolls is good theatre and good fun. Don't miss it.


Guys & Dolls
CenterStage, at the Jewish Community Center
3600 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville
March 15 - April 1, 2007
http://www.jccoflouisville.org/cultural_arts/centerstage.asp

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Posted Mar. 16, 2007