Guys and Dolls
Performances: June 17 (Thursday preview), June 18, June 19, June 20, June 25, June 26, June 27, July 2, and July 3
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Based on "The Idyll of Sarah Brown" and characters by Damon Runyon
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Directed for Musicals at Richter by Donald E. Birely
Choreographed by Matt Farina
Musical Direction by Anna DeMasi
Synopsis
Set
in Damon Runyon's mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy -
considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy-soars with the
spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to a cast of vivid characters who
have become legends in the canon: Sarah Brown, the upright but uptight
"mission doll," out to reform the evildoers of Time Square; Sky
Masterson, the slick, high-rolling gambler who woos her on a bet and
ends up falling in love; Adelaide, the chronically ill nightclub
performer whose condition is brought on by the fact she's been engaged
to the same man for 14 years; and Nathan Detroit, her devoted fiance,
desperate as always to find a spot for his infamous floating crap game
About the Show
The
original production burst onto Broadway in 1950 and ran for 1,200
performances. A 1976 revival with an all-African-American cast including
Robert Guillaume ran for 239 performances, and the colorful 1992
revival with Peter Gallagher and Faith Prince became the longest-running
revival of a Broadway musical, running until January 1995 (almost
longer than the original!) The film version (which is quite different
from the stage version) starred Marlon Brando as Sky and Frank Sinatra
as Nathan.
"This is why Broadway was born!" -Newsweek
"One of the funniest and melodious shows in seasons. Everything about it seems practically perfect." -Variety
"It's the perfect musical comedy." -Daily News
Detailed Synopsis
ACT ONE
Scene One: After the overture, the curtain rises on a bustling street
scene alive with Times Square characters: sightseeing tourists and their
guide; teenaged girls in bobby socks carrying autograph books; street
vendors selling apples and flowers from a tray; a heavyweight
prize-fighter with his manager; assorted street hustlers and
pickpockets; and policemen (Runyonland"). Three gamblers, Benny
Southstreet, Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Rusty Charlie, enter, reading
aloud the daily horse-race scratch sheet. They trade tips about
different horses ("Fugue for Tinhorns").
As the gamblers finish their pitch, Sergeant Sarah Brown and the Mission
Band enter playing a hymn ("Follow the Fold"). Sarah delivers a
street-corner sermon on the evils of gambling, inviting all sinners to
visit the Save-A-Soul Mission and repent before it's too late.
Nicely-Nicely and Benny observe that Sarah is wasting her good looks on
Mission work. They are joined by Harry the Horse, another gambler. He
asks if a location has been found for the floating crap game run by
Nathan Detroit. Nathan has had trouble finding locations for his crap
game because of increased pressure from the police, particularly
Lieutenant Brannigan. Brannigan appears, also looking for Nathan, who
soon enters. After Brannigan leaves, Nathan mentions he needs $1,000 to
secure Joey Biltmore's garage for the game. Nathan is so broke he
doesn't even have money to buy an engagement anniversary present for
Miss Adelaide, his fiancée of 14 years. Adelaide, a performer at the Hot
Box Club, doesn't approve of Nathan's gambling activities. Nathan,
Benny and Nicely sing about their frustration at possibly losing a
chance to make lots of money from the game ("The Oldest Established").
Angie the Ox, another gambler, mentions Sky Masterson is in town and
could surely supply the money needed for the garage. Nathan knows Sky
will bet on almost anything and he comes up with a way to trick Sky out
of the needed funds. He sends Benny to Mindy's restaurant to find out
how much strudel and cheesecake were sold the previous day. Adelaide
(who seems to have a perpetual cold) enters with three other women from
the club and gives Nathan his anniversary present just as Benny returns
with the numbers on the strudel and cheesecake. Sky enters, and Nathan
tells Benny and Nicely to take Adelaide to a drugstore for cold
medicine. Nathan proposes a $1,000 bet to Sky about which sells more at
Mindy's: strudel or cheesecake. Sky, suspecting the bet is not on the
level, won't take Nathan up on it. Nicely and Benny return and tell him
Adelaide expects Nathan to pick her up after the show. Sky, a confirmed
bachelor, suggests Adelaide has trapped Nathan. When Nathan asks why Sky
is traveling to Havana alone, Sky says he could get any woman he
chooses to go with him. Nathan bets Sky $1,000 that Nathan can pick a
woman that Sky can't convince to go. Sky accepts. Nathan points to Sarah
Brown as the Mission Band passes by.
Scene Two: The Mission Band enters the Save-A-Soul Mission after a night
of preaching on Broadway. Sky enters and presents himself as a gambler
eager for redemption. When Sarah offers him pamphlets, he suggests she
give him personal help over dinner. She declines the offer. Sky
impresses Sarah with his knowledge of the Bible, gleaned from years of
living in hotels with the Gideon Bible close at hand. Noting the absence
of sinners in the Mission, Sky proposes a trade: he will give Sarah his
marker, an IOU guaranteeing to fill the Mission with twelve sinners, if
Sarah agrees to have dinner with him in his favorite restaurant, which
happens to be in Havana. She indignantly throws the marker in the trash
and asks him to leave. Sky accuses Sarah of hating men, a charge she
denies. Sky asks her to describe the man of her dreams. She tells him
she'll know when the right man comes around ("I'll Know"). Sky tells her
he, too, will know when the right woman comes along. Their song ends in
a kiss. The mood is broken immediately as Sarah slaps Sky.
Scene Three: Nathan phones Joey Biltmore to tell him the $1,000 for the
garage is all but guaranteed. Joey reminds him the money is due in
advance.
Scene Four: At the Hot Box, Adelaide and the chorus girls perform a
musical number ("A Bushel and a Peck"). After the show, she tells Nathan
she is getting a raise and suggests they finally get married. She shows
him the wedding veil she has had for the past three years. She also
explains she has told her mother that Nathan and she are married and
have five children. As Nathan offers reasons why they shouldn't get
married, one of the other dancers arrives and complains to Nathan her
date has been cancelled because of his crap game. Adelaide gets one of
her chronic sneezing attacks as Nathan rushes off. She picks up a
medical book which explains her cold symptoms are psychosomatic and
caused by her frustration at being engaged (not married!) for 14 years
("Adelaide's Lament").
Scene Five: Benny and Nicely have been watching Sky follow Sarah and the
Mission Band. They hope Sky fails in his attempts to take her to Havana
so Nathan will get the cash to hold the crap game. They observe that
men the world over have a weakness for falling in love ("Guys and
Dolls").
Scene Six: Sarah and the Band return to the Mission. Arvide Abernathy,
Sarah's grandfather and the bass drum player of the band, encourages her
to pay some attention to Sky. General Cartwright, the head of the
Save-A-Soul Mission, arrives and explains that the Broadway Mission's
poor performance in attracting sinners is forcing her to close the
branch. Sky appears and protests the closing of the Mission. He also
retrieves his marker from the trash and gives it back to Sarah. She then
guarantees the General there will be twelve sinners in the Mission the
following evening.
Scene Seven: All the craps shooters, including Big Jule (a very tough
gun-toting gangster from Chicago) are wearing red carnations as they're
the badge of entry for the game, which still has no location. Brannigan
appears and, noticing all the red carnations, asks Nathan what is going
on. Benny sees Adelaide coming over with some of the other Hot Box
dancers and tells Brannigan the carnations are for the guests of
Nathan's bachelor party. Adelaide hears this and excitedly announces
they should get married the following night after her show. As Adelaide
rushes off with her girlfriends, Nathan tells Benny he still has not
received the money from Sky. Benny wonders if Sky actually took Sarah to
Havana.
Scene Eight: Sarah and Sky are in Havana. Faced with constantly blaring
mambo music and dancing couples ("Havana"), Sky and Sarah escape the
noisy nightclub and end up at the fashionable Hotel Nacionale where
Sarah orders a ham sandwich. After a bit of sightseeing they end up in a
street café. Sarah orders a milk shake, which Sky translates to the
waiter as "Dulce de Leche," a potent alcoholic drink. After several
drinks, Sarah jealously interrupts when a dancer flirts with Sky,
precipitating a huge barroom brawl.
Scene Nine: Sky has carried Sarah away from the brawl. As he sets her
down, she kisses him. He asks her how she feels. She tells him she feels
wonderful ("If I Were a Bell") and falls into his arms. Realizing he is
falling in love with her, a guilty Sky tells her about the bet he made.
"How else would a girl get to meet a gambler?" she responds. She
reluctantly allows him to take her back to New York.
Scene Ten: Outside the Mission at 4:00 AM, Sky and Sarah run into
Adelaide, who is returning from a bridal shower thrown for her by the
Hot Box dancers. Sky explains to Sarah 4:00 AM is his favorite time of
day and she is the only woman he has ever wanted to share it with ("My
Time of Day"). After revealing to her his real name is Obediah
Masterson, Sky and Sarah sing to each other about their newfound love
("I've Never Been In Love Before"). At the end of the song they are met
by Arvide, who is returning from a night of Mission work. As they are
talking, police bells are heard. Suddenly, Benny, Nicely, Nathan and the
other gamblers run out of the Mission chased by Brannigan; Nathan has
held the crap game in the Mission. Sarah is convinced Sky's trip to
Havana was part of Nathan's plan all along, and angrily breaks off with
him.
ACT TWO
Scene One: Adelaide and the other dancers perform another number at the
Hot Box Club ("Take Back Your Mink"). After the number Sky enters and is
approached by Nicely, who is looking for Adelaide. He has been sent to
tell her Nathan won't be coming to get her after the show. Nicely tells
Sky that Nathan is still at the game because Big Jule, who is losing,
won't allow the game to end until he wins back his money. Adelaide
arrives and, after hearing Nicely's message, realizes Nathan is still
running the crap game. She asks Sky to tell Nathan she never wants to
see him again. (Reprise: "Adelaide's Lament")
Scene Two: Sarah, angry she is in love with Sky, and convinced he helped
set up the Mission crap game, tells Arvide she wants to leave. Arvide
sings about his dreams for her future ("More I Cannot Wish You"). Sky
and Nicely pass by, on their way to the crap game. Sky tells Sarah and
Arvide he intends to honor his IOU to Sarah. He and Nicely open a
manhole cover and descend to the crap game, being held in the sewer.
Scene Three: The game is proceeding furiously ("The Crapshooters'
Dance"). At the end of the dance, Big Jule again demands they all stay
until he wins back the money he has lost (and then some) and uses his
gun to back up the demand. He announces he will play with Nathan only,
using his own dice, which have no marks on them. Only Jule can call the
outcome of each throw, so Nathan is bound to lose. Jule also announces
he will play his IOUs against Nathan's cash. When Sky and Nicely appear
at the game, Sky tries to talk to the gamblers about the Mission. Big
Jule protests, and Sky punches him, knocking him down. Sky grabs Big
Jule's gun and tosses it to Nathan. He then proposes a bet on one throw
of the dice: if he loses, Sky will pay each gambler $1,000; if he wins,
each gambler has to show up at the Mission for the meeting taking place
that night. The gamblers all take up Sky's bet. As Sky prepares to throw
the dice, he prays to Lady Luck for help ("Luck Be A Lady Tonight").
Scene Four: Harry the Horse and Big Jule complain about having to go to
the Mission. Nathan sees Adelaide, who angrily tells him she has told
her mother they are expecting their sixth child. Nathan tells her they
can't get married before midnight because he has to go to a Mission
meeting. Adelaide complains about all of Nathan's lies as Nathan tells
her he loves her ("Sue Me").
Scene Five: At a few minutes past midnight, all the gamblers enter the
Mission to the surprise of Sarah Brown and the delight of General
Abernathy. At the General's request for testimonies, various gamblers
tell how they're sorry Sky won his bet. The testimonies continue with
Nicely recounting a dream he had about being on a boat to heaven ("Sit
Down, You're Rockin' the Boat"). After the song Nathan confesses to
Sarah about his bet with Sky, explaining Sky admitted to losing the bet.
Sarah is puzzled by Nathan's statement, since Sky had actually won his
bet. She exits the Mission as the General begins to lead the gamblers in
a hymn (Reprise: "Follow the Fold").
Scene Six: Sarah and Adelaide meet on the street in the early morning
and commiserate about Sky and Nathan. They come to the conclusion they
should just concentrate on getting married and worry about changing
their men afterward ("Marry the Man Today").
Scene Seven: Adelaide appears in a wedding gown and calls for Nathan,
who now operates a newsstand. He emerges from the stand wearing an
elegant cut-away and tells her he hasn't yet found a place for their
wedding. The Mission Band enters, led by Sky and Sarah, and Nathan asks
them if he and Adelaide could get married in the Mission. Arvide, who
has alreadyperformed the marriage ceremony for Sky and Sarah, promises
to do the same for them. When Adelaide details her plans for a little
place in the country, Nathan lets out a huge sneeze (Reprise: "Guys and
Dolls").
Songs
Runyonland
Fugue for Tinhorns
Follow the Fold
The Oldest Established
I'll Know
A Bushel and a Peck
Adelaide's Lament
Guys and Dolls
Havana
If I Were a Bell
My Time of Day
I've Never Been in Love Before
Entr'acte; Take Back Your Mink
Adelaide's Lament (Reprise)
More I Cannot Wish You
The Crapshooters' Dance
Luck Be a Lady
Sue Me
Sit Down, You're Rockin' the boat
Marry the Man Today
Guys and Dolls (Reprise)
Cast:
NATHAN DETROIT - Chuck Stango
MISS ADELAIDE - Elayne Cassara
SARAH BROWN - Beth Bria
SKY MASTERSON - Nathan Mandracchia
NICELY-NICELY JOHNSON - Mensah Robinson
RUSTY CHARLIE - Peter Wood
BENNY SOUTHSTREET - Bobby Bria
ARVIDA ABERNATHY - Barbara Kessler
HARRY THE HORSE - John Armstrong
BIG JULE - Mike Armstrong
GENERAL MATILDA B. CARTWRIGHT - Cat Heidel
LT. BRANNIGAN - Joe Bukowski
AGATHA - Jessica Smith
MIMI - Michelle Funaro
ANGIE THE OX - Bill Lamoureux
SCRANTON SLIM - Adrian Appleman
BRANDY BOTTLE BATES - Ron Bloise
MASTER OF CEREMONIES/GAMBLER - Kevin Downing
LIVER LIPS LOUIE - Matthew Farina
MISSION - Mike Lozier, Stephanie Benkovich
HOT BOX DANCERS - Jessica Braun, Emma Downing, Christna Fuschetto, Caitlin Keeler, Tara Llewellyn, Nina Transfeld
ENSEMBLE - Dolly Conner, Kate Valiska
