The revival of the '50s Broadway hit at the Richey Suncoast Theatre is a fine production.
By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
Published September 11, 2004
Weary of thinking hurricane? Take your mind off it a while at Richey Suncoast Theatre's wonderful production of Guys and Dolls.
Director Judy Poplawski's cast is stellar, the costumes are terrific, music director Joan Geschke's combo smooth, the sets - especially the blacklit, 3-D effect Broadway backdrop - well made, and the story and songs great.
For the almost three-hour duration of the well-paced show, Thursday's opening night crowd could nearly forget the pounding rain outside.
Guys and Dolls is the story of tinhorn gamblers and dizzy dames who live along 1950s-era Broadway. The guys are always thinking about the next crap game, and the dolls are always thinking about white picket fences and stairstep kids.
As the show opens, Nathan Detroit (Seth Travaglino) is hunting for a place to continue his long-running, floating crap game. He needs a quick $1,000 to rent the back of Joey Biltmore's (Derek Wallen) garage, so he bets the suave and sure Sky Masterson (Frank Cataldo) that Sky can't get the prim and proper Sister Sarah Brown (Anita Travaglino) of the Save a Soul Mission to fly to Havana for the night.
Sky tricks her into going, but falls in love with her and can't go through with the caddish seduction that would win his bet.
Along the way, Nathan keeps dodging his fiancee of 14 years, Miss Adelaide (Liz Onley) of the Hot Box Club, who wants to get married ASAP because her mom thinks she has been married a dozen years.
Despite the show's length, it seems short, thanks to those performances and good crew work.
The tall, assured Cataldo is a charmer as Sky. He keeps from overpowering the rest of the cast by making the most of small facial moves, a quick straightening of his shirt cuffs and a soft (but easily heard) tone of voice. It's a good balance with the expressive Travaglino's Nathan Detroit. These two characters can easily be overdone, but Cataldo and Travaglino keep them right on track, using just enough stylized Brooklyn accent to make them sound like real tinhorns.
The guys are wonderfully paired with Ms. Travaglino's sweet and innocent Sister Sarah and Ms. Onley's pouty Miss Adelaide. Ms. Travaglino's voice is a dream, and she does a classy and classic If I Were a Bell.
Miss Adelaide seems to be the role Ms. Onley was born to do. Her Adelaide is guileless and appealing, vulnerable and dear. She's a real cutie, especially doing Adelaide's Lament.
Supporting players are strong across the board, with good singing by the guys and simple, but smart choreography by Kristin Bram for the dolls (Take Back Your Mink, A Bushel and a Peck) and the gamblers (Luck Be a Lady).
The opening Fugue for Tinhorns is nicely done by Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Bob Marcela), Benny Southstreet (Drew Lundquist) and Rusty Charley (Jonathan Tietz). Mike Jones as Uncle Arvide Abernathy does a touching More I Cannot Wish You to his favorite niece Sarah in the second act.
Doris Cerio is a cuddly General Matilda Cartwright, the doyenne of the Save a Soul Mission; the craggy Nicholas Lisandro is a suitably tough Big Jule, the gun-toting gambler visiting from Chicago.
Costume makers Marie Skelton, Jeannie Martin, Josettes and Ms. Poplawski outdid themselves with the guys' modified zoot suits, snap-brim hats and loud ties and the dolls' 1950s-era peplum dresses and showgirl outfits.
Most in the crowd had probably seen Guys and Dolls, but a fine production like this one makes it all seem fresh and fun.
IF YOU GO
Guys and Dolls continues weekends through Sept. 26 at Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey. Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15. Box office is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and an hour before each show. Call (727) 842-6777.
