"Guys and Dolls" at the Guthrie Theater

So here's the thing, my #TCTheater friends. The Guthrie Theater's production of the 1950 classic musical Guys and Dolls is spectacular. The cast is brilliantly talented, the dance numbers are phenomenal, the music is familiar, fun, and lively, and every element of design is spot-on gorgeous. But even all of that wonderfulness can't overcome the fact that Guys and Dolls is a dated, misogynist story that we don't need to tell anymore. Calling women "dolls," and all of the gender stereotypes wrapped up in that, is just not cute in 2019. I've seen the show several times in the past, and I've loved it in the past, but each time I see it I love it a little less. The world is changing, I'm changing, but Guys and Dolls remains rooted in gender stereotypes from the title to the lyrics, dialogue, and story. To their credit, the Guthrie has made a number of changes that make the show a little more palatable to a modern audience, but there's only so much they can do. Ever since they announced their season last year, I couldn't understand why they would choose to do this show now, except that it's a crowd-pleaser that will sell lots of tickets. The good news is that their other summer show is a world premiere of a new play that the Guthrie commissioned from Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning African American female playwright. If doing dated old musicals that have been done a million times is the price we have to pay to support new work from too often unheard voices, well, as Stephen Sondheim wrote in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Sunday in the Park with George (seen at the Guthrie two summers ago in a stunning production), "that is the state of the art, my friends." And don't get me wrong, it is a super fun show and audiences are going to have a great time. I had a great time. But I'm also disappointed that we keep telling these old stories instead of discovering new ones.

"Guys and Dolls" at Lyric Arts

Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in Anoka is closing their 2017-2018 season with a fun and classic musical - Guys and Dolls. Is the story dated and full of gender stereotypes? Yes. But it's also chock full of great music, including many popular songs ("A Bushel and a Peck," "Luck Be A Lady," and my favorite, "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat"). Lyric Arts has assembled a fantastic cast, and the show is well-staged in their small performance space. If you're looking for a fun '50s era show, Anoka is the place to go.

Exclusive Announcement of Lyric Arts' 2017-2018 Season!

Theater friends, I'm thrilled to bring you an exclusive announcement of Lyric Arts' 2017-2018 season! The new season includes the return of a recent hit, a couple of classic musicals, the Tracy Letts play that inspired a new sitcom, the world professional premiere of a new play by a local playwright, and much more. It's sure to be a season full of laughs, tears, and great music. Thanks to my friends at Lyric Arts for allowing me to share this with you exclusively. See you in Anoka! (Dates and other details TBA - visit Lyric Arts' website or Facebook page for updated information.)

"Guys and Dolls" at Bloomington Civic Theatre

I love a big old-fashioned classic musical* at Bloomington Civic Theatre, and Guys and Dolls is definitely that. This 1955 musical with a well-known score by Frank Loesser is one of the most beloved musicals of the last century. As per usual, it gets fine treatment by BCT, with fantastic choreography and direction by Matthew Michael Ferrell, Anita Ruth's always wonderful pit orchestra, a huge and energetic ensemble, bright and beautiful period costumes, and fine performances by the leads. If you're a lover of classic musicals of the '50s - this is it.

Guys and Dolls centers around the underground gambling business in NYC and a mission trying to save the sinners. Nathan Detroit runs the big craps game in town and is always looking for a place to hold it, while trying to hide it from Adelaide, Hot Box dancer and his fiance of 14 years. To get the money to secure a location for the game, Nathan bets big-time gambler Sky Masterson that he cannot convince pious mission worker Sarah to go to Havana with him. Sky wins the bet, but it's not quite that simple. To win Sarah's heart, he bets against the guys' souls to get them to come to a meeting and save the mission. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Highlights of the show include:

• The music. The score includes such favorites as "Bushel and a Peck," "Adelaide's Lament," "If I Were a Bell," "Luck Be a Lady," and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," all played and sung beautifully be the orchestra and cast.
• Michael Matthew Ferrell's choreography. The group numbers are so much fun to watch, from the opening number, creating perfect tableaux of city life, to the Hot Box Girls performances, to the smooth swinging Havana scene, to the crapshooters sharp dance. And these guys and dolls can dance.
• Ed Gleeman's costumes. Men in rainbow-colored suits, two-toned shoes, and hats used as props in dances - what's not to love about that? The women look pretty smashing too.
• Bill Rolon and Rachel Weber. Perfectly cast as Nathan and Adelaide, they absolutely sparkle and crackle on stage, individually (Nathan working the guys, Adelaide's charming lament and leading the Hot Box Girls) but especially together ("Sue Me" is a highlight, funny and tender). They even look the part; somehow the height difference (in Adelaide's favor) only makes them more perfect for each other. This is a relationship you can understand and root for, despite the overly long engagement.
• The voices of Holli Richgels and Joshua Paul Smith. I always find the Sky/Sarah romance less appealing than Nathan/Adelaide, but these two sound lovely together.
• The charming trio of Lamar Jefferson, A.J. Longabaugh, and Andrew Newman. They're almost like narrators of the show, singing the opening number and the title song in enthusiastic harmony. And Lamar is pitch perfect as Nicely-Nicely, singing the crowd-pleasing "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."

This faithful and fun production of a beloved musical theater classic continues through September 14. You might want to get your tickets sooner rather than later, as this one is sure to be popular (Goldstar tickets are currently sold out but check back in case more dates are added).

*As much as Guys and Dolls is a quintessential example of a classic piece of musical theater that BCT does well, their next show is a great example of a new and modern rock musical, Next to Normal. I'm excited to see BCT step out of their comfort zone a bit with this devastatingly brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning musical that features a small six-person cast and typically onstage rock band rather than a traditional pit orchestra.

"Guys and Dolls" at the Ordway

I've seen several musical theater classics this month that I've never seen before, on stage or screen.  Leonard Bernstein's On the Town, Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and now Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls.  I've loved them all (great music, great choreography, great performances), but I think this one is my favorite so far.  An all-around spectacular production.

Guys and Dolls is a joint production of the Ordway Center in St. Paul and 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.  The cast is mostly from Seattle (along with a few Broadway vets), although the director is local - Peter Rothstein of Theater Latte Da.  This is a big old-fashioned musical: huge cast, lush-sounding 20-piece orchestra, fantastic dance numbers, to die for costumes, and a beautifully smart set.  I loved every minute of it.

Guys and Dolls tells the story of several gangsters and the women who love them in 1950s New York City.  It's one of those shows where even if you've never seen it, you know many of the songs because they've become a part of popular culture ("A Bushel and a Peck," "If I Were a Bell," "Luck Be a Lady"), from the good old days when there was much crossover between musical theater and popular music.  A trio of friendly and charming gangsters in bright beautiful suits begin the show: Nicely-Nicely (Todd Buonopane, aka 30 Rock's Jeffrey Weinerslav), Benny (Greg McCormick Allen, reminiscent of Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson), and Rusty (Allen Galli).  They're looking for the traveling craps game hosted by Nathan Detroit (Daniel C. Levine), who's struggling to find a location for the game.  To make the money he needs to secure a place, Nathan bets big time gambler Sky Masterson (Matt Farnsworth) that he can't get the stern Sergeant Sarah Brown from the "Save A Soul" mission (Katherine Strohmaier) to go to Havana with him.  Sky bribes her into going (in a fun and fabulous Cuban dance scene that makes me want to take salsa lessons), and surprise surprise, they fall charmingly in love!  This guy will never be the same now that he has met his doll.

Meanwhile, Nathan's fiance of 14 years is getting impatient waiting for a wedding ("a person could develop a cold"), and unhappy with her guy's gambling ways.  Billie Wildrick is just perfect in the role of Miss Adelaide, not to mention her fabulous wardrobe and shoes!  Despite his fiance's disapproval and the fact that he lost the bet, Nathan manages to hold the game in one location and another.  Sky bets everyone there that if he wins, they'll accompany him to Sarah's mission.  He wins, the "sinners" show up at the meeting, and Sarah is able to continue her work.  The gamblers confess their sins, leading to a highlight of the show when Nicely-Nicely leads the company in the rousing "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat."  In the end, everyone ends up with whom they're supposed to, and life goes on for these guys and their dolls.

As usual on Wednesday nights at the Ordway, there was a post-show discussion.  Much of the large ensemble came out to answer questions.  As always, it's interesting to hear what goes on behind the scenes.  What struck me the most was something that Billie (Adelaide) said in response to one audience member suggesting that the show should keep touring instead of ending this Sunday.  She said that there's something beautiful about the ephemeral nature of theater.  Unlike movie or TV where you can buy the DVDs and repeatedly watch them to your heart's content, theater only exists in the moment.  Every show, every night, is a one-of-a-kind experience that lives on only in your memory.  I completely agree with that sentiment.  That's a big part of why I started this blog, as a way to capture those moments in some small way so that I can go back to them and recall the experience.