Reviews: Guys and Dolls at Bishop Ireton
Written by Christine Dang of Lake Braddock Secondary School
Achoo! A woman catches a severe case of eternal engagement as gamblers roll dice for love. Welcome to Bishop Ireton's production of Guys and Dolls!
This widely renowned Golden Age musical is the masterpiece of playwrights Jo Sterling and Abe Burrows, as well as composer and lyricist Frank Loesser. From its 1950 Broadway premiere, this musical has charmed thousands of audiences, earning it the Tony Award for Best Musical. Based on a collection of short stories of the writer Damon Runyon, the story juxtaposes two couples, following gambler Sky Masterson as he pursues the beautiful missionary Sarah Brown, and gambler Nathan Detroit, whose refusal to marry his fiancé of fourteen years has left him in hot water. This hilarious, dynamic musical explores themes of love and morality.
Without a doubt, two of the strongest performers onstage were Erin Allen and Donovan Furey as the lovely, dedicated missionary Sarah Brown and her gambler love interest Sky Masterson. With a beautiful smile and regal, elegant posture, Allen captured hearts all around. Her angelically clear vocal tone was a true blessing to listen to and blended exceptionally well with Furey's vocals, shining especially in the number "I'll Know," where their masterful use of pitch variation and polished vocals created a captivating, riveting performance. Allen's ethereal vocals and elegant, determined physical presence made her character's confidence strikingly evident, while Furey's crisp diction and wide, fluid movement expressed an eminently realistic character portrayal.
Delivering a captivating performance alongside was Bethany Tilahun as Miss Adelaide, the woman who suffers a case of fourteen-year-long engagement. Tilahun's thorough understanding of her character was most fully expressed through her consistently evident mastery of the New York dialect, even carrying through and sparking laughter in numbers such as "Adelaide's Lament," where her character sighs about the cold she believes she acquired by waiting over a decade for her fiancé to marry her. Every comical "a--choo!!" brought laughter and hilarity to the stage.
Doubtlessly, the production quality of Bishop Ireton's Guys and Dolls would not be of the high caliber that it was without its dynamic ensemble and shrewd costume designers. The ensemble fully fleshed out numerous scenes within the musical. A strong example of an exemplary ensemble performance was the musical number "Havana," where each ensemble member was thoroughly engaged in performance, energetically delivering the choreography with wide, fun, fluid movement, effectively creating the life of a party in Cuba. "Havana" was the strongest suit for the BITA Costuming Team as well, under the leadership of Iona McCluskey, Catherine Carrow, and Nancy McDougal. The "Havana" costumes consisted of a vibrant array of floral floor-length dresses and suits, carefully curated for historical and cultural accuracy. From a strong opening to the show, to the "Guys and Dolls (Reprise)" at its conclusion, the exuberant ensemble and vibrant costumes breathed life and energy into the world of Guys and Dolls, effectively immersing the audience into 1950s New York.
Bishop Ireton's production of Guys and Dolls was beautifully captivating to witness through its many cleverly thought out aspects. From The chemistry of each couple, to Bethany Tilahun's comical Miss Adelaide, and the vibrant, diverse array of costumes, this production ensured that its audiences would never forget the story of two gamblers and the dolls they loved.
Written by Charlie Hartigan of Robinson Secondary School
"Sit down, sit down, you're rockin the boat!..." Or simply sit down and enjoy Bishop Ireton Theatre Arts' lively production of the golden age classic Guys and Dolls.
Guys and Dolls is based on short stories and characters written by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The musical premiered on Broadway in November 1950, receiving the Tony Award for Best Musical along with numerous revivals across the world and a movie adaptation featuring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando. The beloved classic explores themes of luck and unexpected love as Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit roll the dice to gain and maintain the love of Sarah Brown and Miss Adelaide.
The choreography executed by Maria Cleary, Sofia Meller, and Sarah Petz was a substantial part of Bishop Ireton's production. It was both well-created offstage and executed beautifully onstage by the colorful, committed ensemble. Each member of the ensemble showcased the hard work and effort they put into the production with their energy. One thing of note was the cast's physical acting, which was made of historically accurate mannerisms and energetic dancing.
Main characters Sarah Brown, played by Erin Allen, and Sky Masterson, played by Donovan Furey, sit at opposite ends of the morality spectrum and find themselves shoved into each other's lives at a moment's notice. Furey's and Allen's dynamic onstage was believable and entertaining for the audience. Furey's Masterson was both clever and vulnerable, highlighting the character's growth over the course of the show. Allen's clear-as-a-bell vocals stood out and highlighted Sarah Brown's clean morals and purity. Together, Furey and Allen's vocals and acting blended to emphasize how love can come in unexpected ways.
Julien Goulet took the stage as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, a high-spirited and sincere member of the Crap Shooting gang. Goulet fit the role very well, excelling at the many songs he featured in, such as 'Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat.' The character featured many scenes that required intelligent and strong comedic timing, and Goulet took those opportunities to make the audience laugh with amusing quips.
The Guys and Dolls set was designed by Anna Wisneski, Owen Penrose, Caroline Reams, and the BITA Design Team. Featuring larger-than-life dice that opened to reveal multiple indoor locations, the set easily transported the audience to the 1950s. Bishop Ireton's set was enhanced by their fly system that was used to raise building skylines and cityscapes out of view for different scenes. Using many detailed pieces, the set team did a great job of supporting the story's path through different locations.
Bishop Ireton's delightful production of Guys and Dolls is a testament to the BITA students' hard work and talent. The catchy golden age music with the vibrant actors and set drew the audience into the bright and busy 1950s New York and proved that luck might be a lady in their production of Guys and Dolls.