Let’s leave it to the notes of the director and choreographer to best describe the Stratford Festival’s latest production of Guys and Dolls.
“We have a stage of legend that offers intimacy and grandeur in equal measure.”
The energy, idealism, attitude and confidence of 1940’s New York was brought to life for the show’s opening night, before a packed house Tuesday at the Festival Theatre
Donna Feore has guided musical theatre before to much acclaim, and there is a similar cast of characters from her more recent productions.
This time, it’s ‘gamblers, showgirls and mission workers’, navigating Manhattan haunts – with a brief splashdown in Havana.
A seedy, pinstripe suit-toting group of New York dice addicts are entangled with the good folks at the Save-a-Soul Mission.
Mark Uhre plays Nathan Detroit, a degenerate gambler trying to find a venue for his big craps game, while keeping the peace with his fiancée (and mother of five fake kids) Miss Adelaide, performed by Jennifer Rider-Shaw.
Detroit draws in Sky Masterson, a dice throwing legend, and a bet ensues that brings him into the orbit of missionary Sarah Brown.
Dan Chameroy and Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane star as Masterson and Brown and though they seem an unlikely pairing at first blush, their connection grows throughout.
Two veteran actors popped up on a busy stage.
How are you doing Steve Ross? Nicely, Nicely Johnson his character quipped. Johnson is smooth-as-silk, with Ross’ famed, slightly bumbling but loveable physicality.
Juan Chioran is Big Jule, a Chicago tough guy with shady dice and a thick cigar, along with a commanding voice hampered by years of puffing Cohibas.
Feore takes the audience on a journey through a bygone era, thick ‘Noo Yalk’ accents, cheeky attitudes and a prototypical big city, street-tough persona.
A tip of the fedora to Feore for choreographing the musical numbers that are at once rhythmic, dizzying and stunning. Music Director Franklin Brasz and a 19-member orchestra, along with the Festival’s talented dancers, are simply at the top of their professions.
Luck be a Lady was among those toe-tapping scores.
Lady luck won’t be needed, however, with the cast and artistic contributions of this production vaulting Guys and Dolls into summer blockbuster territory.
Guys and Dolls runs until Nov. 1.
News Director Paul Cluff is sharing observations on opening week performances at the Stratford Festival.
