GUYS AND DOLLS 2002

Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser

 

SYNOPSIS AND CAST

 

Amidst the hurly-burly of Broadway, Sarah Brown and her gallant band from the Save-A-Soul Mission endeavour to recruit sinners. Nathan Detroit and the gambling fraternity are more concerned with finding a place for their illegal floating crap game and Adelaide, Nathan’s long-time fiancée, is preoccupied with trying to get him to the altar.

 

Sky Masterson saunters into town and gets suckered into a bet with Nathan that he can take any doll he likes to Havana. Nathan names Sarah Brown, and, undaunted, Sky presents himself at the Mission as a sinner. When this doesn’t work, he guarantees her a dozen sinners in return for having dinner with him – in Havana. Sarah’s response is he’s not her type of guy.

 

At The Hot Box night club where Adelaide stars, Nathan promises her he will reform. Meanwhile, his side-kicks Benny and Nicely-Nicely complain she’s taking his mind off his work. The arrival of General Cartwright, intent on closing the Mission through lack of support, galvanises Sarah into accepting Sky’s invitation. Nathan, still hoping to win his bet and the thousand bucks he needs to set up the game, is having trouble with the gambling fraternity – Big Jule, Harry the Horse and Rusty Charlie, to name but a few – who are getting increasingly restless. The appearance among them of Lt. Brannigan spells trouble, but the day is saved when they tell him they’re celebrating Nathan’s and Adelaide’s elopement

.

In Havana, Sarah becomes decidedly more friendly after drinking several of the local ‘milkshakes’ and causes a riot at El Cafe Cubano when she objects to Sky dancing with another girl. He is shamed into telling her about the bet and takes her back to New York where they arrive just before dawn -sober, and in love . Their idyllic moment is soon shattered: as Arvide -Sarah’s grandfather and the Mission Band return wearily from all-night canvassing, the sound of a police siren sends the gamblers scuttling out of the Mission, where Nathan had finally found a place for the game.

 

Adelaide entertains The Hot Box customers, still blissfully believing she is about to become Mrs Nathan Detroit. Arvide consoles Sarah as the deadline for closing the Mission approaches and tries to put in a good word for Sky, who is still determined to honour his pledge. He follows the gamblers – and the game – into the sewer and bets each of them a thousand dollars against their souls on the roll of the dice. When he wins, they are obliged to attend the meeting at the Mission where – after some initial reluctance – they join Nicely-Nicely in giving testimony . Although Lt. Brannigan, hot on their heels, remains unconvinced, General Cartwright is impressed.

 

When Sarah learns that Sky told Nathan he had lost the bet and did not take her to Havana, she realises he can’t be all bad. She and Adelaide commiserate with each other on the problems of getting their guys to change their ways and decide the answer is to marry them first, which they do, and live happily ever after.

 

 

Directors:  Janet Huckle & Marilyn McPherson

Music Director: Clare Caddick

Choreographer : Marilyn McPherson

 

 

CAST

Nicely Nicely Johnson Stephen Roe
Benny Southstreet Benny Parmiter
Rusty Charlie Paul Sadler
Sarah Brown Sarah Jayne Thomas
Arvide Abernathy Geoff Greensmith
Harry the Horse Des Muller
Lt. Brannigan John Huckle
Nathan Detroit Simon Burrell
Angie the Ox Hamish Nobrook
Miss Adelaide Sarah Waddell
Sky Masterson Michael Pardoe
Joey Biltmore Al Clogston
General Matilda & Cartwright Syliva Carter
Big Julie Stuart Saunders
Waiter Tim Bruin
Masters of Ceremonies Spencer Mitchell
Agatha Anne Crockford
Mimi                                                           Kathryn Thompson
News Vendor Breton Longbridge
THE CHORUS – GENTLEMEN  
Hot Horse Herbie Peter Bagwell
Brandy Bottle Bates Melvyn Bates
Regret Tim Bruin
Society Max Neil Catton
Scranton Slim Robert Clay
Ambrose Hammer Al Clogston
Liver Lips Louis David Dadswell
Dave the Dude Matthew Davy
Bookie Bob Spencer Mitchell
Wilbur Willard Craig Nicol
Angie the Ox Hamish Norbrook
Nick the Greek Kevin Quilty
Sam Salt Courtney Roper-Knight
Rusty Charley Paul Sadler
Okay Okum Greg Shaw
Rodney B Emerson Barry Stevens
Sky Rocker Steve Wotton
HOT BOX GIRLS Alice Keppler, Gabrielle Lambert, Lucy Martin, Dominuque Norbrook, Linda Pullinger, Linda Sutch, Claire Thompson, Kathryn Thompson, Fiona Weir
THE MISSION BAND Gill Birchall, Gillian Cobb, Anne Crockford, Matthew Davey, Cindy Elson, Myra Keen, Craig Nicole, Dianne Norton, Marion Stewart
DANCERS Gloria Aguado, Rachel Aubrey, Sarah Clewes, Julie Cronshaw, Marilyn McPherson, Keren Pullinger, Caroline Smith
CHORUS – LADIES Gill Birchal, Sylvia Carter, Gillian Cobb, Ann Crockford, Cindy Elson, Alice Hudson, Myra Keen, Melanie Keppler, Gabrielle Lambert, Lucy Martin, Dominique Norbrook, Dianne Norton, Linda Pullinger, Marion Stewart, Penny Stone, Linda Sutch, Margaret Sweeney, Claire Thompson, Kathryn Thompson, Fiona Weir, Heather Wright