Photo Flash: Behind the Scenes of 'Guys and Dolls' in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl
By: Eddie Varley Apr. 24, 2009
When Frank Loesser wrote the music and lyrics for Guys and Dolls - a Musical Fable of Broadway he may not have envisioned an outdoor production at an iconic venue nestled in the Hollywood Hills, but the all-star cast of Guys and Dolls in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl will sing and dance beneath those "stars in the sky" in an original, fully-staged production especially adapted for the Hollywood Bowl stage. BroadwayWorld is excited to bring you "behind the scenes" with these photos from the recent Los Angeles auditions.
Guys and Dolls in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl is a one-of-a-kind production by the same creative team behind last summer's Les Misérables in Concert, led by director Richard Jay-Alexander, with choreography by Tony award-winner Donna McKechnie and musical direction by Kevin Stites, conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
One of the great Broadway musicals - this timeless tale of love between the morally-minded and the misguided, set on the streets of late 1940s New York that brought the famous Damon Runyon characters to life - has consistently attracted top talent and the Hollywood Bowl production is no exception. The all-star cast features: Brian Stokes Mitchell (Sky Masterson), Jessica Biel (Sarah Brown), Scott Bakula (Nathan Detroit), Ellen Greene (Miss Adelaide), Ken Page (Nicely-Nicely) Ruth Williamson (Gen. Mathilde Cartwright), Herschel Sparber (Big Jule) and Jason Graae (Benny Southstreet).
BWW knows who's playing Uncle Arvide ... stay tuned because we have the "casting news right here"!
One of the musicals that defined the Golden Era of Broadway, Guys and Dolls, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, made its Broadway premiere in 1950, ran for 1200 performances, and won 15 Tony awards, including Best Musical. The show brought "Runyonland," the world of author Damon Runyon, to life - and did for those characters what "Spamalot" does for Monty Python or "Hairspray" does for the world of John Waters. Its score includes some of the most popular songs of the era including "I'll Know," "A Bushel and Peck," "If I Were A Bell," "Guys and Dolls," and "Luck Be a Lady."
Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times, in a rave review, wrote "A musical play that Broadway can be proud of. Its highest achievement that it has preserved the friendly spirit of the Runyon literature...a gaudy, blowzy world that is warm and hospitable - and the most flamboyant population of any show in town." John Chapman in the Daily News said it is "a perfect musical comedy." Musical theatre historian Gerald Boardman in The American Musical Theatre called the show "one of the masterworks of the American Musical Theatre, a sassy, irreverent love poem of New York" and historian Steven Suskinsaid, Guys and Dolls received what might be the most unanimously ecstatic set of reviews in Broadway history.
It premiered on the big screen in 1955 starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine. A popular 1976 Broadway revival featured an entirely African American cast including Bowl cast member Ken Page. A 1992 Broadway revival directed by Jerry Zaks, brought the show alive for a new generation. Starring Peter Gallagher,Faith Prince, Nathan Lane and Josie de Guzman, this production was so celebrated that coverage of its opening was front page news in The New York Times. A current Broadway revival stars Oliver Platt, Lauren Graham, Craig Bierko and Kate Jennings Grant.
One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and is home to the best and brightest in all genres of music. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 42nd season. In January 2009, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the fifth year in a row at the 20th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.
Single Tickets ($28-$116) are on sale May 2 and tickets are also available as part of the 5 or more concert subscription at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office, HollywoodBowl.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000
Photos courtesy of Richard Jay-Alexander
Richard Jay-Alexander, Kevin Stites and Donna McKechnie during auditions in L.A.
Associate Choreographer James Kinney with Guys and Dolls Choreographer Donna McKechnie
Sandahl Bergman, Donna McKechnie, Ellen Greene, Valarie Pettiford, Jane Lanier and Kathryn Wright
Donna McKechnie and James Kinney
Donna McKechnie puts the male dancers through the combinations
Donna McKechnie talks to the dancers
Donna McKechnie moments after offering Tracy Powell the job as the final Hot Box Girl
James Kinney, Grace Wall, Donna McKechnie and Michael Donovan
Kevin Stites and Margery Simkin and Steve Linder
Margery Simkin and Donna McKechnie at the legendary Formosa Cafe celebrating their cast
Richard Jay-Alexander, Kevin Stites and James Kinney also at the Formosa Cafe
Ellen Greene, Sandahl Bergman, Donna McKechnie, Kathryn Wright, Valarie Pettiford and Jane Lanier
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