1992 Guys and Dolls Revival

[EvanstonDad]

Was in the mood to listen to the cast recording of the 1992 revival and was reminded how special this show is to me. I saw it on my first trip to NYC when I was in high school. We had tickets to a matinee performance of this, and the next night to "The Phantom of the Opera." Of course "Phantom" was THE show to see at the time, and that's what everyone was excited about. "Guys and Dolls" was my first Broadway show and it absolutely blew me away, so much so that "Phantom" ended up being a big let down in comparison. I had seen professional theater, but most of it was in Chicago, and the commercial theaters in Chicago are as big as barns. I was not prepared for the intimacy and energy of a Broadway house. And the cast was unbeatable -- all of the original principals except for Peter Gallagher were still with the show. To this day it remains one of the most perfect theater experiences I've ever had, and Faith Prince's "Adelaide's Lament" is one of the most memorable moments. I'd love to hear reactions from anyone else who saw this revival, and wonder if it's as special to anyone else.

[carolinaguy]

I adored it as well. Saw the entire original cast. We bought tickets the moment after the Tony awards that year and went a few weeks later. A group of six of us from college went and sat in the very back row and laughed ourselves silly for two and a half hours. I had been to NY a couple of times before that, but it was only my second time seeing an original cast in anything (Miss Saigon the year before was the first). The energy that de Guzman, Gallagher, Prince, and Lane brought was totally infectious. I still vividly remember how colorful it was and lots of the staging--especially "Sue Me", and the transition into the Havana sequence and the transition into the "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" scene.

On the way to the theater that night, I walked across one of those double metal doors you see so often on the sidewalks in NY and it dropped about four inches. I thought for sure I was going to be a goner, crushed by the N train or something, lol.

[10086sunset]

I maintain it's the best revival that I've ever seen.

[EvanstonDad]

That scene transition into the sewers elicited gasps from the audience. I imagine it was actually a pretty simple visual effect, but to this day I remember it being astounding.

[TheaterMe]

This was also my first show I saw on Broadway when I was traveling for work in 1992.  I saw the entire original cast.  The best part:  My parents were huge musical fans.  When I was growing up they had ALL the albums of the musicals of the day.  My father was an excellent singer.  We flew them out from California to see Guys and Dolls with us. They'd never been to any show ever. We spent a huge amount ($60 each) for four seats in row 5 or 6 in the center.  When the guys came out in their zut suits in front of the curtain, I was in heaven and so was he.  My favorite memory of my Dad.  He had a stroke 3 years later and was never the same.

I also saw the 1 show performance at Carnegie Hall with Nathan Lane, Megan Mullaly, and Patrick Wilson in 2013.  That was great too.

[BrodyFosse123]

William Ivey Long's costumes and Christopher Chadman's choreography were top level.  They elevated this revival even higher than it already was. 

Here's Faith Prince in the fabulous "Bushel and a Peck" number: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_nDTQ9NEzI

 

[ggersten]

Here is the Press Reel - after lots of clips for the first 3:40, there are longer clips of (not all complete):  3:40 Oldest Established; 5:45 Bushel and a Peck; 8:10 Adelaide's Lament; 11:15 a short bit of Havana; 12:15 I've Never Been In Love Before; 13:55 short bit of Crap Shooters Dance; 15:25 Luck Be  a Lady; 17:05 Sue Me; 19:20 Sit Down; 21:30 Guys and Dolls (reprise by Company)
 

 

[poisonivy2]

I too saw it on a field trip when I was in middle school and was on cloud 9. I still remember Faith Prince's incomparable "Adelaide's Lament." How I wish there had been a film of this production.

[DottieD'Luscia]

I first saw this production when it was in previews. I saw it several times afterwards. I also saw Jennifer Allen go on as Adelaide and she was giving the exact same performance as Faith Prince.

[SomethingPeculiar]

EvanstonDad said: "That scene transition into the sewers elicited gasps from the audience. I imagine it was actually a pretty simple visual effect, but to this day I remember it being astounding."

Can someone share what the into-the-sewer effect was? (Assuming this doesn't could as a spoiler 25 years later?)

[EvanstonDad]

The sewer effect is hard to describe, and again, I saw this a long time ago and so maybe I'm remembering it as more impressive than it was. But it starts with a scene played in front of a scrim, one of the characters opens a trap door in the stage as if they're about to descend down into the sewers, and then immediately we see the sewers from below and see someone climbing down into it. The sewer set was so colorful and filled the stage so much that the abrupt transition dazzled the eyes. The best way I can describe it is that it felt more like a cut in a film than a stage transition -- one second there was nothing there, and the next second there was. It was a case of a relatively simple bit of stagecraft being more impressive than any of the much more elaborate effects I saw in "Phantom" the very next night. Anyone else who saw it care to add to my admittedly vague description?

[DramaTeach]

I agree with everyone on here that this revival is the ultimate.  Faith Prince had me in awe, the costumes were bright and dark at the same time, the choreography and orchestrations were incredible, and I could go on forever!  It was my first show, and it's been hard to find one that matches it over the years.  This recent Dolly revival came close.