BWW Reviews: GUYS AND DOLLS at Goodspeed Opera House

The current production of GUYS AND DOLLS at Goodspeed is infectious, fast, and smart. It does Frank Loesser's topnotch score justice, nailing the balance between vocalists and the pit orchestra, letting us enjoy both the witty lyrics and memorable tunes of so many of the best songs ever written for musical theater: "Adelaide's Lament," "Luck be a Lady," "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," to name a few. If you've ever done this show, you'll want to sing along. If you want to introduce a new generation to a classic of the genre-which some theater historians argue is America's greatest contribution to world theater practice-this is a good choice.

Nancy Anderson's Adelaide is a kick. She's both hysterical and sympathetic, managing to skirt the dangers of being either too brassy or too much of a caricature. She acts the songs to a fare-thee-well, showing us that these songs mark moments where her character discovers something or makes a decision. Manna Nichols as Sarah Brown is making her Goodspeed debut, and brings a lovely, flexible soprano to the part; she's able to sell the Havana transformation. Mark Price makes Nathan Detroit hew closely to the ethnic type in Damon Runyon's short stories that are the original source material for the book. Tony Roach as Sky Masterson starts slow but grew on me; he supplies more complexity than is sometimes the case in this leading man part. Also deserving mention is Scott Cote as Nicely Nicely Johnson, in his Goodspeed debut: I hope we'll see more of him.

I'm happy to say, too, that the plot of GUYS AND DOLLS holds up better than I thought it might in the face of changed norms surrounding sexual ethics. That's not why we go to musical comedies, I know, but even so, some plots are cringe-worthy. Not this one.

Goodspeed Opera House is a jewel-box of a theater perched on the banks of the Connecticut River, with architecture appropriate to its 1876 origins. At one point in its long history, it doubled as a steamboat station, and it calls up the romance of days gone by. Nostalgia reigns at the tiny Victorian bar, which leads onto a small balcony overlooking the river. A grand staircase leads up to the theater, where, since the renovation of 1963, top talents have collaborated on high quality musical theater-earning multiple Tonys in the process.

The stage itself is tiny by contemporary standards, and the wing space (rumored to be just 4' deep) famously cramped. You're never far from the performers, with only 16 rows in the orchestra, and just two rows in the horseshoe balcony.

I'm often impressed with how ingenious the scenic design is in these tight spaces. This show is no exception: sliding panels designed by Paul Tate dePoo III transform the neon of Times Square to the Hot Box nightclub interior to the Salvation Army Mission to Havana and more. Costumer designer Tracy Christensen had a ball: she's pushed everything beyond realism just enough to create looks that really pop. Still, the clothes are suggestive of both period and character, and often wickedly funny. Adelaide's chicken get up for "A Bushel and a Peck" is a hoot, as is her Act 2 'Howard Johnson' dress: you can guess the colors.

It's a neat trick to choreograph a sizeable dance ensemble in such confined quarters, too, but Alex Sanchez has done so with flair, and the dancers are exuberant. They are all masters at quick changes, and the ensemble of 11 struts through multiple identities with conviction and style. They are a busy bunch.

This production, which runs through June 20, is very faithful to the conventions of musical theater, trimmed of any waste. It's also a bit of a family affair. Director Don Stephenson is composer/lyricist Frank Loesser's son-in-law. Loesser's widow Jo attended the official opening, and was full of praise for the production.

There's another connection, too. Goodspeed recently named Michael Gennaro as Executive Director. (Michael Price served in that capacity for 47 years-a record-breaking tenure-and remains involved with fundraising and tending the transition.) So the Goodspeed torch has been passed to Gennaro, whose father Peter danced in the original production of GUYS AND DOLLS on Broadway. The story goes, in fact, that Michael was born during that run, and that the hoofers in the company took up a brown bag collection as a gift for the newborn and his parents. Small world!

Photo credit: Diane Sobolewski

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