GUYS AND DOLLS Will Come to Gateway Playhouse With Two Casts

Broadway’s classic musical “Guys and Dolls” is primed to be a sure bet at Somers Point’s Gateway Playhouse from May 28 to June 7. Filled with colorful characters, phenomenal dance numbers and cherished songs by Frank Loesser, such as “Luck Be A Lady,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Adelaide’s Lament,” “If I Were a Bell, and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” the high-energy show follows the paths of smooth-talking gamblers, sassy showgirls and a very determined missionary as love and luck collide in the streets of New York City.

“I really wanted a show that would bring people together–a show that’s joyful, familiar and welcoming–and that’s exactly what ‘Guys and Dolls’ is,” said Phil Pallitto, the Gateway’s artistic director and director of this musical. “Audiences will connect with the very human experiences of the characters, each of whom is flawed–they gamble, they drink to excess, they skirt the law. As the show progresses, you get to see these unforgettable characters grow and mature and form unlikely and lasting bonds with one another, which is something many can relate to.”

Two casts, led by Jefferson Heller and Eric Williams, who share the role of the slick gambler Sky Masterson, Mason Naman and Nick Efstatos as Nathan Detroit, and Erin Maegerle and Rue Way as the lovelorn Adelaide, are under the musical direction of Debbie Roland who also spearheads the live band, while Karen Cleighton choreographs the show-stopping numbers.

“’Guys and Dolls’ is musical theater at its very best. It honors the work of traditional musical theater but still speaks to today’s audiences with grace, intelligence and vitality,” said Pallitto. “With this show, we’re committed to focusing on the joy and laughter that ‘Guys and Dolls’ provides, tied in to a beautiful message about second chances.”