Review: GUYS AND DOLLS at CVRep

It is no surprise that Coachella Valley Repertory has welcomed some super strong talent onto its stage, and Guys and Dolls continues to deliver the level of quality performance we can rely on. This third production of the season is well executed and features several standout characters.

Set in 1930s New York, the musical follows gambler Nathan Detroit (Matthew Schatz) as he works to keep his floating craps game alive while juggling a long-overdue commitment to his fiancée, the fabulous performer, Miss Adelaide (Jane Papageorge). From Nathan Detroit, High-roller Sky Masterson (Carter Michael) accepts a bet that he can take upright and proper missionary Sarah Brown (Allsun O’Malley) to Havana on a one-night-only getaway. What unfolds is a story about risk — in gambling and in love.

Jane Papageorge as Miss Adelaide brightly grabbed our attention with every movement made, note sung, and line delivered. Papageorge is a skilled comedienne. Sharing the stage with the equally talented Allsun O’Malley as Sarah Brown, whose strong yet lovely vocal delicacy is that of a songbird.

Matthew Schatz’s Nathan Detroit was as determined as ever, driving the show’s energy and scene work, especially in the first act. Carter Michael’s Sky Masterson could easily have been played as the slick opportunist, but instead he finds dimension—there is decency beneath the bravado, which makes their chemistry and budding romance feel legitimate in a timely manner. We were rooting for them— they seemed a good match! This was further supported by choreographic choices that never led Sarah to feel unsafe on her journey. Rather, she seemed cushioned and secure to explore the different dimensions of her personhood through the experience of traveling to Havana with this unexpected man and an unexpectedly strong adult beverage. When the production takes us there—to Havana—the feeling of travel and escape for the audience really begins to seep in. It was a fine spectacle.

Speaking of spectacle—The Crapshooters’ Dance was awesome! Exhilarating choreography by Karen Sieber. When I think of comparable dance numbers that I personally have seen live that lay a strong similar memory, I think of How to Succeed’s “Grand Old Ivy” and Hello Dolly’s “The Waiter’s Gallop”. All three musicals won a Tony within a little over a decade, and two by Frank Loesser—there is clearly a style happening on B’way in the Golden Age that won our hearts not so long ago, and still makes our eyes pop today.

Throughout the evening, the choreography — especially among the impressive range of diversity amongst the Guys — brings high-roller energy. The show’s pulse explodes in “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” led by Anthony Arpino as Nicely Nicely Johnson. (Such a fun character name, I've always loved it.) He leads the number with pure joy. And everybody else rallies around him. This is surely a role he was born to play. It is a triumphant climax.

The remainder of the cast is as follows: Paul Crane as Arvide Abernathy, Alex Bernhardt as Harry the Horse, Jason Ayesha as Lt. Brannigan, Cathy Newman as General Cartwright, and Douglass Sorenson as Big Jule. The Dolls include Cristina McKeever, Jazmin Raye, Rasha Willes Samaha, Charlotte Scally, Amy Smith, and Hannah Staudinger. The Guys include Kellen Green, Anton Harrison LaMon, Joe Love, Jacob Roy, Mark Reis, and Kyle Vaughn. Guys and Dolls, aptly named, is an ensemble show and the ensemble is responsible for giving the production its vibe and scenery, and this was beautifully executed through their dance. (Karen Seiber, Choreograher)

Directed by Adam Karsten, Musical Direction by Stephen Hulsey, Set by Jimmy Cuomo, Costumes by Kevin Mark Harris, Lighting by Moira Wilke, Sound by Joshua Adams, Props by Ryan Marquart, and Hair/Makeup by Lynda Shaeps. The entire production cast and crew has done some fine and fun work with this production, which I absolutely recommend seeing!

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