By Larisa Hicken
As the final show of their indoor season in Orem, Utah, SCERA’s production of Guys & Dolls was sensational.
With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, Guys & Dolls is a classic lighthearted musical about girls who fall for the wrong guys and gamblers who can’t seem to find their lucky break – except when it comes to love. The original production was an instant hit and many of the songs from the show will be familiar favorites for anyone who loves classical Broadway.
All of the design elements of the show worked together flawlessly to present a caricature of the stereotypical gangsters, gamblers, and missionaries from New York City in the 1950s. The brightly colored costumes by Kelsey Seaver and flashy set design by Shaun M. Mortensen added a lot of visual appeal and helped create a comic strip feel to the show that was downright awesome.
It was obviously opening night and there were a few blunders with actors dropping or missing props or getting slightly tangled in their costumes, but other technical aspects of the show were absolutely perfect. I didn’t notice a single mistake with the sound and the lights (designed by Elizabeth Ottley Griffiths) were “spot on.” Scene changes were quick and efficient and kept the rhythm of the show moving right along.
It was a lot of fun to see actor Bryan Thacker in a comedic role as Nathan Detroit since his last few roles have included much darker characters. Thacker is a dynamic performer with amazing singing talent. I lost a few of his words in the beginning due to the fast pacing of the show, but his accent was great, too.
His fiancé Adelaide was played by Alyssa Orme who seemed a little nervous in the beginning of the show, especially during “Adelaide’s Lament,” but she got better and better as the night went on. Her vocals were very nice for someone so young and her physicality and comedic timing is fabulous. I would like to have seen a few more moments of affection and chemistry between Nathan and Adelaide, but they seemed natural and comfortable together.
Corey Morris made a sincere and charming Sky Masterson and I appreciated the rich quality of his voice. Cheyenne Lee, as Masterson’s love interest Sarah Brown, was hilarious with her physical gestures and facial expressions. It was almost disturbing how well she played both an uptight missionary and a drunk person.
Together Morris and Lee made a visually interesting pair and there were some really nice tender moments between the two actors. However, the stage blocking in their love song “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” felt a little off and prevented me from really seeing their connection in that particular moment.
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One of the best scene’s of the night was “Marry the Man Today” between Adelaide and Sarah. Their energy, timing, and interactions made the scene laugh-out-loud hilarious.
As Director and Music Director, David Smith and Choreographer Brittini Bills Smith should be particularly proud of their work with the chorus. Their vocals were spectacular and their pantomimes and dancing were fabulous. I especially enjoyed the tight harmonies of the gamblers during the first scene and the uniquely creative choreography in “Luck be a Lady” and “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
The ensemble deserves a lot of the credit for the high-energy performance and some of the best character interactions took place in the hustle and bustle of the background. Stand outs were the amazing vocals of Michael Young as “Nicely Nicely Johnson” and the exceptional dancing of Jayson Shipley as “Rusty Charlie.” The Hot Box Dancers absolutely stole the show with their “Bushel and a Peck” number. That scene alone was worth the price of a ticket.
If you’re looking for an upbeat and fun show, you can bet you’ll enjoy Guys & Dolls at the SCERA Center for the Arts.
SCERA Center for the Arts
745 South State Street, Orem Utah
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30pm
Adult – $12, Child (ages 3-11) – $10, Senior (ages 65+) – $10
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