Musicals should be grand spectacles and UF’s production of Guys and Dolls under the phenomenal direction of Tony Mata delivers the goods in spades! Starting on Broadway in 1950, the legs that keep this piece of the modern musical-theatre cannon going are the twin themes of religion and love. Mata’s take is big, bold, and almost cartoon-like. One is reminded, by the New York set, of Eddie Valiant (Roger Rabbit’s private dick) driving out of the tunnel into Toontown. These buildings, comically skewed and distorted seem to dance betty-boop style in the background. And then the actors hit the stage and Robert Altman’s film Popeye seems visually dull in comparison. The bright punchy colors of the costumes, the superb sound design, the fantastic lighting, the illuminated signs on the structures, this is eye-popping candy fit for an arcade. This is serious stage magic. Within this context, the actors are free to play large, archetypal, over-the-top, and yet the talented ensemble can still pull a heartstring or two when the time comes. And can they sing! Backed up by a real-deal orchestra in the pit with talented musicians the likes of Gary Langford (Trumpet), Brian Hargrove (Piano), and Sarah Klein (Standup Bass), under the direction of Dr. Anthony Offerle, this production is ear candy as well.
There are at least one-hundred and thirty people between the cast, orchestra, and production team that put this play on the stage, far too many to go into detail about. Safe to say, the creative work of each member of this collection shines. The direction is detailed, rich in physicality. There is some fight choreography that is downright jaw-dropping, including one of the best bitch-slaps ever witnessed on a stage. And Rick Rose’s dance choreography is at the top of the game.
In particular, the four leads of our story, Nathan Detroit [Daniel Fuentes], Sky Masterson [Jacob Titterington], Sarah Brown [Anna Dvorak], and Miss Adelaide [Yael Reich) carry their roles with color, confidence, and character. The stakes are high. We buy it all. Supporting players bring equal measure in memorable turns, especially Marcellis Cutler as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Javon Johnson as Arvide Abernathy, Gabe Calloway as the determined Lt. Brannigan, and of course Anthony Bido as Big Jule—a truly intimidating bad guy. And the other supporting players are always and completely invested in their world. One will never see a background player slacking off or off in their focus. These people live in this town.
One after another, sets turn into other sets with dramatic set drops and rolling set pieces—an impressive 3-D sewage tunnel, a church, then all of a sudden, Cuba! Most impressive is Fuentes as Detroit. He so thoroughly inhabits this slimy New York sleaze ball and by the end as he transforms himself, Fuentes endows him with palpable humanity; truly a difficult feat to send through and all the way to the back of a fairly large performance space. We feel for this sap, and wish him and his well.
This Guys and Dolls is a rollicking bodacious trip back in time to the swingin’ better days of yesteryear. This play rolls boxcars!
There are at least one-hundred and thirty people between the cast, orchestra, and production team that put this play on the stage, far too many to go into detail about. Safe to say, the creative work of each member of this collection shines. The direction is detailed, rich in physicality. There is some fight choreography that is downright jaw-dropping, including one of the best bitch-slaps ever witnessed on a stage. And Rick Rose’s dance choreography is at the top of the game.
In particular, the four leads of our story, Nathan Detroit [Daniel Fuentes], Sky Masterson [Jacob Titterington], Sarah Brown [Anna Dvorak], and Miss Adelaide [Yael Reich) carry their roles with color, confidence, and character. The stakes are high. We buy it all. Supporting players bring equal measure in memorable turns, especially Marcellis Cutler as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Javon Johnson as Arvide Abernathy, Gabe Calloway as the determined Lt. Brannigan, and of course Anthony Bido as Big Jule—a truly intimidating bad guy. And the other supporting players are always and completely invested in their world. One will never see a background player slacking off or off in their focus. These people live in this town.
One after another, sets turn into other sets with dramatic set drops and rolling set pieces—an impressive 3-D sewage tunnel, a church, then all of a sudden, Cuba! Most impressive is Fuentes as Detroit. He so thoroughly inhabits this slimy New York sleaze ball and by the end as he transforms himself, Fuentes endows him with palpable humanity; truly a difficult feat to send through and all the way to the back of a fairly large performance space. We feel for this sap, and wish him and his well.
This Guys and Dolls is a rollicking bodacious trip back in time to the swingin’ better days of yesteryear. This play rolls boxcars!
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