Above: The gamblers in the Rose Childrens Theatre’s “Guys and Dolls” roll the dice in a scene captured in the song, “Luck Be A Lady” (Photos by Daran deCalesta)
By Randi Bjornstad
Actors Aaron Conover, Rogan deCalesta and Caden Friesen discuss possible locations for their “longest established permanent floating” crap game in “Guys and Dolls”
The young actors of the Rose Childrens Theatre open their production of the classic musical, “Guys and Dolls,” on April 28 for a two-weekend run.
The eight performances will be at the Wildish Community Theater in downtown Springfield.
The play is set in 1920s New York, based on two short stories by author Damon Runyon — “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” and “Blood Pressure” — and introduces two of the most memorable characters of the musical stage, a pair of small-time gamblers named Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit.
Sky Masterson, played by Caleb Pruitt, and Sarah Brown, played by Jenna Ward, confess to each other that “I’ve Never Been in Love Before”
The Broadway version of “Guys and Dolls” had its premiere in 1950, ran for 1,200 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. In 1955, the popular film version starred Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra as Masterson and Detroit.
The Rose Children’s Theatre version features actors ages 7 to 17 years, directed by Scott Frazier-Maskiell and Lyn Burg. A transplant from New York, he has 40 years’ experience in theater. She is a jazz singer and dance instructor.
A large group of youths ages 7 to 17 years makes up the cast of the Rose Childrens Theatre’s production of “Guys and Dolls”
Guys and Dolls
When: 7 p.m. on April 28-29 and May 5-7; and 2 p.m. on April 30 and May 6-7
Where: Wildish Community Theater, 530 Main St. in downtown Springfield
Tickets: Adults $12, students $9, available online at therct.com or at the the door
Information: 541-053-7433
