by Frank Loesser , Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling
directed by Robert Jacobs
music direction - Wayne Ward
featuring Peri Chouteau, Harry Rothman, Sarah Powell & Aaron Velthouse
with Robert Vanaria, Glenna Thompson, Mathew Broadhurst, Annita Brockney, James Tallach & Jonathan Popp
Turtle Lane Playhouse
Newton MA / (617) 244 - 0169
through Jun. 5
Community based organizations like the Turtle Lane Playhouse having been carrying the torch for the American Musical Theatre for quite a while, producing consistent revivals from the canon. Recently, more professional operations, notably Speakeasy, the New Rep, and the Lyric have upped the ante for local production in terms of overall quality. TLP's current offering, a revival of Frank Loesser's "Guys and Dolls" confirms their development over the years. The show is consistently well sung under Wayne Ward's sound music direction. Experienced performers Peri Chouteau and Harry Rothman are engaging as Miss Adelaide, the mature night club diva and Nathan Detroit, her marraige-shy gambler beau. Their romance is the real core of the show, culminating in "Sue Me" which the pair does to perfection.
The romantic leads, high-roller Sky Masterson and Sgt. Sarah Brown, the street missionary, are impressively sung by Sarah Powell, a recent NECon Vocal grad and Aaron Velthouse, who's currently studying there. These young pros achieve the chemistry needed to make their part of this Broadway fable believable, from "I'll Know" to "If I were A Bell"/"My Time of Day." And rotund Robert Vanaria steps into the Stubby Kaye role of Nicely-Nicely, Nathan's gofer, with aplomb, getting the most out of one of the best 11 o'clock numbers ever written, "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat." He, together with Mathew Broadhurst and Jonathan Popp start the show off right with the "Fugue for Tinhorns" as well.
The rest of the ensemble does well musically with the group numbers. Choreographer Karen Fogarty puts them through their paces, though some, especially the guys are fledgling "gypsies" at best. Loesser, whose career was largely as a composer for films, created a "score" for "Guys and Dolls" that is legendary for its economy and wit. The show is helped of course by Abe Burrow's and Jo Swerling's translation of Damon Runyon's colorful NY characters for the stage. TLP brings them to life, albeit with an occasionall touch of "Bahstin."
"Guys and Dolls" is one of the icons of the American Musical Theatre, following the mode and using the developments that Rodgers, Hammerstein, Hart, Porter, the Gershwins, and Berlin had explored before WWII. It doesn't need an elaborate production, though TLP current effort is a bit sparse and could use a few extras to play bums, cops, etc. as well as a few more male dancers. A more impressive Times Square backdrop to match the projections on either side of the stage would also help. Director Robert Jacobs keeps the show moving along, though the pace gets leisurely at times when NY "energy" might up the ante. But Robert Itczak's costumes are appropriate without getting cartoonish, Richard Daheny's set does its job, and John Mackenzie's lighting copes with the Playhouse's deficiencies quite well. This production would be a fine introduction to musical theatre for anyone not in tune with the tradition.