Guys and Dolls

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the 1955 film version, see Guys and Dolls (film).
For the 1970s UK musical group, see Guys n' Dolls.
For the "Married... with Children" episode, see Guys and Dolls (Married... with Children episode).
Guys and Dolls
Original Cast Recording
Music Frank Loesser
Lyrics Frank Loesser
Book Jo Swerling
Abe Burrows
Based upon The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown by Damon Runyon
Productions 1950 Broadway
1953 West End
1955 film
1976 Broadway revival
1982 West End revival
1992 Broadway revival
1995 Las Vegas
2005 West End revival
2008 Australia
Awards Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Book
Olivier for Outstanding Musical
Tony Award for Best Revival
Drama Desk Outstanding Revival
Olivier for Outstanding Musical

Guys and Dolls is a musical, with the music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, based on The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown, a short story by Damon Runyon. It also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably "Pick the Winner."

The musical was first produced on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre, opening on November 24, 1950 and directed by George S. Kaufman. It starred Robert Alda, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley, and Vivian Blaine. The play enjoyed an initial run of 1,201 performances, winning five 1951 Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. Decca Records issued an original cast recording on LP; it was later reissued on CD by MCA. The original London production opened at the London Coliseum on May 28, 1953 and ran for 555 performances. The show enjoyed numerous award-winning revivals and tours and has become a popular choice for school and community theatre productions.[1]

On November 3, 1955 the film version was released, starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons, with Vivian Blaine reprising her role. It was directed by Joseph Mankiewicz.

Contents

[edit] Original production background

Isabel Bigley, who played Miss Sarah Brown, wrote an article about the frustrations and accomplishments that took place throughout the creation of Guys and Dolls. Among other things, she claimed that Frank Loesser physically assaulted her for not singing his songs the way he believed she should. Loesser's daughter, Susan, wrote in her biography of her father, "During a tantrum that became a Broadway insiders' legend, he [Frank Loesser] actually slapped Isabel Bigley in the face when she failed to sing his way. Like his explosion with the chorus, his attack on Isabel was over in a flash."[2]

A 50th-anniversary NPR retrospective on the making of the original Broadway production included Blaine's recollections of Miss Adelaide being created specifically to fit Blaine into the musical after Loesser and Loewe decided she was ill suited to play the buttoned-up Sarah. In the same retrospective, host Scott Simon observed that "Adelaide's Lament" is "often considered a perfect comic song" and offered a clip of lyricist Fred Ebb's analysis of its appeal:

“ Here's a girl who's got a cold all through the play and she says she has a cold 'cause somebody isn't going to marry her. That's a very rich comic notion. And she's got these hilarious punch lines. You know, "if she's getting a kind of name for herself and the name ain't his; if she's tired of gettin' the fish eye from the hotel clerk." Every line in it is worth something. It means something; has impact. It has vitality. It has humor and charm and appropriateness. And I don't know how you can get much better than that. ”

—Lyricist Fred Ebb[3]

[edit] Revivals

Guys and Dolls has enjoyed many revivals, including a 1976 revival at The Broadway Theatre, which featured an all-black cast and Motown-style musical arrangements by Danny Holgate and Horace Ott, which was directed by Billy Wilson. It ran for 239 performances.

A 1982 London revival was directed by Richard Eyre and played at the Royal National Theatre's largest auditorium, the Olivier Theatre. The principals were Bob Hoskins (Nathan), Julia McKenzie (Miss Adelaide), Ian Charleson (Sky), and Julie Covington (Sarah).

A 1992 Broadway revival, directed by Jerry Zaks,and starring Peter Gallagher, Faith Prince, Nathan Lane and Josie de Guzman, played at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 1,143 performances. In 1995, a Las Vegas, Nevada production starred Jack Jones, Maureen McGovern and Frank Gorshin.

The 2005 West End revival opened at London's Piccadilly Theatre in June 2005 and closed in April 2007. This revival, directed by Michael Grandage, starred Ewan McGregor (Sky Masterson), Jane Krakowski (Miss Adelaide), and Douglas Hodge (Nathan Detroit)[4]. American actors Patrick Swayze (2006) and Don Johnson (2007) appeared as Nathan Detroit after Douglas Hodge left. Actor Alex Ferns also appeared in this production (2007)

According to playbill.com the 2005 West End production, which had been scheduled to begin previews on Broadway in February 2008, has been indefinitely postponed.[5]

A new production of Guys & Dolls opened in Melbourne, Australia on April 5, 2008. The show stars Lisa McCune, Marina Prior, Garry McDonald, Ian Stenlake, Shane Jacobson and Magda Szubanski, and is playing at the Princess Theatre.

[edit] Synopsis

Act I

The show opens with three gamblers, Nicely Nicely Johnson, Benny Southstreet, and Rusty Charlie, talking about which horse will win a race the following day. ("Fugue for Tinhorns") At the end of the song, they are met by the band of the Save-a-Soul Mission, a local Salvation Army-like organization, who encourages them to stop the evils of gambling. ("Follow the Fold") Everyone eventually leaves, and Nicely and Benny are confronted by the local policeman, Lt. Brannigan. Nathan Detroit arrives and, after insulting Brannigan, talks to his sidekicks about how his plans for his illegal "floating crap game" are going. Meanwhile, he is receiving constant encouragement to "go straight" by Miss Adelaide, a nightclub singer to whom he has been engaged for fourteen years but will not marry. When a surge of "high-rollers" comes to town, Nathan is pressured to find a place to hold his floating crap game. Due to strong police activity, namely Lieutenant Brannigan, he can only find one spot, the Biltmore Hotel garage. The owner's requirement, however, is a $1,000 deposit for security, which Nathan does not have. ("The Oldest Established")

Trying to obtain the money, Nathan comes across Sky Masterson, a high-rolling gambler willing to bet on virtually anything. Nathan proposes a bet which seems impossible to lose: Sky must take a doll of Nathan's choice to dinner- in Havana, Cuba. Nathan chooses Miss Sarah Brown, a straight-walking sergeant at the Save-a-Soul Mission. Sarah resists Sky, telling him that he isn't the kind of person she would like to go out on a date with. ("I'll Know") Fortunately for Sky, Sarah's Mission is in trouble, and when he promises to fill her prayer meeting with a dozen sinners, Sky manages to get Sarah to agree to the date, putting Nathan in an even worse position. Meanwhile Nathan arranges to use the garage, assuming Sky will never manage to date Miss Sarah, while Miss Adelaide to finishes her performance in the Hot Box nightclub ("A Bushel And A Peck"). Adelaide soon finds out Nathan is running the crap game again, and reflects on a book she's been reading, which basically tells her that the cold she is having is because she is frustrated that Nathan won't commit to her. ("Adelaide's Lament") Over the course of Sky and Sarah's date, Sky manages to break down Sarah's social inhibitions (by giving her a drink with Bacardi), and a drunk Sarah starts to fall in love with Sky, though he won't take advantage of her while she is intoxicated. ("If I Were A Bell"). The two return to America, and Sarah, sober, and Sky express their mutual love for each other. ("My Time of Day"/"I've Never Been in Love Before") Unfortunately, their romantic moment is ruined when they see gamblers running out of the mission- which is where Nathan was having the crap game.

Act II

Adelaide performs another song at the hotbox. ("Take Back Your Mink") She is still having a psychosomatic cold due to lack of a wedding ring. ("Adelaides Second Lament") Tired of his habitual lying, she walks out on Nathan ("Sue Me"). Meanwhile, Sky is having problems of his own with Sarah as their lifestyles clash. Convinced that his love for Sarah is true, Sky makes good on a bet he made with Sarah to fill her failing mission with a dozen sinners (Luck Be A Lady). Also, he lies about succeeding on his original bet with Nathan and pays him the $1,000. At the same time, Sky wins a bet with the guys at Nathan's crap game that results in them having to appear at Sarah's mission ("Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat"). Nathan also attends, but doing so nearly ruins his relationship with Adelaide.

Sarah fatefully runs into Adelaide, where the two realize that they cannot fight love any longer ("Marry the Man Today"). Adelaide is relieved when Sarah mentions that Nathan had attended a service earlier in the night, which Adelaide thought he had been lying about.

The show ends happily with Nathan and Adelaide's long-awaited wedding ("Finale"), Nathan having gone (almost) straight. They are joined by Sarah and Sky, who has joined the mission and married Sarah.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Musical numbers

Act I
  • "Runyonland" (Orchestra)
  • "Fugue for Tinhorns" (Nicely, Benny, Rusty)
  • "Follow the Fold" (Sarah, Mission Band)
  • "The Oldest Established" (Nathan, Nicely, Benny, Guys)
  • "I'll Know" (Sarah, Sky)
  • "A Bushel and a Peck" (Miss Adelaide, Hot Box Girls)
  • "Adelaide's Lament" (Miss Adelaide)
  • "Guys and Dolls" (Nicely, Benny)
  • "If I Were a Bell" (Sarah)
  • "My Time of Day/I've Never Been in Love Before" (Sky, Sarah)
Act II
  • "Take Back Your Mink" (Miss Adelaide, Hot Box Girls)
  • "More I Cannot Wish You" (Arvide)
  • "Crapshooters' Ballet" (Orchestra)
  • "Luck Be a Lady" (Sky, Guys)
  • "Sue Me" (Miss Adelaide, Nathan)
  • "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" (Nicely, Company)
  • "Marry the Man Today" (Miss Adelaide, Sarah)
  • "Finale" (Company)

[edit] Historical cast information

The following table shows the principal casts of the major productions of Guys and Dolls:

Cast of major productions of Guys and Dolls
Nathan Detroit Miss Adelaide Sky Masterson Sister Sarah Brown Nicely-Nicely Johnson Arvide Abernathy Big Jule Harry The Horse Benny Southstreet Rusty Charlie
Original 1950 Broadway Production Sam Levene Vivian Blaine Robert Alda Isabel Bigley Stubby Kaye Pat Rooney B.S. Pully Tom Pedi Johnny Silver Douglas Deane
Original 1953 London Production Sam Levene Vivian Blaine Jerry Wayne Lizbeth Webb Stubby Kaye Ernest Butcher Lew Herbert Tom Pedi Johnny Silver Douglas Deane
1955 Film Frank Sinatra Vivian Blaine Marlon Brando Jean Simmons Stubby Kaye Regis Toomey B.S. Pully Sheldon Leonard Johnny Silver Murray Vines
1976 All Black Cast Robert Guillaume Norma Donaldson James Randolph Ernestine Jackson Ken Page Emett “Babe” Wallace Walter White John Russell Christophe Pierre
1982 Royal National Theatre, London Bob Hoskins Julia McKenzie Ian Charleson Julie Covington Clive Row Barry Potvin
1992 US Revival Nathan Lane Faith Prince Peter Gallagher Josie de Guzman Walter Bobbie John Carpenter Herschel Sparber Ernie Sabella J.K. Simmons Timothy Shew
2005 London Production Douglas Hodge Jane Krakowski Ewan McGregor Jenna Russell Martyn Ellis Niall Buggy Sevan Stephan Norman Bowman Cory English
2008 Melbourne Production Garry McDonald Marina Prior Ian Stenlake Lisa McCune Shane Jacobson Russell Newman Magda Szubanski Adam Murphy Wayne Scott Kermond Sean Brennan

[edit] Awards and nominations

  • Original 1950 Broadway production
  • 1965 Broadway revival
  • 1976 Broadway revival
    • 1977 Tony Award
      • Best Actor in a Musical — Robert Guillaume (nominee)
      • Best Actress in a Musical — Ernestine Jackson (nominee)
      • Most Innovative Production of a Revival-nominee
    • 1977 Theatre World Award
    • 1977 Drama Desk Award
      • Outstanding Actor in a Musical — Robert Guillaume (nominee)
      • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical — Ernestine Jackson (nominee)
  • 1992 Broadway revival
    • 1994 Theatre World Award — Burke Moses (Winner)
    • 1992 Tony Award
      • Best Actor in a Musical — Nathan Lane (nominee)
      • Best Actress in a Musical — Faith Prince (Winner)
      • Best Actress in a Musical — Josie de Guzman (nominee)
      • Best Scenic Design — Tony Walton (Winner)
      • Best Lighting Design — Paul Gallo (nominee)
      • Best Choreography — Christopher Chadman (nominee)
      • Best Direction of a Musical — Jerry Zaks (Winner)
      • Best Revival (Winner)
    • 1992 Drama Desk Award
      • Outstanding Actress in a Musical — Faith Prince (Winner)
      • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical — Walter Bobbie (nominee)
      • Outstanding Choreography — Christopher Chadman (nominee)
      • Outstanding Director of a Musical — Jerry Zaks (Winner)
      • Outstanding Costumes — William Ivey Long (Winner)
      • Outstanding Lighting Design — Paul Gallo (Winner)
      • Outstanding Set Design — Tony Walton (Winner)
      • Outstanding Revival (Winner)
  • 1982 London production
  • 2005 London production

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ TIME magazine reported in its May 26, 2008 issue, p. 51, that this musical tied (with Anything Goes) as the tenth most frequently produced musical by U.S. high schools in 2007.
  2. ^ Loesser, Susan. A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life., page xix.
  3. ^ Scott Simon (host). "Creation of the musical Guys and Dolls, Weekend Edition Saturday, National Public Radio, November 25, 2000
  4. ^ Playbill News: "Adelaide's Lament": London Guys and Dolls Closes April 14
  5. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/110928.html playbill article, 9/11/07

[edit] References

  • Susan Loesser (1993): A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life. Donald I. Fine, New York ISBN-0-634-00927-3.
  • Davis, Lee. "The Indestructible Icon" in ShowMusic, Winter 2000-01: 17-24, 61-63

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
South Pacific		 Tony Award for Best Musical
1951		 Succeeded by
The King and I
Preceded by
South Pacific
by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan		 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
1950		 Succeeded by
No Award Given


v • d • e
Tony Award for Best Musical

Kiss Me, Kate (1949) · South Pacific (1950) · Guys and Dolls (1951) · The King and I (1952) · Wonderful Town (1953) · Kismet (1954) · The Pajama Game (1955) · Damn Yankees (1956) · My Fair Lady (1957) · The Music Man (1958) · Redhead (1959) · The Sound of Music / Fiorello! (1960) · Bye Bye Birdie (1961) · How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1962) · A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963) · Hello, Dolly! (1964) · Fiddler on the Roof (1965) · Man of La Mancha (1966) · Cabaret (1967) · Hallelujah, Baby! (1968) · 1776 (1969) · Company (1971) · Two Gentlemen of Verona (1972) · A Little Night Music (1973) · Raisin (1974) · The Wiz (1975)
v • d • e
Frank Loesser musicals