Ended the year on the high
note of attending another Theater production. Back to Olney Theater for
"Guys and Dolls".
Spectacular!
When
I purchased the ticket, it was the matinee of the final Saturday performance,
but the production was extended by two additional weeks. And well deservedly so.
Essay: Snapshot
PART I: The Musical
Guys and Dolls was great fun! The casting was pitch perfect--with
especially strong voices for the characters Sky Masterson (Matt Faucher), Sara
Brown (Jessica Lauren Ball) and Miss Adelaide (Lauren Weinberg). The numbers
were all there and a couple that I think are usually dropped from other
productions for time considerations. To make up for the full repertoire, the
pace of the show was hold on to your horses non-stop! There wasn't a single
moment that seemed un-choreographed and the dancing was athletic and
impressive. Both Sky (Matt Faucher) and Sarah (Jessica Lauren Ball) have
incredibly powerful and restrained voices so that their duets were amazing,
especially "I've Never Been In Love Before" which closed the first
act on a power note. The over all show stopper; however, was "Sit Down, You're
Rockin' The Boat!" led by Nicely Nicely Johnson (Tobias Young). A
wonderful production top to bottom!
PART II: The Show!
Of course, when you go to
something like this alone, you get two shows. The production is the one you
paid for, and the audience is the one money can't buy! My seat was four rows
back from the stage (right) and four seats in from the aisle. Perfect sight
lines. I arrived after the group to my right, three younger women on my row and
two older women on the row above. Before the show and during breaks they talked
up and down to one another about how hungry they were and where they'd made
reservations for dinner (the show was a matinee) and one of the older women
kept doling out cough drops to one of the younger women over my shoulder.
During the show, the cough drop queen occasionally dozed off--no doubt out of hunger!--and
snored quietly.
On my left was another group
that also encompassed two rows. This time the main middle section of my row and
the one directly below. They were late arriving, but must have informed the
theater and the start of the show was nearly 10 minutes off and began directly
after they were seated. There were 17 people in all of various ages and
appeared to be of one family. As they filtered in there were questions about
where individuals should sit and with each question the advice was the same,
"Ask, Xxxxx (the middle aged women who ended up sitting next to me)"
She was a noticeably thin woman whose directions had some members of the family
literally climbing up over the backs of seats! Members whose best climbing days
were behind them, might I add. Eventually everyone was seated and the show
started. All the pre-show kerfuffle was quickly forgotten.
Intermission came and the
"family" vacated for the lobby and some "them time," while
the ladies behind and on the other side of me returned to a discussion of food.
The large family was prompt at returning and the second half of the show
finished wonderfully. Then there was an after show Q & A with members of
the cast for those interested in staying. As it turned out the "family"
stayed. Altogether about 60 people stayed and as those who didn't wish to stay
left and those up in the balcony moved down to join the rest of us, the
Associate Artistic Director shared some show facts and asked us a few simple
one word questions like, "Shout out the one word that described your
experience of the show today." When the 8 year old on the front row called
out "Splendiferous" that pretty much made everyone chuckle, and it
was time for the next question. This pre Q & A was to give the actors
joining us time to change out of costumes and within a few brief minutes, six
members of the cast had arrived back on stage: Matt Faucher (Sky Masterson),
Evan Casey (Benny Southstreet), Jessica Lauren Bell (Sarah Brown), Lauren
Weinberg (Miss Adelaide), Ben Cunis (Harry the Horse--and also one of the
Choreographers), and Andre Hinds (a member of the ensemble)--seven if you add
Jason King Jones (associate artistic director).
The first couple of questions were sort of technical questions, the
kind meant to reveal more about the asker's idiosyncratic knowledge of stage
craft than they are to actually secure a meaningful answer--you know the type.
Then I thought it's either now or never, and I shot my hand into the air. When
Jason pointed to me, I said, "This one is a toss-up for any or all, What
is the moment in the production when you are saying to yourself, 'This is it!
This is what I love most of all?" A handful of people in the audience said
audibly, "wow. That's a really good question." and I thought, well
the bar was set pretty low! Matt had the mike and said, "I want a minute
to really think about that one." and then passed it down and one by one
they all got a chance to tell about what they find most special about the
production and their role in it.
All in all, the Associate
Artistic Director allowed them to field about 12 questions and then said,
"Okay, we have time for just one more question." The generalissima of
the large family sitting next to me raised her hand and was called upon. What
she asked brought such a pall over the entire place....
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