"Guys And Dolls"!

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....

She began, "I noticed the words "Jesus Saves Sinners" on the wall of the mission set. I want to know if any of you knows of the Love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Not the mean Jesus or the strict Jesus, or the Jesus that makes you follow rules, but the Jesus that sets us free, and how that effects your performance?" If I only had a camera to have snapped a portrait of the actors' faces! They were utterly dumbfounded and after an awkward moment, Ben Cunis took the dagger for the group to everyone else upon the stage's heartfelt relief. He explained that everyone brings together their own personal beliefs and then leaves them at the door of the theater because it's not about projecting any religious or cultural perspective. It's about creating something magical and fleeting and giving that to the audience who are free to interpret it any way they see fit. What a good answer, I thought. Quickly we were thanked for staying and bid farewell. As everyone rose to leave, the women turned to her husband and said quietly in a tone perhaps more akin to the "strict" Jesus, "He didn't answer my question...." Like I said, the show costs a set amount, the rest of the experience is priceless!