The Catskill Chronicle

Review by Carol Montana

FORESTBURGH, NY (June 14, 2012) – A sure-fire way to start your summer season off with a bang is to open with a theatrical classic such as “Guys & Dolls,” the hit Broadway musical that has seen a multitude of revivals, as well as a successful 1955 film.

With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, the play is based on stories by Damon Runyun, an American newspaperman and author, best known for his stories about New York City during the Prohibition era. Indeed, his tales were so popular that his name lends itself to the adjective “Runyonesque” – used to describe a type of character found in his stories, and a noun :Runyonese” – used to describe the speech found in those stories.

Runyonese abounds in Forestburgh’s production of “Guys & Dolls,” and being a gambler himself, Runyon “soi-ten-ly” knew the world he created for this show.

Horse races, crap games and even a bet on a date to Havana are all part of a plot to fund the “Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York.”

The show, directed by Ron Nash, is a fun-filled escapade through the streets (and sometimes even the sewers) of New York filled with characters like the ultimate con artist Nathan Detroit (Robert Anthony Jones nicely channeling Nathan Lane), the suave and debonair Sky Masterson (Dan Fenaughty), the Salvation Army’s Sarah Brown (Elana Jillian Abt), the loud and brash Lt. Brannigan (Steve Davis), and the overly annoying and perpetually engaged Miss Adelaide (LoriAnn Freda), plus assorted gamblers (the guys) and a few dancers and hangers-on (the dolls).

The songs are legendary: “Fugue for Tinhorns” (I got the horse right here…), “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Adelaide’s Lament” (A person can develop a cold …); “Luck be a Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” – very nicely done by Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Zachary Bencal); and of course the title song “Guys and Dolls.”

Forestburgh’s set, designed by Darcy Engel and Steve Davis is well utilized as the characters negotiate the many different locales demanded by the show.

While the music, under the direction of Kevin Lawson is often too loud, unfortunately drowning out some of the singing, the choreography is crisp, and works especially well in the “The Crapshooter’s Dance.”

And one has to question the omission of a song toward the end of the show (“Marry the Man Today”) – which is the only coming together of the two female leads. Was it a decision based on length? What’s another five minutes in a show that lasts over two hours?

That question aside, the Forestburgh show has its heart in the right place – a familiar song-filled frolic on the streets of “old” Broadway filled with unforgettable characters and memorable songs.

“Guys & Dolls” plays now through June 24 at the Forestburgh Playhouse – Tuesdays through Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

In addition, check out the new pre-show buffet and cabaret with dinner starting at 6:00 p.m. sharp and cabaret starting at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

The regular post-show cabaret will still be offered on Friday and Saturday nights.

The full cabaret schedule can be found here: http://www.fbplayhouse.org/CurrentCabaret.html.

For more information on the Forestburgh Playhouse, show or cabaret schedules, visit the Forestburgh Playhouse website or call the box office at 845-794-1194.