Guys and Dolls

What is there to say about this musical that hasn't already been said? The music is iconic: Luck Be a Lady continues to fill casinos and cocktail parties across the country. The story and features are as relevant today as they were when the show premiered on Broadway in 1950. Guys and Dolls paints a vivid picture of New York where gamblers own the nights and the struggle to be wholesome keeps all the characters relate-able. I'll not beat this horse, I think anyone that has seen this show will agree; it's a delightful lighthearted dance into a seedier side of the American Dream.

I've seen only a couple other shows at the Coronado Playhouse, but they always have a way to pack in as much as possible on the relatively small stage they have. In this presentation, they had a large instrument section providing the iconic sounds of the show. The musicians played on stage in full view underneath a catwalk where actors frequented. Without being able to accurately measure the stage, I'd say that there were 2-3 musicians side-by-side along the length of the stage. The music was really nice; kudos! It's not often I see the music being played live in such an open manner, but it was very interesting.

The acting was delightful and without choosing favorites, I'd like to commend the following performances: (In no particular order)

David Guthrie (Nicely Nicely Johnson)- This was a wonderful performance. David nearly stole every scene he was in. His portrayal was comedic and Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat was excellent

Olivia Torres (Sarah Brown) - I'm sure Olivia has heard this most of her life, but she's got pipes! Her voice was angelic which was very suitable for this role. If I Were a Bell was heartfelt and romantics (such as myself) fall head over heels.

Dave Rivas (Nathan Detroit) - Dave has a way of really keeping the character development of Nathan Detroit very fresh. Nathan's character is a soft-hearted gambler and I can't get Dave's rendition of Sue Me out of my head.

There's no way to thank everyone for such a grand performance, but here's my sincere "Thank you". It takes a lot of dedication and heart to make a show feel this big in such a small venue, but I applaud each and every cast member and crew.