"Guys and Dolls" at Bloomington Civic Theatre

I love a big old-fashioned classic musical* at Bloomington Civic Theatre, and Guys and Dolls is definitely that. This 1955 musical with a well-known score by Frank Loesser is one of the most beloved musicals of the last century. As per usual, it gets fine treatment by BCT, with fantastic choreography and direction by Matthew Michael Ferrell, Anita Ruth's always wonderful pit orchestra, a huge and energetic ensemble, bright and beautiful period costumes, and fine performances by the leads. If you're a lover of classic musicals of the '50s - this is it.

Guys and Dolls centers around the underground gambling business in NYC and a mission trying to save the sinners. Nathan Detroit runs the big craps game in town and is always looking for a place to hold it, while trying to hide it from Adelaide, Hot Box dancer and his fiance of 14 years. To get the money to secure a location for the game, Nathan bets big-time gambler Sky Masterson that he cannot convince pious mission worker Sarah to go to Havana with him. Sky wins the bet, but it's not quite that simple. To win Sarah's heart, he bets against the guys' souls to get them to come to a meeting and save the mission. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Highlights of the show include:

• The music. The score includes such favorites as "Bushel and a Peck," "Adelaide's Lament," "If I Were a Bell," "Luck Be a Lady," and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," all played and sung beautifully be the orchestra and cast.
• Michael Matthew Ferrell's choreography. The group numbers are so much fun to watch, from the opening number, creating perfect tableaux of city life, to the Hot Box Girls performances, to the smooth swinging Havana scene, to the crapshooters sharp dance. And these guys and dolls can dance.
• Ed Gleeman's costumes. Men in rainbow-colored suits, two-toned shoes, and hats used as props in dances - what's not to love about that? The women look pretty smashing too.
• Bill Rolon and Rachel Weber. Perfectly cast as Nathan and Adelaide, they absolutely sparkle and crackle on stage, individually (Nathan working the guys, Adelaide's charming lament and leading the Hot Box Girls) but especially together ("Sue Me" is a highlight, funny and tender). They even look the part; somehow the height difference (in Adelaide's favor) only makes them more perfect for each other. This is a relationship you can understand and root for, despite the overly long engagement.
• The voices of Holli Richgels and Joshua Paul Smith. I always find the Sky/Sarah romance less appealing than Nathan/Adelaide, but these two sound lovely together.
• The charming trio of Lamar Jefferson, A.J. Longabaugh, and Andrew Newman. They're almost like narrators of the show, singing the opening number and the title song in enthusiastic harmony. And Lamar is pitch perfect as Nicely-Nicely, singing the crowd-pleasing "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."

This faithful and fun production of a beloved musical theater classic continues through September 14. You might want to get your tickets sooner rather than later, as this one is sure to be popular (Goldstar tickets are currently sold out but check back in case more dates are added).

*As much as Guys and Dolls is a quintessential example of a classic piece of musical theater that BCT does well, their next show is a great example of a new and modern rock musical, Next to Normal. I'm excited to see BCT step out of their comfort zone a bit with this devastatingly brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning musical that features a small six-person cast and typically onstage rock band rather than a traditional pit orchestra.

"On the Town" at Bloomington Civic Theatre

"New York, New York, it's a hell of a town!" How could I not love a show that includes that lyric? The 1944 Bernstein/Comden&Green/Robbins musical On the Town is a love letter to NYC as much as anything else. Three sailors on leave have a mere 24 hours in which to enjoy all the city has to offer, and they do their best. It's a light and happy musical, but it's also about enjoying the short time you're given (or as some might say, "no day but today"). As director Wendy Lehr notes in the playbill, "There is an underlying poignancy in all the high jinx." This is my second time seeing On the Town (Skylark Opera did it a few years ago), and already being familiar with the plot and music, I was really able to appreciate the funny and clever lyrics, crisply drawn characters, and of course, the amazing musical composition by Leonard Bernstein. I could definitely hear similarities to that other great Robbins/Bernstein collaboration. On the Town a great piece, a classic in musical theater history, and as usual, Bloomington Civic Theatre does a smashing job bringing it to life.

A quick plot review in case you've never seen the show (or have only seen the movie, which has significant changes of plot and music, as if one could improve on Bernstein!): Our three sailor heroes are the fun-loving skirt-chasing Ozzie, the organized and determined sightseer Chip, and the good guy Gabey, who only wants to find that one special girl. Find her he does, when he falls in love with a poster of Ivy Smith, Miss Turnstiles, on the subway. His two friends agree to give up their goals for the day (girls and sightseeing) to help their pal Gabey find Ivy. Since this is a musical, of course he does find her, but not without complications. In the end, a good time is had by all, and the boys get back on the ship, as a new batch of sailors land to spend their golden 24 hours in New York - a hell of a town.

A few highlights:

• The three sailors are all charming and energetic, great dancers and singers. AJ Longabaugh is all youthful energy as Ozzie, Andrew Newman is funny and adorable as Chip, and C. Ryan Shipley brings the appropriate love and longing to Gabey.
• I love the women in this show - they're strong and confident, they know what they want, and they go after it, whether it's a man or a career. They're that specific 1940s type of broad, when women did "men's work" because the men were off at war, and did it well and proudly. Colleen Somerville, Rachel Weber, and Alyssa Seifert all fill their roles perfectly.
• The show is directed by the incomparable Wendy Lehr, winner of the 2010 Ivey Lifetime Achievement Award, and choreographed by Michael Matthew Ferrell (frequent collaborator with Theater Latte Da). As always his choreography is fresh, fast, and fantastic.
• The huge ensemble delightfully plays many roles, all sorts of characters that you see on the New York City streets, and perform the dance numbers with aplomb. Standouts include Neal Beckman, who makes the most of every role and minute he has the stage, and dancer and assistant choreographer Krysti Wiita.
• As a rule I don't usually like the "dream ballet," a popular convention in 1940s and 50s musicals that I'm glad has gone out of fashion. They're usually just a silly diversion from the main action. But I like it here (when the original choreographer is Jerome Robbins, that great storyteller through movement, it makes sense to add some prolonged dancing sequences). I especially love the one takes place on a subway, that great microcosm of humanity, with passengers slowly waving to the motion of the train. There are several scenes where story is told simply through dance and music, with no spoken or sung words, making On the Town part dance show, part musical.
• I love a pit orchestra, and no one does it better than Anita Ruth and Bloomington Civic Theatre. Hearing the music of Leonard Bernstein come to life with a 20+ piece orchestra is a dream.
• Favorite numbers are any of the male/female duets ("A Taxicab," "Carried Away," "I Can Cook Too") and the fun friendship song "You Got Me."
• The set is simple but interesting, influenced by the artwork of David Klein, who created posters for TWA, and the costumes create that 1940s period look.

BCT has recently made the transition from community theater to professional theater, which makes sense because they've been providing professional-level entertainment for years. They attract top professional talent (e.g., the aforementioned Wendy Lehr and Michael Matther Ferrel), added to the talent-in-residence of the always great Anita Ruth and Robin McIntyre's set design. Most of the actors have day jobs, but it's clear from their performances and from comments at post-show talk-backs that they love what they do. They bring that passion and joy to the stage and give it all to the audience. On the Town concludes the 2012-2013 musical theater season, with an exciting 2013-2014 season coming up that includes Singin' in the Rain, Les Miserables (for which they've hired two "professional" actors, William Gilness and one of my favorites, Dieter Bierbrauer, to lead the cast), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Gypsy. (I think it's time to renew my season tickets!) If you're a musical theater fan who lives in the Southern Metro, you have no excuse not to go see a show at BCT. And if, like me, it's a bit of a drive to get all the way out to Bloomington, trust me - it's worth it. (On the Town playing now through May 26.)

sailors on leave (C. Ryan Shipley, Andrew Newman, and AJ Longabaugh)