Pinstripe suits and plaid ties. Crap games and casinos. Gamblers and gangsters.
Tonight at 7:30, University Theatre will take the audience to a whimsical world in New York in the 1940s and 50s with the premiere of “Guys and Dolls.”
Director Karen Kessler said she has loved “Guys and Dolls” since she was young. As a child, she remembers staying up until all hours watching old movies like it and “Singing in the Rain.”
Kessler said she enjoys creating worlds audience members can lose themselves in.
“You get to live in a world you don’t — a made up world where gangsters and gamblers aren’t dangerous and when emotions get too big you burst into song,” Kessler said.
The story centers around New York crapshooter Nathan Detroit and blonde bombshell Adelaide, who have been engaged for 14 years. Nathan illegally runs a crap game behind Adelaide’s back while she is hopelessly waiting for wedding bells.
The bets are on when Sky Masterson, the infamous crapshooter, comes to town. Masterson, as smooth as his shimmery, baby blue suit and as greasy as his hair-gelled locks, never loses a bet.
Nathan puts his luck to a test, betting Sky $1,000 he can’t win the affection of a mission doll, Sarah Brown, who wants the sinners of Broadway to “repent before it’s too late.”
Previously, Ball State musicals have been made up of primarily musical theatre majors. When casting this production, Kessler made an effort to include actors and dancers as well.
“The cast is one third dancers, one third actors and one third musical theatre students,” senior acting major Derek Grabner said. Grabner is taking the stage as “Harry the Horse” in his first musical of college career and his final show before graduating.
Grabner said the most difficult part about transitioning from performing in plays to musicals is keeping counts. “Everything takes precise movement on exact lines and counts.”
Acting and dance majors were pushed out of their comfort zones and forced to broaden their horizons in the first week of rehearsal, which focused only on singing the music.
“We actually had to learn to read music,” Grabner said.
After the cast spent the first seven days learning music, they did a read-sing, where they read and sang through the script without incorporating any stage movement or choreography.
Justin Habben, a senior musical theatre major who plays Nicely-Nicely Johnson, a comedic sideman of Nathan Detriot, thought the mix of talent pushed everyone to excel in rehearsals and become better in all aspects of theatre, not just their specialty.
Sophomore dance major Matt Rohrer said the cast was supportive and patient in rehearsals. Rohrer said the dancers retained choreography the quickest, but choreographer Christie Zimmerman took time to ensure everyone had the moves memorized and perfected.
Kessler worked with Zimmerman to make sure her vision was being portrayed in the big stage numbers.
“Choreography tells the story,” Kessler said.
The cast and Kessler had rave reports of the mixture of dance, acting, and musical theatre majors in the production.
“We promise to do this again,” Kessler said.
The colorful New York set is dazzled in flashing lights and adorned in street signs to create the “big explosion of fun” Kessler had in mind when directing the show.
“It’s pure entertainment. There’s not a deeper meaning,” she said.
Kessler said she hopes the audience leaves “humming a song, with a big grin on their faces.”
“Guys and Dolls” runs at 7:30 p.m. today to Saturday and Tuesday to April 6, and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in University Theatre. For ticket information, contact the University Theatre Box Office at 765-285-8749.
