REACH FOR THE "SKY"
Guys & Dolls
Lamplighter's Theatre
September 26, 2007
"Smyrna??? Is there really a theatre in Smyrna? Can they be any good? I don't
know that I really want to drive all the way out there to watch community theatre."
Yes there is and yes they most certainly are and yes you REALLY do and no it's not
as far as you think and yes you'd better call and reserve your tickets for Guys and
Dolls this weekend before they sell out which they will likely do soon so get to it right
now – this means you. Do I make myself clear?
Now that I've caught my breath, let me continue raving about Lamplighter's Theatre
and their production of Guys and Dolls. Lamplighter's is an outreach program of
Smyrna Assembly – quite a successful outreach program, since they played to
packed houses this weekend. From the outside, the church seems average,
modest, and nondescript – no one would guess that inside is a professional-quality
theatre space for which any Equity actor would salivate. Add to that a 14-piece
orchestra, a sea of colourful costumes, around fifty talented performers, and you've
got an evening of laugh-out-loud quality entertainment. At an extremely reasonable
price, I might add.
Where to start? The music was masterful – beautifully blended voices carrying
confidently over the supporting cushion of the orchestra. The male chorus alone
was enough to knock your socks off . . . blow your hair back . . . whatever they say in
Damon Runyon's New York. The soloists didn't merely have outstanding voices;
they brought character and life to the songs. They, unlike many performers, used
the songs to move through the plot, rather than stopping the action so they could
sing for a while. Some of my favourite numbers in the show were "Adelaide's
Lament," "I've Never Been in Love Before," "Sue Me," and of course, "Sit Down,
You're Rockin' the Boat."
The chemistry between the leads was very natural, and the couples were good
contrasts for each other. Nathan Owen (Sky Masterson) and Catherine Birdsong
(Sgt. Sarah Brown) showed us the slow-simmering, quiet tension of falling in love.
They brought home the director's note that "having an encounter with the right
person can and will change our lives forever." Nathan was well able to walk the
tightrope between the tough guy and the vulnerable man in love, and he knew the
right times to wobble just a bit. Catherine's character begins stiffly, and then
loosens as her adventures unfold. I think she was a bit too stiff, actually; I wasn't
able to sympathize with her properly until after she had a few drinks in her. On the
opposite end of the spectrum, Steve Burkett (Nathan Detroit) and Arwen Jones
(Adelaide) displayed the comic, comfortable side of long-term love. Disagreeing,
bickering, whining – all the while knowing they are meant for each other. Arwen
created a formidable and consistent character in Adelaide; I believed her every
moment. It was a joy to watch Steve struggle against the inevitable wedding day
while clinging to the engagement. His dialogues with Arwen could have been a
little tighter; this problem usually followed a laugh line, so perhaps he was merely
pausing too long, not following the "laughter curve" closely enough.
There was another featured performer that was not listed as a lead, but deserves
special note. Ron Alley as Nicely Nicely Johnson was purely delightful. The
character himself is such a caricature of a New York gambler; it is difficult to avoid
buffoonery. Ron's portrayal was comical and engaging, but always believable,
always real (always eating!). And even with that grating Brooklyn accent, his solos
were beyond impressive. Nicely, nicely done.
Trudy's Truth in Theatre:
Let me grab another snippet from the insightful director's notes, where he mentions
that the guys and dolls "knew the difference between right and wrong but lacked the
hope that changes for the better was possible . . .” This put me in mind of the
contrast between Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson. Nathan is led by his fate; he
misses eloping with the doll of his dreams in order to gamble in a sewer, and lose.
Sky Masterson is a man who sees what he wants and goes after it, even if it means
sacrificing everything. But half the time, he doesn't seem to think he'll ever get it.
Where do we fall into this picture? Do we ride the rapids, hoping not to get cut on
the rocks? Or do we paddle strongly and steadily toward the goal, but forget to pull
up the anchor that keeps us in one place?
Gambling on what you'll see this weekend? Don't leave it to chance. Go see Guys
and Dolls – it's a sure bet. In our little corner of the world, Lamplighter's Theatre is
certainly rocking the boat, and everyone should sit down and take notice.
Guys & Dolls
Lamplighter's Theatre
September 26, 2007
"Smyrna??? Is there really a theatre in Smyrna? Can they be any good? I don't
know that I really want to drive all the way out there to watch community theatre."
Yes there is and yes they most certainly are and yes you REALLY do and no it's not
as far as you think and yes you'd better call and reserve your tickets for Guys and
Dolls this weekend before they sell out which they will likely do soon so get to it right
now – this means you. Do I make myself clear?
Now that I've caught my breath, let me continue raving about Lamplighter's Theatre
and their production of Guys and Dolls. Lamplighter's is an outreach program of
Smyrna Assembly – quite a successful outreach program, since they played to
packed houses this weekend. From the outside, the church seems average,
modest, and nondescript – no one would guess that inside is a professional-quality
theatre space for which any Equity actor would salivate. Add to that a 14-piece
orchestra, a sea of colourful costumes, around fifty talented performers, and you've
got an evening of laugh-out-loud quality entertainment. At an extremely reasonable
price, I might add.
Where to start? The music was masterful – beautifully blended voices carrying
confidently over the supporting cushion of the orchestra. The male chorus alone
was enough to knock your socks off . . . blow your hair back . . . whatever they say in
Damon Runyon's New York. The soloists didn't merely have outstanding voices;
they brought character and life to the songs. They, unlike many performers, used
the songs to move through the plot, rather than stopping the action so they could
sing for a while. Some of my favourite numbers in the show were "Adelaide's
Lament," "I've Never Been in Love Before," "Sue Me," and of course, "Sit Down,
You're Rockin' the Boat."
The chemistry between the leads was very natural, and the couples were good
contrasts for each other. Nathan Owen (Sky Masterson) and Catherine Birdsong
(Sgt. Sarah Brown) showed us the slow-simmering, quiet tension of falling in love.
They brought home the director's note that "having an encounter with the right
person can and will change our lives forever." Nathan was well able to walk the
tightrope between the tough guy and the vulnerable man in love, and he knew the
right times to wobble just a bit. Catherine's character begins stiffly, and then
loosens as her adventures unfold. I think she was a bit too stiff, actually; I wasn't
able to sympathize with her properly until after she had a few drinks in her. On the
opposite end of the spectrum, Steve Burkett (Nathan Detroit) and Arwen Jones
(Adelaide) displayed the comic, comfortable side of long-term love. Disagreeing,
bickering, whining – all the while knowing they are meant for each other. Arwen
created a formidable and consistent character in Adelaide; I believed her every
moment. It was a joy to watch Steve struggle against the inevitable wedding day
while clinging to the engagement. His dialogues with Arwen could have been a
little tighter; this problem usually followed a laugh line, so perhaps he was merely
pausing too long, not following the "laughter curve" closely enough.
There was another featured performer that was not listed as a lead, but deserves
special note. Ron Alley as Nicely Nicely Johnson was purely delightful. The
character himself is such a caricature of a New York gambler; it is difficult to avoid
buffoonery. Ron's portrayal was comical and engaging, but always believable,
always real (always eating!). And even with that grating Brooklyn accent, his solos
were beyond impressive. Nicely, nicely done.
Trudy's Truth in Theatre:
Let me grab another snippet from the insightful director's notes, where he mentions
that the guys and dolls "knew the difference between right and wrong but lacked the
hope that changes for the better was possible . . .” This put me in mind of the
contrast between Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson. Nathan is led by his fate; he
misses eloping with the doll of his dreams in order to gamble in a sewer, and lose.
Sky Masterson is a man who sees what he wants and goes after it, even if it means
sacrificing everything. But half the time, he doesn't seem to think he'll ever get it.
Where do we fall into this picture? Do we ride the rapids, hoping not to get cut on
the rocks? Or do we paddle strongly and steadily toward the goal, but forget to pull
up the anchor that keeps us in one place?
Gambling on what you'll see this weekend? Don't leave it to chance. Go see Guys
and Dolls – it's a sure bet. In our little corner of the world, Lamplighter's Theatre is
certainly rocking the boat, and everyone should sit down and take notice.
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