by Katherine Brewer
The Whole Backstage Community Theatre and Season Sponsor Sonny Lewis announce the upcoming summer musical, Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls, directed by veteran Whole Backstager Johnny Brewer. Performances are slated for Friday and Saturday, June 17, 18, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, June 23, 24, and 25, at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday Matinees on June 19 and 26, at 2:00 p.m.
“Guys and Dolls will entertain an audience of all ages with laughter as well as tender moments, along with incredible singing and dancing,” says Director Johnny Brewer. This Runyonland tale tells the overlapping stories of high-roller Sky Masterson who falls in love with the beautiful mission worker Sarah Brown, coupled in contrast to the lovable rapscallion gambler, Nathan Detroit, who thrives in his 14-year engagement to Miss Adelaide, the headliner at the Hot Box Club, all in the bustling mid-town of 1950’s New York.
“The onstage action begins with a busy street scene filled with New Yorkers, tourists, pickpockets, ice cream and hot dog vendors, movie stars, sailors, and many other interesting characters strolling down Broadway,” Brewer described. Meanwhile, gambler Nathan Detroit desperately scouts out his few options for the location of his floating crap game but needs $1,000 to pay a garage owner to host the event. In attempts to attain some cash, Nathan makes a bet with Sky Masterson to secure a dinner date with the virtuous Sarah Brown. Sky negotiates a rendezvous with her despite some resistance in exchange for his promise to bring at least a dozen sinners to her mission for a prayer meeting, while side bets galore develop quickly. Meanwhile, Nathan’s longtime fiancée, Adelaide, puts on the pressure for him to go legit and marry her. Loosely based on 1933’s “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” and “Blood Pressure”, American journalist and short-story writer, Damon Runyon, penned this dialogue with gangster-flavored regional slang that became his literary trademark.
The talented performers and production team include residents from Marshall, DeKalb, Jackson, Etowah, Morgan, and Madison counties, listed by hometowns:
Rainsville: Megan Mitchell as Miss Adelaide
Fort Payne: Matt Stanley as a sailor, Cuban Policia, New York Policeman, and set construction crew
Scottsboro: Sara Argiro as Mission Band member
Albertville: Johnny Brewer-Director, John Everett Brewer as Nathan Detroit, Thomas Breland as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Hannah Yost as Dance Captain, Noah Logan as Angie the Ox, Alex Branch as Rusty Charley, New Yorker and dancer, Avery Sprinkle as Dave, the Dude, Casey Taylor as Mimi, Anna Claire Vaughn as a New Yorker and dancer, Tay Smith as a New Yorker, dancer, and Mission Band member, Avery Foster as Agatha and dancer, Katherine Ables Brewer-Assistant to the Director, Publicity, and Voice of Cuban Airline Announcer, Jan Price-Costume Coordinator, Mission Band member and New Yorker, Special Effects Coordinators-Chris Rhodes and Larry Davis, Kevin Terrell-Photographer
Boaz: Madeline Smith as a New Yorker and Mission Band member, Gracie Poole as a New Yorker and Mission Band member, Bentley Gray-Photographer
Douglas: Lila Jane Bonds as a New Yorker and Dancer
Gadsden/Rainbow City: Connie Ables-Specialty Costume Builder and Coordinator, Ali Bankson as a New Yorker and Gambler
Guntersville: Dr. Thomas Darnell as Arvide Abernathy, Kevin Russell as Lt. Brannigan, April Russell as General Matilda B. Cartwright, Josiah Rains as Scranton Slim and Voice of Joey Biltmore, Gary March-Force as Society Max, Kyle Richards as a Policeman and Hot Box Club Emcee, Claire Richards as the Debutante, dancer, and Mission Band member, Andrea Oliver as a New Yorker and dancer, Mamie Patton as a New Yorker and dancer, Sara Elizabeth Phillips as a New Yorker and dancer, Lauren Rains as a New Yorker and dancer, Millie Claire Woodard as a New Yorker and dancer, Mallory Howe as a New Yorker and Mission Band member, Robin Moore-Lighting Coordinator, Toni Stubblefield-Costume Creator, Susan Ruhlman-Seamstress, Kim March Force-Seamstress, Karen Fancher-Rehearsal Accompanist, Julie Oliver-Prompter, Chloe Townley-Lighting Board Operator, Wendy Zahn-Stage Manager, Deon Smith-Set Construction, Bob Copeland-Set Construction, Stage Crew-Drew Hunter, Ady Eason, Monica O’Ryan, Noah Carnes, Aniah Havis, and Tiffany Zahn, Monica Martin-Photographer
Grant: Dana Thomas as Assistant Director, Mission Band member and New Yorker, Sue Bilke- Costumer and Seamstress, Stage Crew-Genevieve Troup, Cati Epperson, Gary Bilke
Owens Cross Roads: Abbie Saint as a New Yorker and Mission Band member,
Catie Wells as a New Yorker and dancer, Steven Saint-Stage Crew, New Yorker, and Set Construction
Arab: Ashleigh Harris as Sarah Brown, Tony Wildfong as Sky Masterson, Mitchell Duquette as Benny Southstreet, Kory Duquette as Big Jule, Emma Hinote as Assistant Dance Captain, New Yorker and dancer, Breanna Ballew-Propmaster, New Yorker, dancer, and Mission Band member, Sam Maldonado as Brandy Bottle Bates, James Knear as The Greek, Jordan Blakely as Liver Lips Louie, Josie Duquette as Marilyn, dancer, and Mission Band member, Annabelle Prance as a New Yorker and Mission Band member, Presley Hemphill as a newsboy, April Duquette-Rehearsal Accompanist, Chris Hemphill-Sound Design, Casey Harris-Stage Crew, Lisa Spears-Stage Crew, Sarah Austin-Make-up Artist, Rebecca Austin – Photographer
Joppa: Rodger King as the Texan
Union Grove: Josh Hood as the Hot Box waiter, Propmaster
Huntsville: Stephanie Braly Beutjer-Choreographer, Michael Beutjer as New Yorker and Havana Waiter, Braly Beutjer as Moose Moran
Hartselle: Brandon Kelley as Harry, the Horse
Patron Membership and General Admission tickets may be purchased at any time for performances of Guys and Dolls on June 17-26, 2022, with $12 for a student ticket, $18 for a Senior Adult, and $20 for an adult ticket. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 256.582.7469, visit the office during business hours at 1120 Rayburn Avenue/Dot Moore Way in Guntersville, or view the website: www.wholebackstage.com; or the WBS on Facebook.
