Cappies Review: Bishop O'Connell High School, Guys And Dolls

by Isabella Russo of HB Woodlawn Secondary Program

On the streets of 1950's New York, how quickly can a crapshoot bet between guys turn into a real life romance with a doll? In just one night, as we learn in Bishop O'Connell High School's Guys and Dolls.

Guys and Dolls follows a group of gambling crapshooters, including their leader, the fierce yet charismatic Nathan Detroit, and Sky Masterson, a smooth and charming gambler known to make wild bets. Nathan makes Sky a seemingly impossible bet — that Sky can get Sarah Brown, the local church mission leader, to go on a date with him to Havana, Cuba. Miraculously, Sky does it, but soon realizes that he has fallen in love with her. Guys and Dolls is a charming and classic story of unexpected love, with musical numbers that make the audience want to dance in their seats.

With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, Guys and Dolls quickly became a Broadway classic after debuting on Broadway in 1950. The original Broadway production won 5 Tony awards, including Best Musical, and the show then went on to open on the West End in 1953. There have been countless revivals of the show since its premiere, with new twists and reimaginations of an already famous show.

Katie Stansel is a vivacious yet moody Miss Adelaide, bringing bounds of energy with her wherever she goes onstage. With a strong and pure belting voice, Stansel truly is a powerhouse of a performer and adds a lively vitality to every scene she is in.

Despite being a mighty leader, Nathan Detroit (Carson Barnes) has a charming and witty side that is shown in his scenes with Adelaide, his fiance of 14 years. Barnes has an effortlessly flexible tenor voice that rings clearly throughout the walls of the theater, proving his immense capability as a vocalist. As Sky Masterson, Aidan O'Donovan has a clever and charismatic presence which allows him to woo the stubborn Sarah Brown (Lara Sunter). Sunter and O'Donovan are a loveable pair onstage, and they have a dazzling sound during their duets.

Effective and impressive, one of the most useful tools for the audience was the hair and makeup (Jenna McKibbin and Mario Munoz). From Sarah's tight bun to Adelaide's big, curly 'do, the hair represented the characters while remaining period-appropriate, showing the full capabilities of the hair and makeup team. The hair and makeup choices would adapt along with the characters, such as Sarah letting her hair out of the bun when she felt more comfortable and free, and it proved to be a helpful clue for the audience to understand how the characters were changing.

With a powerful group of vocalists, an expressive ensemble, and intelligent technical choices, Guys and Dolls at Bishop O'Connell High School is a lively performance of a timelessly classic musical about love, change, and, of course, gambling.