St. Stephen Gaslight Players present 'Guys and Dolls'
The St. Stephen Gaslight Players are presenting its 41st production, the musical romantic comedy "Guys and Dolls." The play, which first premiered in 1950, is the story of two unlikely couples: A high-rolling gambler and a puritanical missionary, and a showgirl and a crap game manager. The plot centers around con-man Nathan Detroit's search for a new "home" for his illegal floating crap game. "Guys and Dolls" takes the audience from Damon Runyon's Manhattan to a dance club in Havana to the sewers of New York City.
Shows are at 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays, March 10, 11, 17 and 18, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 12, in Hanley Hall at St. Stephen Church, 1835 Spruce St., Des Plaines. There is reserved table seating with tickets priced at $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for children 12 and younger. A table of four can be reserved for $70. There will be food and drinks for sale at all performances. Contact the parish office at (847) 824-2026 for reservations and information, or go online to the parish website www.marymotherofmartyrs.org. If available, tickets will be sold at the door.
The talented cast includes Scott Skiple as Sky Masterson, Caryl Davidson as Sarah Brown, Jeff Blume as Nathan Detroit, Kimberly Vana as Adelaide, Rob Potempa as Nicely, John DeLeo as Harry the Horse, Andy Caccavari as Benny Southstreet, Charlie Vana as Big Jule, John Benischek as Lt. Branigan, Tim Vana as Arvide Abernathy, Kevin Lipecki as Angie the Ox, and Mariann Bilodeau and Amy Serpe as Gen. Matilda B. Cartwright.
Other gamblers are played by Jim Szczesniak, Conrad Wojnar, Ivan Lazcano, Joan Mattingly and Marie Burke. Hot Box girls are Allison Fradkin, Nancy Patterson, Bridget Grimaldi, Jennifer Case and Brook Day. Mission Band members include Denise Wiorek and Denise Adams. Rounding out the cast are Maggie Grimaldi as a bobby soxer, Aiden Broehl as a thief and lookout, and Glenn Wiorek as the newspaper stand worker.
The show is directed by Tim Vana, assisted by co-directors and choreographers, Ellen Ecker and Libby McGuire-Giovanni. Producers are Charlie and Jill Vana and Phyllis Rotondo. Set designers are Joanna Fosco and Wayne Dean. The music director is David Richards.
Stage manager and prop master is Debbie Szczesniak. The assistant stage manager is Monica Potempa and the backstage manager is Abby Young. The light designer and operator is Erin Peterson, and the sound designer and operator is Kody Burkemper. Stage crew members are Luis Hernandez, Sophia Stuber, Kes Bennet and Amelia Potempa. Costumes are coordinated by Phyllis Rotondo. The kitchen crew is headed by Danielle Broehl.
"Guys and Dolls" features some of Frank Loesser's most memorable songs, so mark your calendar and make your reservations for this classic show which will have you humming familiar tunes like "Luck Be a Lady," "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," and "Adelaide's Lament."