'Guys and Dolls' opens today at ECC

Elgin Community College Musical Theatre is getting back to the classics with its production of “Guys and Dolls,” which opens today, Feb. 18, and runs through Sunday, Feb 27.

The production will be at Blizzard Theater, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 18-19 and 25-26, and 3 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 20 and 27.

Based on characters by Damon Runyon, the Tony Award-winning “Guys and Dolls” tells the story of a group of gamblers, including Nathan Detroit, who are looking for a place in mythical New York City to hold a floating dice game. The show follows the courtship of Save a Soul officer Sarah Brown and gambler Sky Masterson.

It is often described as being the most perfectly written musical comedy ever for its innumerable catchy tunes and witty one-liners.

John Slawson, artistic director of Elgin Community College Theatre and professor of music, said audience members will have the chance to see a production that's been performed for more than 50 years.

“The songs have been very popular and have been done in many different ways over the past 50 or 60 years,” said Slawson, who has worked at the college for 25 years. “And it's a musical comedy that people like to go to to forget their own troubles.”

The production boasts a cast of 40, with actors ranging in age from 6 to 75. But despite the long cast list, director and choreographer Kitty Kay said each character — from the third girl on the left to the lead roles — is well-developed.

“It is so well-written and the music is so beautiful,” Kay said. “The characters are so fun. They are Damon Runyon characters, and they are very distinct. That just makes for very visual characters.”

The music is what drew Willard “Duly” Dulabaum of Elgin to the role of Arvide Abernathy, grandfather of Sarah Brown.

“The most enjoyable part for me is singing a song to my granddaughter, kind of as a blessing because I see her struggling with falling in love with a gambler,” Dulabaum said. “It is a neat story and there is great music in it.”

Tickets are available at the main campus box office and cost $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors. Tickets can also be purchased online at elgin.edu.