‘Guys and Dolls’ rehearsing

TOM TITUS

You know the show, and you’ve seen the movie -- but probably not for

some time.

It’s been a few years, quite a few in fact, since “Guys and Dolls”

was performed on a local stage. Golden West College is about to

correct that oversight with a splashy production, featuring a cast of

33 guys and dolls, mostly guys.

Opening May 6 for two weekends, the Frank Loesser-Abe Burrows

musical will have it all, according to director Marti Ramm -- “love,

laughs, drama, memorable music and a happy ending.”

Ramm describes the show as a “sassy, irreverent love poem to

low-life New York, based on the stories and characters of Damon

Runyon, a well-known newspaperman and writer of the 1940s.”

Burrows adapted Runyon’s story, “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown,”

into a fable of Broadway. Burrows’ book, coupled with the wit and

relevance of composer Loesser’s music, created a hit Broadway show.

“Damon Runyon’s characters are the heart and soul of “Guys and

Dolls,” Ramm said. “There are Sky Masterson, the handsome, confident,

smooth-as-silk gambler; Miss Sarah Brown, a sinfully beautiful member

of the Save-a-Soul Mission; Nathan Detroit, the proprietor of the

‘oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York,’ and

Miss Adelaide, Nathan’s true-blue, heart-of-gold fiancee.”

They’re all here, including one from another Runyon story. Dave

the Dude, played by Glen Ford, was the main character in the 1960s

movie “Pocketful of Miracles.” He’s enacted by Eric Bugosh in the

Golden West College musical.

Heading the Golden West cast will be Mark Bedard (who’s played

everything from Oedipus to Hamlet at the college) as Sky Masterson,

along with some new faces -- Stephanie O’Brien as Sarah Brown, Jason

Wesley Green as Nathan Detroit and Rachel Greenlee as Miss Adelaide.

Others in major supporting roles are Jeffery W. Glover

(Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Jerry Booth (Arvide Abernathy), Victor L.

Molina (Lieutenant Brannigan), Aleesha McNeff (General Cartwright)

and Kevin Tran (Big Jule).

“This show is old-fashioned in the best sense of the word,” Ramm

said. “It was created during the golden age of the American musical

and has all the elements of any good drama.”

Not to mention a collection of seedy, funny gamblers and sexy

showgirls. Ramm is laying odds that you’ll love this show a bushel

and a peck.

“Guys and Dolls” will be presented Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

and Sundays at 3 p.m., closing May 15. On that closing matinee, there

will be a special performance for the hearing impaired.

Ticket prices run from $18 (for students and senior citizens) to

$20. They can be ordered in advance by calling the Golden West box

office at (714) 895-8150.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.