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Music and young cast do justice to 'Guys' at Norris By: KARI SAYERS One way the Negri Learning Center of the Norris Center for the Performing Arts has distinguished itself from other companies that perform American musicals is by paying meticulous attention to the music. After all, a musical is as much about the music as it is about the story, the acting, sets and costumes. The music is especially important in the Center's latest presentation of the romantic musical comedy "Guys and Dolls" because it is the musical numbers that propel the action forward. First produced on Broadway in 1950, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling, it opened to a full house Friday night. And music director Bob Marino and his eight-member band -- this time without computer augmentation -- drive the show on with sharp rhythm and an amazingly full sound. The musical numbers, particularly the ensemble numbers, are first-rate. Directed by Jack Hannibal and choreographed by Mark Reis with vocal direction by Rob Blaney, the show ranks among the center's most entertaining productions, evident from the first-sung number "Fugue for Tin Horns" ("I have a horse right here / His name is Paul Revere ... Can do, can do") with David Laffey as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Matthew McFarland as Benny Southstreet and Benno Rosenwald as Rusty. The number, above all, showcases Laffey's strong voice and stage presence. He is equally impressive in the title number, "Guys and Dolls," and in "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," sung with the sinning gamblers who have gathered for a midnight prayer meeting in the Salvation Army mission. Based on the short story "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and other stories by Damon Runyon, the action takes place in New York in the 1920s. The Salvation Army has set out to work among the city's notorious racketeers and scantily clad showgirls. Nathan Detroit (Ian Littleworth), a hustler and organizer of a floating crap game, bets master gambler Sky Masterson (Zach Mink) that he cannot take the pious "mission doll" Sarah Brown (Jenna Romano) to dinner in Havana, but Detroit loses, of course, and complications ensue. Meanwhile, Miss Adelaide (Jillene Johnson), the lead dancer at the Hot Box Cabaret and Detroit's trusting fiance of 14 years, longs for marriage as she sings in "Adelaide's Lament," a number that the alluring and attractive Johnson executes with a strong and showy voice and great stage presence. She also shows off both her acting and musical talent in "A Bushel and a Peck" with Littleworth and the Hot Box dancers. In fact, the number is a favorite with cute choreography and costumes by Katie Wilson. Littleworth is also believable as the consummate con man and schemer, a role played by Frank Sinatra in the 1955 movie version with Marlon Brando as Sky. Together with the rest of the gang, Littleworth has the tough task of belting out one of Sinatra's signature numbers "Luck Be a Lady." Also a joy to watch is Mink, dapper in a double-breasted suit, as Sky Masterson. Tall and handsome, he has the requisite charisma and command of the stage, although his singing pales compared with Romano's trained soprano voice, and the chemistry between the two is not always as powerful as it could be. In the smaller roles, Aaron Lopez stands out both as Harry the Horse and the sexy and incredibly energetic lead dancer in "Havana," another favorite number. A few pounds lighter, he'd be ready for the professional circuit. The age of the actors ranges from 12 to 23 aside from Dave Diestel as Arvide Abernathy, Sarah's grandfather. Nothing is spared in the Center's productions, and this show will delight any fan of American musical theater.
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