Bellefone HS/ Guys and Dolls.

Guys and Dolls is a favorite show of mine. I see it whenever I get a chance. Therefore, I was ready to be very critical of Bellefonte High School's production this week. Instead, I was delighted.

Turning a bunch of high school students into a bunch of gamblers, tough (though loveable) semi-gangsters and sexy Hot Box dancers has to be a challenge. Thanks to Jonathan Hetler and Eric Brinser, it happened.

The costumes were a big part of why it worked. Sarah Irvin and Sarah Toyos kept to the time period and the characters exceptionally well. "Take Back Your Mink" is tough to costume; it has to include a bit of a strip tease. The girls were pretty, sexy, and still within the limits of a high school play. All in all I loved the costumes throughout the show.Sets were also in keeping with the spirit of the play. The set itself was attractive and the changes never became so complicated that they interfered with the flow of the action.  The same could be said for the orchestra. I have had problems hearing in that auditorium. It was never a problem last night.

The secret to good amateur theatre is in the casting. Each actor, lead, feature or extra, was perfect for his or her part.

The two female leads are difficult for different reasons. Miss Adelaide is such a well known part in the theatre that any actress has to follow some big names. Dori Puzycki nailed it. She had the voice, the Brookly accent, and, yes, the sneezes down perfectly. Dori is the complete package. She sings, dances and acts. Over the last four or five years we have seen her do it all. This is a senior who will be missed.

Miss Sarah Brown is difficult for another reason. Not as showy of a part, the actress has to be able to do a wider range of music as well as try to save our souls. There are the sweet love songs, the tipsy song in Havana, and the duet with Adelaide--all different. Kaitlyn Whitesell was able to convince us of each side of Miss Sarah. Kaitlyn is another senior who will be missed.

Jordon Emely as Nathan Detroit, who is more involved with the established crap game than with his wedding to Miss Adelaide, was a pro. Jordon makes it all look so effortless, yet be very convincing.
It is good to know that Jordon will be back next year.

Sky Masterson was played by Steven Giacobe. Steven's stage experience shows in how well he takes charge when he is on stage. He makes a true leading man, but sadly, another senior who will be moving on.

The true heart of Guys and Dolls is the male ensemble. From the terrific harmonies to the ballet in the sewer, these guys were wonderful. It was easy to forget that they were high school students and not older, gamblers. Johnny Purnell, Eddie Fitzgerald and Nathan Smith were stand outs... loved "Fugue for Tinhorns". Their voices blended perfectly.

Guys get more stage time than dolls in this show, but the Hot Box Dancers deserve a lot of credit. I am not sure which girl was which, but that is a good thing. They all had the energy, spirit, and smiles to make a convincing chorus line. Oh, they could really dance, too.

This was an almost flawless production. There is not enough room to tell how much I enjoyed Zachary Spaw's "More I Cannot Wish You", another well cast part. Or, how about Johnny Purnell telling us to sit down, we were rockin' the boat? That is always a show stopper.

I wish I could have told each of you in the show how much I was impressed. This blog will have to do. Thank you.