By SUE SUCHYTA
Show Biz Family Theatre presents the junior version of the Tony Award-winning musical “Guys and Dolls” at 7:30 p.m. May 15 and 16 and 3 p.m. May 17 at Trillium Academy, 15740 Racho Blvd. in Taylor.
Tickets are $10, and are available at the door.
“Guys and Dolls Jr.” is based on stories and characters by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.
When the “oldest established permanent floating craps game” in New York City is running out of locations to hide from the police and cash to pay for a new hiding place, Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson that he can’t convince Sarah Brown, a missionary intent on saving souls, to fly to Havana with him for a date. Meanwhile, Nathan’s long-term fiancée Adelaide, a night club singer, despairs of ever getting him to the altar.
Well-known songs from the show include, “Fugue for Tinhorns,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Luck Be a Lady,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
Director Liza Boos said she grew up listening to her parents sing “A Bushel and a Peck,” which endeared it to her.
“I think it’s a fun show,” Boos said. “It doesn’t get the huge hype that a lot of the other shows get. It’s not a new hip show, but it has been fun to see all the kids get really excited about it.”
She said mastering the dialect of 1950s New York City has proven to be the biggest challenge for the cast.
Tyler Goethe, 16, of Southgate, who plays Sky Masterson, said he is glad that his girlfriend, Riley Klauza, 15, of Garden City, plays Sarah Brown, his love interest in the show.
Goethe said the show is funny, with a lot of good scenes that audiences will enjoy.
Klauza said she is used to playing happy-go-lucky roles, and the biggest challenge for her as Sarah Brown is playing a character that is stiff, very religious, and without a sense of humor.
“This is a fantastic cast and a fantastic show, and we’ve been working so hard,” Klauza said. “I think this show is really going to be good.”
Lucas Klug, 16, of Lincoln Park, said it is fun going back in time and acting like Nathan Detroit would in that era.
“He is sort of the leader of the underground craps game circle, so he is sort of the suave guy in the show,” Klug said.
Abbey Demorow, 15, of Allen Park, who plays nightclub singer Miss Adelaide, said she loves doing the dances with the Hot Box girls.
She said she encourages people to experience the emotion of a live theatrical performance.
“They are on stage doing it just for you,” Demorow said. “It is different from watching a movie, (which) is the same thing every time. Theater is different for every single thing. That is why I think live theater is so much better.”
Others in the cast include Allen Park residents Ryan Boos, 13, as Angie the Ox; Sami Darnell, 14, as a Hot Box Girl and a Doll; and Brendan Siddall, 16, as Harry the Horse and a Havana dancer.
Also: Dearborn residents Garrett Herman, 15, as Big Jule, and Henry Ramsey, 16, as the lookout and a Havana dancer; Adriana James, 12, of Lincoln Park as a Hot Box Girl; and Riverview residents Jenna Chapa, 14, as Martha and a Havana dancer, Emily Hunt, 13, as a featured Hot Box Girl soloist, and an ensemble Doll; and Robyn Hunt, 11, as a Hot Box Girl.
Also: Southgate residents Abigail Doddie, 9, as a Hot Box Girl; Charlie Doddie, 17, as Nicely-Nicely Johnson; Maddi Goethe, 13, as Mimi, and in the Dolls ensemble; Olivia Murphy, 13, as Bertha and a Hot Box Girl; and Trinity Yoscovitz, 14, as a Hot Box Girl and in the Dolls ensemble.
Also: Taylor residents Donte Bankston, 14, as Society Max; Kalyn Browne, 14, as a Hot Box Girl and in the Dolls ensemble; Harold LaBeau, 17, as Lieutenant Brannigan; Joe Oliveri, 15, as Rusty Charlie and a Havana dancer; Ariel Parks, 16, as General Cartwright; Gage Shomsky, 17, as Arvide Abernathy; and Angela Soderquist, 14, as Calvin, Catherine, a Hot Box Girl, and a Havana dancer.
Also Melanie Hulslander, 14, of Trenton as Agatha, a Hot Box Girl, and a Havana dancer; and Wyandotte residents Austin Charlebois, 15, as Benny Southstreet, and Nina Lomas, 10, as a Hot Box Girl.
Also: Kaylei Brewer, 15, of Belleville as a Hot Box Girl and in the Dolls ensemble; Kennedy Klauza, 12, of Garden City as a Hot Box Girl; and Heather Sherry, 15, of Monroe as the Master of Ceremonies and Liver Lips Louie.
GUILD’S ‘SPAMALOT’ FILLS THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHTER
For a musical comedy guaranteed to make you laugh, look no further than “Spamalot,” which runs for two more weekends at the Players Guild of Dearborn. Show times are 8 p.m. May 15, 16, 22 and 23, and 2:30 pm May 17 and 24 at the theater, 21730 Madison in Dearborn.
Tickets are $20. To order, call 313-561-TKTS, or go to playersguildofdearborn.org.
You don’t have to be a Monty Python fan to enjoy the show. It’s irreverent, clever, and it pokes fun at Broadway shows throughout the story.
The ensemble, the backbone of the show, is in multiple scenes, with many fast costume changes. Their energy and spirit is essential to the show.
Joe Donovan of Farmington Hills, as King Arthur, and Brian Townsend of Dearborn, as his loyal servant, Patsy, are very funny together. Townsend’s facial expressions, especially during Arthur’s “I’m All Alone,” are worth the price of admission.
Lindsay Frischmuth of Plymouth, as the Lady of the Lake, has an amazing voice and a good grasp of comedic timing.
Kenyada Davis of Detroit is hysterically funny as Sir Lancelot and in multiple other roles. Jacob Dombrowski of Westland also garners his share of laughter as the historian and as other characters. Lindel Salow of Dearborn is expressive and entertaining as Sir Robin.
The costumes, chaired by Mary Calder, Karen Drugcaz and Jeff Bartos, are colorful and creative. Alan Devlin’s set is impressive and versatile, and Valerie Mould’s choreography is clever and entertaining.
DAG CONTINUES RUN OF ‘MUSIC MAN’
The Downriver Actors Guild presents Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” for one more weekend. Show times are at 7:30 p.m. May 15 and 16, and 3 p.m. May 17 at the Catherine A. Daly Theatre on the Avenue, 2656 Biddle in Wyandotte.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. For tickets or more information, call 313-303-5269 or go to downriveractorsguild.net.
Directed by John Sartor, “The Music Man” follows Professor Harold Hill, who sells band instruments and uniforms before skipping town. However, when he runs his con in River City, Iowa, he falls in love with a small town librarian who sees through his sham and falls for him anyway.
The production features choreography by Kayla Aue and musical direction by Wendy Fichter.
Musical favorites include “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Goodnight Ladies,” “Shipoopi,” and “Til There Was You.”
Kevin Kaminski of Detroit plays Harold Hill, with Annie Kordas of Grosse Pointe Farms as Marian Paroo.
Evan Sartor of Canton Township plays Winthrop Paroo, with Sydney Robinson of Southgate as Amaryllis. Loretta Bullock of Southgate plays Mrs. Paroo.
P.S. CENTER STAGE PLAYERS PRESENT DISNEY’S “MULAN JR.”
P.S. Center Stage Players present Disney’s “Mulan Jr.” at 7 p.m. May 14 and 15 at Jo Brighton Auditorium, 4460 18th St. in Wyandotte.
Tickets are $12 for adults, and $8 for students and seniors. To order, or for more information, call 734-771-0590, or go to pscsp.com.
The show, directed by Penny Lynn Siler, is based on the 1988 Disney animated film.