Guys and Dolls Musical Booked at Mississippi College for October Performances

Guys & Dolls Poster

Big stars like Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine and Jean Simmons played leading roles in the 1955 movie version of the Broadway musical “Guys and Dolls.”

Making its debut at the 46^th Street Theatre in November 1950, “Guys and Dolls” is considered among the greatest of Broadway musicals.

Telling the story of New York gamblers, police, street walkers and assorted “do-gooders,” from the Save-A-Soul Mission, the show comes to a Mississippi College stage for a series of student productions starting October 6.

Good enough to win five Tony Awards in 1951, the Broadway production opened on November 24, 1950, and that unforgettable evening on stage began a string of 1,200 consecutive performances.

The MC Music Department production won’t last nearly as long as the original in New York, but student actors believe the show will leave a lasting impression on audiences coming to the Clinton campus this fall.

“Our cast is stacked from bottom to top with not only grade A musicians, actors and actresses, but grade A people,” says MC junior James Turcotte of Jackson. “I feel blessed to share the stage with them. I really love the grit of this musical. It’s been fun to be involved with a musical that has a bit of an edge.”

Turcotte, 22, plays one of the leading characters, Sky Masterson, in a bustling New York City of the 1940s. The Broadway production is based on two Damon Runyon short stories with music supplied by famed composer and lyricist Frank Loesser.

“This is my acting debut (at MC) and I am in love with the process. I plan to pursue other roles in the near future, so keep an eye out,’’ says the Clinton High graduate. A music major, Turcotte may become an opera singer in a few years, some say of the talented MC student.

MC senior Sarah Park of Virginia Beach, Va. is playing one of the major female roles, the character Adelaide. Hers is the story of a showgirl who’s been engaged to her fiancée, a colorful gambler named Nathan Detroit, for 14 years. The only thing standing in the way of a wedding ring and marriage is Nathan’s relentless devotion to gambling.

It’s a bit of an acting switch for the 21-year-old Park who played Amy March in the Mississippi College production of “Little Women” last year and was cast as a nun in “The Sound of Music” two years ago at the Christian university.

“This musical is going to be such a blast because of all of the big performance numbers,” Park said. “It will be a little different than any other show I’ve been a part of.”

An English writing major and communication minor, Park says this MC Music Department production is definitely her most challenging stage assignment. “Not being a music major, the singing can be a bit challenging at times, but it’s been a great experience learning to push myself.”

Audiences that want to get a feel for the New York City slice of life in the World War II era will want to check out this romantic comedy with its zany cast of characters, terrific music and fantastic dance numbers. MC music professor Kristen Johnson is serving as the show’s director with professor Carol Joy Sparkman handling duties as the musical director.

The show’s October 6 opening performance is at 7:30 p.m. at the Jean Pittman Williams Recital Hall.  Performances on October 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15 are at 7 p.m, with 2:00 performances on October 9 and 16. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. Patrons are advised to reserve seats. For more information, contact Dottie Serio at the MC Music Department at 601.925.3440.