Caption: ASCC students re-create the gangster underworld of New York City as they rehearse their production of “Guys and Dolls,” which will be performed this Thursday and Friday evening at 7 p.m. in the College auditorium.
(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

The play has its origins in two short stories by Damon Runyon, a newspaperman and fiction writer famous for his portrayal of New York City street life in the era following Prohibition.  Runyon’s colorful characters, who range from gamblers and gangsters to Salvation Army missionaries, all found their way into the musical adaptation titled “Guys and Dolls,” which debuted on Broadway in the early 1950s to instant acclaim. The film version from 1955, also a big hit at the box office, featured Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons in the lead roles.

            Asked why she chose “Guys and Dolls” as this semester’s stage production, Gallace reflected, “I try to expose students to different genres of the theatrical arts. By studying and performing as characters from different cultures, time periods and social classes, the student actors can obtain a broader understanding of the human condition. I have tried to make each project a diverse experience, from the Caribbean-based contemporary opera ‘Once on This Island’ to the dance-intensive ‘The Nutcracker’. Presenting a variety of production material allows different students to showcase different types of talents. A classic musical like ‘Guys and Dolls’ gives students a chance to develop into what we call in the industry ‘a triple threat’, or in other words, someone who can act, sing and dance.”

            Gallace recalls the audition process as “extremely competitive”, with close to 100 applicants all required to sing a song from the show, perform a “cold” reading of some of the play’s dialogue, and complete a separate dance audition. Each applicant also submitted a resume and a “head shot” of themselves. “I wanted to expose the students to the same process they would follow if they auditioned for a professional production company off island,” she said. Due to the overwhelming number of students who passed the auditions, Gallace has divided them into two separate casts, the “Detroit Company” who will perform on Thursday evening, and the “Chicago Company” who take the helm on Friday. “We don’t have a single lead character played by the same actor on each night,” she explained, “which I expect will make each performance completely different but equally as good.”

            Between the two casts, the stage crew, and the art designers who have created the stage sets under the direction of Visual Arts instructor Regina Meredith, the total number of students involved in the production comes to around 150. With all of the hard work put in by so many, the ASCC production of “Guys and Dolls” promises two unique evenings packed with exciting song and dance numbers which have a strong jazz influence, courtesy of composer Frank Loesser. 

            Gallace acknowledges Regina Meredith and her students, Vocal Director Kuki Tuiasosopo, and Fine Arts Chairperson Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi for their invaluable assistance in bringing “Guys and Dolls” to the stage. Curtains will open at 7 p.m. both evenings. Tickets, available at the door, cost $3.00 for ASCC students with ID and children under 12, $5.00 general admission, and $10.00 for the VIP section, which includes priority seating, a beverage, and a souvenir program.

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