Theater group pulls out stops for 'Guys and Dolls'

When the curtain rises on Southeast Missouri State University's production of the classic musical "Guys and Dolls," it's obvious the university's theater department has gone all out.

The department says this is the biggest production in its history in terms of people and resources, and it shows.

Immediately the audience is treated to an overload of sensory images, as bright lights establish the sleazy, neon city backdrop in which the events will take place and the large cast of hedonistic gamblers and women of ill repute parades back and forth across the stage.

All the while, the unseen orchestra hidden in the pit pulls off the roiling show tunes like professionals. The music coincides with some intricate choreography by Kari Schroeder that takes the enormous cast across the stage, running from cops, swilling booze and hooking up for late night rendezvous all without a hitch.

The writing by Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows will be familiar to most fans of Broadway, and the caliber of performance put on by the student actors makes the most of it an amateur group can.

These actors had to be instructed in the Broadway style of singing (by none other than voice coach Judith Farris), but it wouldn't appear that way by watching them at work. Musical theater seems to come naturally to many of the lead actors and actresses. The early performances by Tim Nicolai and Justin Vandergriff (who play the gambling cohorts of crap-game king Nathan Detroit) are smooth and polished with great harmonies.

Another singing standout is Jessica Miller, who plays Detroit's fiancee Miss Adelaide. When Miller's hypochondriac character with the nasally Betty Boop style voice sings about her 14-year engagement to Detroit and its effects on her health, it seems as if she's really having a mental crisis right there on stage.

Most of the actors have the New York accent down to a science -- especially Andrew Tebo, who plays Detroit, and Nicolai -- quite an accomplishment for Midwesterners.

The costumes even help communicate the change of scenery, with the slick, gambling cons in their tailored swinger suits and the farm-girl outfits of the dancing girls at The Hot Box.

Southeast has created a good product for fans of musical theater with all the resources used -- a gamble the producers and the audience will likely be happy with.

"Guys and Dolls" opens today at 8 p.m. at the Rose Theatre.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

WANT TO GO?

* What: 'Guys and Dolls'

* Where: Rose Theater

* When: Tonight through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.