Guys and Dolls

Most of us know about the school play, Guys and Dolls.  Guys and Dolls ran March 13 - 15, and 17.  But what exactly does it take to put on a show?  A lot more than you would think.         

The chaos starts with auditions.  Anyone who would like to be in the show has to audition.  They are expected to prepare music to sing for the directors, and be ready to learn a dance quickly, right after they sing.  In the hallway, you can feel the anxiety and tension.  Whether their parents made them audition, or they have a passion for the theatre, everyone is really nervous, whether they like it or not.  

The next day, there is a crowd of people to find out who got a callback.  A callback is basically the directors saying, “Hey we really liked your audition, and we want to see some more of you!”  But only a handful of those who audition will get a callback.  At the callbacks, you are expected to sing and read excerpts from the show.  This is how the directors choose who will be the leads.  But luckily, not just those who receive a callback will be cast.  

As everyone awaits the cast list, the directors are deciding who play which part.  Mrs. McKinnon, the director of Guys and Dolls, said, “We started out with about 130 kids who auditioned, and we cast 62 of them.  There is a lot of talent at this school, and it was terribly difficult.” 

Savannah Grant, who was cast as Miss Adelaide, said, “I screamed I was so excited.  I wanted it so bad, and I got it, words can’t explain my excitement.”   

Samantha Sorensen, who was cast as Sarah Brown, said, “I was so excited to start practice and get to know Sarah.  I was excited to become her.”  

Once everyone has been cast, the real work starts.  The first step is learning the songs.  Many will not be very familiar with any of the music, but eventually, singing and performing the music is second nature.  The next step is learning the choreography.  

The choreographing process is not easy but it is the part that makes the show so much fun. Mrs. Gleave, a math teacher, choreographed all the dancing for the play. In Guys and Dolls, it was not just step to the right, move up, choreography.  It was real dancing. 

Then, after practice, the show is ready to run.  Often times, you have not visited a scene in over a month.  This is where you really get to know the show.  Those with lines, are expected to know them, although, at this phase, you can still call “line,” if you need it.  This is the part where you remember everything that you have blocked and choreographed over the past few months.  Mrs. Gleave, the choreographer of the show said, “It’s a little tricky getting 60 or more performers working together on the stage, but our cast members turn those large numbers into crowd favorites.”

After a few runs, it is time for the last step before you perform, dress rehearsal.  At this point, everyone knows the show better than the back of their hand.  Many have tried on their costumes a few times, but a few cast members, have not even seen their costumes yet.  Mrs. Utrera, the music director for Guys and Dolls, said, “We tried to get costumes that fit the time period of the show, the 1940’s.  We wanted bright colors for everyone to make the stage seem more alive.”  

The leads get their microphones, you add the light, and you see the full effects of the show.  Brayden Parker, a member of the tech crew for SJHS, said, “I am in charge of lights, I turn off the lights for blackouts, and put the spotlight on people.”

Then, after all of that stress, you finally get to perform.  You get to see audiences reactions, and something changes, all of your doubts about the show go away, and you go, “Wow, the audience really seems to like this.”  

“The story follows two gamblers to explore how the people with whom you associate change your outlook on life,” says Mrs. Gleave, “One of the gamblers has a fiance of 14 years, who desperately wants to get married, but he is worried about the life changes that come with marriage.  The other gambler has a life that is kind of stagnant and going nowhere.  This show allows us to spend an hour or so watching these two men make choices that may or may not change the course of their lives.”

Everyone agrees that the whole cast came so far from that first meeting.  Mrs. McKinnon said that is was very difficult getting the students to be confident in their abilities.  But in the end, everyone gained a confidence in their acting skills.  

Thank you to everyone who participated, the cast and crew did a wonderful job and put on a great show.