Berkshire on Stage

The classic, yet dated musical, Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon, is entertaining crowds at the Mac-Haydn Theatre. Brought back to the early 1950s when women were Dolls who wanted to snag men, marry them, and change them for the better, this Tony award-winning musical leaves us with fabulous show tunes, very familiar to the theatre loving crowd. In fact, Mac-Hayden sent out a survey to its patrons, and Guys and Dolls was the most requested musical.

The thrust stage is surrounded in the rafters by silhouettes of old New York City, while the backdrop behind the platform is an Art Deco inspired theatre front. Through the overture, the cast enters, followed by the Fugue for Tinhorns, Follow the Fold, and The Oldest Establishment, introducing us to the men who love to gamble, the church mission hoping to save sinners, and the general vibe of the upper and struggling classes of the early fifties. From the very start, the choreography by Director/Choreographer Mandy Modic is high caliber and professional, and the dancers are outstanding.

We meet Nathan Detroit (Ian Federgreen), who makes his money running illegal craps games, and his minions, including Nicely Nicely Johnson (Spencer Stanley), Benny Southstreet (Jack Dossett), and Rusty Charlie (Jack Iovanella). His fiancée for the last 14 years is Miss Adelaide (Bridget Carrow), a lead dancer and performer at The Hot Box, which appears to be a gentleman’s club. A proverbial ditzy blond who wants nothing more than to settle down and have babies with Nathan, she is endlessly patient and tolerant of her reluctant to commit boyfriend.

Always running from the law, out of money, and desperate to find another venue for his craps game, Nathan decides to bet high roller, Sky Masterson (Tristan Caldwell) one thousand dollars that he will be unable to persuade devout missionary Sarah Brown (Belle Babcock) to fly to Havana, Cuba to have dinner with him. Believing this is a sure-fire bet, Nathan will then have the needed grand to pay for the venue for the game.

Meanwhile, Sarah, a seemingly uptight woman devoted to God and prayer and reforming sinners at the Mission, resists Sky’s charms, not believing he truly wants to change his ways. She is sure she can never be attracted to a gambler, as we watch her fall helplessly in love with him. Of course she goes to Havana. Of course she gets drunk on a sweet rum drink he orders for her, which she is initially unaware is filled with alcohol. Yes, this is a different era; consent is not necessary.

Babcock and Caldwell are a treat to see together again after their performances in A Grand Night for Singing. Caldwell is a wonderful, seductive leading man with a beautiful voice which melds perfectly with Babcock’s glorious soprano in I’ll Know and I’ve Never Been in Love Before. Sky’s My Time of Day becomes our time of day. As expected, when Sarah becomes aware that Sky’s interest in her is the result of a bet, her resistance to Sky mounts again. But, we know love will win out in the end.

Carrow’s Miss Adelaide is a delight, much as she was also in A Grand Night for Singing. While she has fun with A Bushel and a Peck, she soars with Take Back Your Mink, followed by Adelaide’s Lament in Act Two. We marvel as Miss Adelaide admits she has lied to her mother about being married to Nathan and having five children with him. We may struggle with our modern sensibilities with how love has made her wait this long and lie for over a decade to her mother. But this is an old time happily ever after musical. We go along as Carrow and Babcock joyfully sing, Marry the Man Today…and change his ways tomorrow. We know they will.

Federgreen does a fine job as Nathan. With strong professional experience, he has a pleasant voice and can be funny. This iconic role, however, is less memorable to me in his performance.

Special mention must be given to Stanley as Nicely Nicely Johnson. He lights up the stage singing the title song with Dossett as Benny Southstreet, and gives a priceless rendition of showstopper, Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat. Modic’s staging of that number is especially clever, using the pews for the church which are quickly moved to resemble a boat.

Costume Designer, Bethany Marx does an outstanding job outfitting the cast in period appropriate clothing with a variety of suits and dresses. She creates fun costumes for the Hot Box girls, in all their different dances, sometimes resulting in articles of clothing coming off revealing sexy lingerie.

While Set design by Emma Cummings is minimal, she works well with Lighting Designer, Andrew Gmoser and Props Designer, Kalani Burkemper to show various settings and times of day, including the Mission, a café in Havana at night, and the News stand set right next to the audience.

Modic does a magnificent job using the entire stage with this big cast of dancers, enabling everyone to be seen and the energy felt. Music Director Evelyn Tomaro ably leads a five-piece band playing these beloved songs.

‘More I cannot wish you’ than taking an easy bet on this fun musical, Guys and Dolls. Leave your 21^st Century understanding of healthy relationships behind. Sinners can reform.

The Mac-Haydn Theatre presents “Guys and Dolls” Book by Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling, Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, directed and choreographed by Mandy Modic, from June 19-July 6, 2025. CAST: Tristan Caldwell as Sky Masterson, Belle Babcock as Sarah Brown, Bridget Carroe as Miss Adelaide, Ian Federgreen as Nathan Detroit, Spencer Stanley as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Jack Dossett as Benny Southstreet, and Jack Iovanella as Rusty Charlie. CREATIVE TEAM: Music Director Evelyn Tomaro, assistant director/choreographer Samantha Litteford, Set design by Emma Cummings, Lighting Design by Andrew Gmoser, Props Design by Kalani Burkemper, Costume Design by Bethany Marx, Hair and Make-Up Design by Anjewel Lenoir, Sound Design by Sean McGinley.

Guys & Dolls (runs for 3 weeks) Performance Schedule: June 19, 2:00 & 8:00pm; June 20, 7:00pm; June 21, 4:00pm; June 22, 2:00 & 7:00pm; June 25, 2:00pm; June 26, 2:00 & 8:00pm; June 27, 8:00pm; June 28, 4:00 & 8:00pm; June 29, 2:00 & 7:00pm; July 2, 2:00pm; July 3, 2:00 & 8:00pm; July 5, 4:00 & 8:00pm; July 6, 2:00 & 7:00pm. Mac-Haydn Theatre, 1925 NY-203, Chatham, NY

Tickets available at www.machaydntheatre.org or by calling the box office at (518) 392-9292