The Starry Knight Community Players, led by the ever-so-fabulous Brooke Evans, produced their second annual production, Guys and Dolls the first two weekends of July. The production is being held in Johnson High School’s Performing Arts Center, home of the Starry Knight Community Players.

Guys and Dolls is an old favorite of the theatre community that tells the tale of love and gambling in 1930s New York City. This classic has music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser, and a fast-paced book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows. The musical got its start on Broadway in the early 50s, swept the Tonys winning 7 awards,  and did so well that they produced a movie in 1955 with big stars like Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, and Jean Simmons. The musical has continued its success with 3 Broadway revivals on and many other productions worldwide.

With an amazing set, beautiful costumes, breathtaking vocals, and mesmerizing choreography, the Starry Knight Community Players gave true justice to this beloved classic. Some stand-out numbers included Havana, with saucy salsa dancing for a night in Cuba, and The Crapshooter’s Dance which was a true showcase of the many different talents the gamblers had while dancing amuck in the sewers.

Although the ensemble was truly one of the best parts of the show, there were several stand-out leads who truly stole the show in their respective numbers. The hilarious role of Adelaide was played by Heidi Rider, a true triple-threat who kept the audience laughing throughout the entire show. Ramiro Salinas, an upcoming member of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, truly shocked the audience with the famous “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” with an impassioned testimony sung with amazing vocals.

Overall, although a new company, the Starry Knight Community Players prove to be a force to be reckoned with as they produced yet another fantastic musical. The production has one weekend left, and trust me, you will want to buy your tickets now as the production is truly a bushel and a peck, a hug around the neck, and even more!

Guys and Dolls completes its run this weekend with shows on Friday and Saturday, July 13th and 14th at 7:00 PM and Sunday, July 15th at 3:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased online in advance at https://jskplayers.booktix.com/

-Reagan Townley – Speakeysie Contributing Writer