Review

Alhambra debuts Broadway favorite ‘Guys and Dolls’

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The new year was off to a fun and memorable start at The Alhambra Theatre and Dining, as the Jacksonville dinner theater debuted its production of “Guys and Dolls” last week.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that the musical is one of Broadway’s most beloved and enduring hits since the show itself is a musical love letter to Broadway – or the Broadway of the 1930s and ’40s immortalized in Damon Runyon’s short stories populated by two-bit gangsters and colorful chorus girls. And with equally colorful sets and a talented cast, The Alhambra production brings Runyon’s world to life.

With a score by Frank Loesser and a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, “Guys and Dolls” centers on two improbable love stories. Small-time gambler Nathan Detroit is trying to find a location for his floating crap game while fending off heavy-handed hints from his long-suffering fiancée, Adelaide, that after 14 years of being engaged, it’s time to tie the knot. Enter Sky Masterson, a high-stakes gambler looking for action. Sky could easily provide Nathan the $1,000 he needs to secure a location for the crap game – but agrees to do so only if Nathan wins a bet. The wager: Ladies man Sky has 24 hours to take a “doll” of Nathan’s choosing to Havana.

What Sky doesn’t count on is Nathan selecting Sarah Brown, a sergeant in the Salvation Army’s Save-a-Soul Broadway mission. What transpires is a madcap mix-up as Sky does romantic and spiritual battle with Sarah, who is tempted by the opportunity to save sinners, the mission and her calling.

“Guys and Dolls” is one of those rare Broadway musicals where virtually every song is a hit, and The Alhambra cast does a wonderful job of delivering on the superb score. As Sky Masterson, Melvin Nash brings just the right combination of suave sophistication and vocal talent to deliver on such classics as “Luck Be a Lady” and “I’ve Never Been in Love Before.” And he enjoys strong chemistry with Hailey Hendrickson as Sarah Brown. A late replacement in the lead role due to illness, Hendrickson’s lilting soprano and youthful exuberance are a breath of fresh air in a part that too often is played as stern and unforgiving. As Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Travis Young is a standout on numbers such as “Fugue for Tinhorns,” “Guys and Dolls” and the showstopping “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

A special hometown highlight of this production are husband-and-wife actors Jason and Katie Nettle in the central roles of Nathan and Adelaide. A former Alhambra stage manager and current drama teacher at Ponte Vedra High School, Jason humorously conveys Nathan’s inner battle between his love for Adelaide and his fear of settling down. As Adelaide, Katie delivers on such comic musical numbers as “Take Back Your Mink” while conveying sincere disappointment at her state of perpetual engagement on “Adelaide’s Lament.”

“Guys and Dolls” runs through Feb. 13 at The Alhambra Theatre and Dining.