Redlands Bowl event for July 24, 25, and 26

“Guys and Dolls” Runs for Three Nights at Redlands Bowl

Nicely Nicely, Harry the Horse, Society Max, and Brandy Bottle Bates—characters in the truest sense, take to the Redlands Bowl stage for the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival’s production of “Guys and Dolls” on Thursday through Saturday, July 24 through 26, with a public dress rehearsal on Tuesday, July 22.

“Everything will be larger than life,” says director Steven Sabel. “The characters, the music, the sets, the costumes—it has to be huge to tell the fable created by Damon Runyon and to play well on the Bowl’s huge stage.”

With a cast of 40 actors, singers, and dancers, the production will re-tell the timeless Romeo and Juliet story of forbidden love, this time set in Runyon’s idea of a mythical New York City. The upright and uptight Sarah Brown sets out to reform the flashy gambler Sky Masterson, who sets out to score on a bet to win her heart. Sky’s band of gambling cronies and Sarah’s Salvation Army soldiers traipse from Times Square to the night clubs of Havana and through the sewers of New York City, dancing and singing to the splashy music of Frank Loesser.

In an unusual twist, Sabel has chosen to personify Sky’s elusive Lady Luck, danced by Los Angeles dancer Jamie Luginbill. The whole “Luck, Be a Lady Tonight” sequence takes place in a giant, 40-foot-long “sewer” that runs the length of the stage.

Choreographer Jennifer Young Lawson’s huge production number for “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” will fill the stage with thirty-one cast members in bright, cartoon-ish costumes, singing in Revivalist style, with hands waving and bodies swaying. “Only on Broadway can you find an ensemble this large on a stage,” Sabel assures.

Susan Meinders plays the determined and righteous Sarah Brown. Meinders, a local actor who has spent many summers on the Bowl stage, most recently played Annie in the Bowl’s production of “Annie Get Your Gun”.

A typical tall handsome man, according to Sabel, Tony Rossi plays the hard gamblin’ Sky Masterson. Seen on the Bowl stage in “Meet Me in St. Louis”, Rossi has extensive training in outdoor venues.

“Our characters of Sky and Sarah, those unlikely lovers, have a chemistry that bleeds way beyond the orchestra,” says Sabel.

Local performer Ralph Griffey—a younger, thinner version of Jackie Gleason, according to Sabel—, plays Nathan Detroit, and Christina Moore, most recently in “The Boyfriend” at the Bowl, plays night-club singer Adelaide, Nathan’s fiancé of 14 years.

“This show’s Nathan and Adelaide click like they’ve been together for the whole 14 years that the script says they’ve been engaged,” Sabel says.

As Nicely Nicely, Gary Borjan of Riverside will lead the chorus through the raucous “Sit Down” sequence.

Music Director Jon Gruett will conduct the orchestra. “I thought I was a perfectionist,” says Sabel, “and then I met Dr. Jon.”

“My hope is that the audience will leave this show with a very fun picture of New York,” Sabel explains, “and will find themselves being in love with love. It’s a fun, wholesome, family show that highlights the best that Redlands has to offer.”

This event is co-sponsored by The Physicians of Beaver Medical Group. For the Thursday night presentation, Redlands Morning Kiwanis and the Redlands Evening Kiwanis will be ushers, and Redlander Nelda Stuck will speak at intermission. For the Friday performance, representatives from Redlands Community Hospital and Leadership Redlands will serve as ushers, and Redlands Chief of Police Jim Bueermann will speak at intermission. For Saturday’s event, the Loma Linda Lopers and Coldwell Banker Realty Center will be ushers, and RCMA board member Sheila Cannon will be the intermission speaker.

All events of the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival are presented without an admission charge, with a free-will offering collected at intermission.

The Redlands Bowl is located at 25 Grant Street in Redlands between Grant and Eureka Streets, just south of Brookside Avenue. For directions and more information, contact the office at 909/793-7316 or view the website at www.redlandsbowl.org

To arrange cast interviews and photo shoots, please directly contact director Steven Sabel: 909/792-3782