UST-CSC Theater Department presents 'Guys and Dolls' March 5-9

"Guys and Dolls" cast members pictured left to right are: Brittany Thelemann (Sarah Brown), junior; Andrew Menke (Sky Masterson), freshman; Josh Anderson (Nathan Detroit), freshman; and Annie Bruss (Miss Adelaide), junior.

UST-CSC Theater Department presents 'Guys and Dolls' March 5-9

The joint Theater Department of the University of St. Thomas and the College of St. Catherine will present the memorable 1950 musical comedy "Guys and Dolls" at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, March 5-8, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9, in Foley Theater on St. Thomas' St. Paul campus, 2115 Summit Ave.

Tickets are $5 for general admission and free to students, faculty and staff with ID from the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (St. Thomas, St. Catherine, Augsburg College, Macalester College and Hamline University). Seating is limited; reservations will be taken at The O'Shaughnessy Ticket Office at St. Catherine, (651) 690-6700.

Based on a Damon Runyon short story, "Guys and Dolls" revolves around Nathan Detroit, the organizer of the oldest floating crap game in New York, who bets fellow gambler Sky Masterson that he can't make the next girl he sees fall in love with him. The next girl he sees happens to be Miss Sarah Brown, a pure-at-heart reformer, and the stage is set.

"Guys and Dolls" began a run of more than 1,200 performances after its Nov. 24, 1950, opening at New York's 46th Street Theatre (renamed the Richard Rodgers Theater in 1990). The play won five 1951 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Its original cast included Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Sam Levene and Isabel Bigley. The 1955 film version featured Marlon Brando, Vivian Blaine, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons. Among its memorable tunes: "Luck be a Lady," which later became a signature song for Sinatra.

Cast members include "guys" Josh Anderson (as Nathan Detroit), Andrew Menke, Mike Rasmussen, Milo Oien-Rochat, Jim Moen, Shar Brima, Mtthew Weishan, Steven Broszko, Mark Thomas, Tyler Tigges, Franklin Wagner, Kellen O'Grady, Jesse Arch, Tom Gubash, Devine Malone and Brendan Daly – all St. Thomas students – and "dolls" Annie Bruss, Brittany Thelemann (as Sarah Brown), McCall Miller, Caitlin Dolan, Danielle Nelson, Cynthia Clark, Hana Borovickova, Jessica Garceau and Caitlin Mans from St. Thomas and Helen Buron, Kimberly Bartels, Kelyse Gould, Greta Pahr and Elizabeth Hacker from St. Catherine.

Gregg Sawyer, a 1979 St. Thomas theater alumnus, directs. He is director of the Theater School at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield.

Robert Strusinski of the St. Thomas Music Department is musical director and conductor of the production.