Guys and Dolls

When the first version of the show's book, or dialogue, written by Jo Swerling was deemed unusable, Feuer and Martin asked radio comedy writer Abe Burrows to rewrite it.

Composer and lyricist Frank Loesser specifically wrote "Sue Me" for Sam Levene, and structured the song so he and Vivian Blaine never sang their showstopping duet together.

The character of Miss Adelaide was created specifically to fit Vivian Blaine into the musical, after Loesser decided she was ill-suited to play the conservative Sarah.

General Cartwright, the leader of Save-a-Soul, visits the mission and explains that she will be forced to close the branch unless they succeed in bringing some sinners to the upcoming revival meeting.

[17][better source needed] It starred Robert Alda (Sky Masterson), Sam Levene (Nathan Detroit), Isabel Bigley (Sarah) and Vivian Blaine (Miss Adelaide).

Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide, Sam Levene as Nathan Detroit and Robert Alda as Sky Masterson recreated their original Broadway performances twice daily in a slightly reduced version of Guys and Dolls when the first Las Vegas production opened a six-month run at the Royal Nevada, September 7, 1955, the first time a Broadway musical was performed on the Las Vegas Strip.

[21][22] Another presentation at City Center, with Alan King as Nathan Detroit, Sheila MacRae as Adelaide, Jerry Orbach as Sky and Anita Gillette as Sarah, ran for 15 performances from April 28 to May 9, 1965.

It starred Robert Guillaume as Nathan Detroit, Norma Donaldson as Miss Adelaide, James Randolph as Sky, Ernestine Jackson as Sarah Brown, and Ken Page as Nicely-Nicely Johnson.

Laurence Olivier wanted to play Nathan Detroit, and began rehearsals for a planned 1971 London revival of Guys and Dolls for the National Theatre Company then based at the Old Vic.

Eyre called it a "re-thinking" of the musical, and his production featured an award-winning neon-lit set design inspired by Rudi Stern's 1979 book Let There Be Neon,[25] and brassier orchestrations with vintage yet innovative harmonies.

[26][27] The show's choreography by David Toguri included a large-scale tap dance number of the "Guys and Dolls" finale, performed by the principals and entire cast.

[29][30] The original cast featured Bob Hoskins as Nathan Detroit, Julia McKenzie as Adelaide, Ian Charleson as Sky and Julie Covington as Sarah.

[33][full citation needed] Eyre's Guys and Dolls returned to the National from April through September 1984, this time starring Lulu, Norman Rossington, Clarke Peters and Betsy Brantley.

Complete takes of most of the show's songs are featured, as well as coaching from director Zaks, and commentary sessions by stars Gallagher, de Guzman, Lane and Prince on the production and their characters.

This revival, directed by Michael Grandage, starred Ewan McGregor as Sky, Jenna Russell as Sarah, Jane Krakowski as Adelaide, and Douglas Hodge as Nathan Detroit.

[44] During the run, Nigel Harman, Adam Cooper, Norman Bowman and Ben Richards took over as Sky; Kelly Price, Amy Nuttall and Lisa Stokke took over as Sarah; Sarah Lancashire, Sally Ann Triplett, Claire Sweeney, Lynsey Britton and Samantha Janus took over as Adelaide; and Nigel Lindsay, Neil Morrissey, Patrick Swayze, Alex Ferns and Don Johnson took over as Nathan Detroit.

The cast included Oliver Platt as Nathan Detroit, Lauren Graham, in her Broadway debut, as Adelaide, Craig Bierko as Sky and Kate Jennings Grant as Sarah.

The production starred David Haig as Nathan, Sophie Thompson as Adelaide, Jamie Parker as Sky, Siubhan Harrison as Sarah and Gavin Spokes as Nicely.

[54] The production then transferred to the Phoenix Theatre, with Oliver Tompsett as Sky, Samantha Spiro as Adelaide, Billy Boyle as Arvide, and Richard Kind as Nathan.

[55] The production also toured around UK cities and Dublin starring Maxwell Caulfield as Nathan, Louise Dearman as Miss Adelaide, Richard Fleeshman as Sky and Anna O'Byrne as Sarah.

[57][58][59][60][61] The cast included Ray Fearon as Nathan Detroit, Ashley Zhangazha as Sky Masterson, Abiona Omonua as Sarah Brown, and Lucy Vandi as Miss Adelaide.

The creativity of that era was born from a unique collision of talent and circumstance as people escaped the agricultural and oppressive south via the 'underground railroad' into the highly urbanised and industrialised north.

This version of Frank Loesser's musical, which swirls around the lives of the petty gangsters and their 'dolls' who inhabit New York's underbelly, moves the action to Harlem at its prewar height in 1939.

"[66] Clare Brennan in The Observer stated, "Relocated to Harlem, this fine new production of Frank Loesser's classic musical retains a threat of violence under a cartoon-bright exterior.

This album features several bonus tracks including a pop remix of "Luck Be A Lady", sung by Marisha Wallace, which is played after the curtain call and the Hi-Hi Boys' (Cedric Neal with Simon Anthony, Jordan Castle, Ryan Pidgen) versions of "I'll Know", "I've Never Been in Love Before" and "If I Were A Bell" which is performed during the interval.

Richard Watts of the New York Post wrote "Guys and Dolls is just what it should be to celebrate the Runyon spirit...filled with the salty characters and richly original language sacred to the memory of the late Master".

[102] William Hawkins of the New York World-Telegram & Sun stated "It recaptures what [Runyon] knew about Broadway, that its wickedness is tinhorn, but its gallantry is as pure and young as Little Eva".

[102] On November 3, 1955, the film version of the musical was released, starring Marlon Brando as Sky, Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit, and Jean Simmons as Sarah, with Vivian Blaine reprising her role as Adelaide.

"[105] Mankiewicz said "if there could be one person in the world more miscast as Nathan Detroit than Frank Sinatra that would be Laurence Olivier and I am one of his greatest fans; the role had been written for Sam Levene who was divine in it.

Sondheim (then aged 25) reviewed the film version of Guys and Dolls, and observed: "Sinatra ambles through his role as Nathan Detroit as though he were about to laugh at the jokes in the script.

Guys and Dolls window card starring Vivian Blaine , Robert Alda and Sam Levene from original 1950 Broadway production at the 46th Street Theatre
New York Mirror "Theatre-Ticket Ordergram" featuring original Broadway stars Vivian Blaine , Sam Levene and Isabel Bigley in 1950 Broadway production Guys and Dolls at 46th Street Theatre
Vivian Blaine and Sam Levene meet Queen Elizabeth after a Royal Command Variety Performance of Guys and Dolls on November 2, 1953
Guys and Dolls program from 1st Las Vegas production which opened September 7, 1955, at the Royal Nevada , performed twice daily starring Vivian Blaine , Robert Alda and Sam Levene , each reprising their original Broadway performances
Libretto and vocal book, Music Theatre International (1978), rented out to actors
DVD cover of the 1992 cast-album recording documentary , Guys and Dolls: Off the Record , starring Peter Gallagher , Josie de Guzman , Nathan Lane , and Faith Prince