Westfield Theater Group, Westfield, MA
www.westfieldtheatregroup.com
through April 12, 2014
by Eric Johnson
What’s playin’ at the Roxy? A tight, well rehearsed,
energetic and thoroughly entertaining production of "Guys and Dolls."
First time director John Farrell and seasoned music director
George Garber Jr. work well together. The casting choices, including a few bold
ones, serve this production admirably. Farrell’s objective to keep it simple,
using projections along with a few easy to move set pieces, keeps the scene
changes short and the action flowing.
Garber leads a 10-piece band through the score by Frank
Loesser with deft precision and an ear for detail that sets a very high bar for
a community theatre produced musical. The instruments and voices blend so well
that the balance rivals that of a recording, and all of this at a very
comfortable volume.
The members of the ensemble cast work together like the
proverbial well-tuned and oiled machine; a machine with some mad vocal skills
as well. Soloists and chorus alike bring some lovely voices to the party.
Stand out performances from supporting roles come from Pat
McMahon as Nicely Nicely Johnson; his timing and physical comedic ability are
quite entertaining. Paired with Jay Torres as Benny, the two elicit belly
laughs galore from the receptive opening night audience. Rick Buzzee
contributes a wonderful, grounded performance as Arvide; his solo “More I
Cannot Wish You” is a wonderful moment.
Lead performers Tom LeCourt as Nathan, Martina Haskins as
Adelaide, Carl Schwarzenbach as Sky and Lyndsey Ryder as Sarah, all work very
well together. LeCourt is not subtle in his portrayal of Nathan, creating some
hilarious moments. Schwarzenbach's Sky is a bit more subdued, adding a contrast
between the two inveterate gamblers. The chemistry between Schwarzebach’s Sky
and Ryders’ Sarah is obvious. A bit more range of emotion from the Sarah
character would be welcome, especially in the duet with Adelaide.
This leads
to the strongest performance -- Martina Haskins as Adelaide slams it home with
poise, talent, and skill. The emotional range in “Adelaide’s Lament” is both
heart wrenching and hilarious. The chemistry between Nathan and Adelaide is
there, especially in “Sue Me.”
Kudos to cast and crew for putting together a polished and
enjoyable show.
