The Arts In Abbotsford: Yale Secondary Presents ‘Guys And Dolls’

By Doreen Jung. Yale Secondary School presents Guys and Dolls at the Abby Arts Centre from February 12th to 18th. Live on stage, this smash Broadway musical is performed with high energy and spirit [Click On Image For Full Story] by the students in Yale’s Musical Theatre program . Artistic Director, Willis Taylor knows how to bring out the best in the young actors. Music Director, Allen Reynolds leads his students in the orchestra pit as they fill the theatre with the music of the classic Broadway hit.

As the story unfolds, Nathan Detroit is trying hard to set up his weekly floating crap game in New York City. He needs $1,000 to secure a place for the game and the high-rolling gamblers are gathering in town. Detroit makes a $1,000 bet with high roller, Sky Masterson. The bet is that Masterson cannot get Sarah Brown, a straitlaced, uptight Save-a-Soul Mission leader, to go to Havana with him for dinner.
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Detroit’s life is complicated by Miss Adelaide, a chronically ill night club performer to whom he has been engaged to for 14 years. Miss Adelaide’s efforts to get Detroit to the altar and Masterson’s clever ploy to get Sarah Brown to go to Havana add romance and comedy to the show. In this 1950s musical created from two short stories by Damon Runyon, we meet loveable thugs and their long-suffering dolls.

Michael Witmer, a grade 11 student who plays Nathan Detroit enjoys the challenge of the role. Nathan is a mixed up character and changes during the length of the play, says Witmer. I am pretty similar to his character. He tries to please people that he is close to and he tries to be himself. He needs to find that balance.

Miss Adelaide is double cast and portrayed by Jacquie Frost who is in grade 11 and by Alex McAvoy who is in grade 12. Frost finds the loud and expressive Miss Adelaide to be an exciting role to play. McAvoy has been in Musical Theatre performances for 4 years. She feels that, “Miss Adelaide is more of a kid. She doesn’t always think things through. It is so much fun to play this part.”
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“Sky Masterson is calm, cool, and collected, and he is highly respected as a gambler,” describes grade 11 student, Connor Harrison. “It’s a great role. It is fun to play the cool guy everyone looks up to.” Sky is in hot pursuit of Sarah Brown played by two students; Helena Glanville and Courtney Kelley. Kelly loves playing the role of this very upright Mission Doll. “She’s very conservative, has a lot of morals and follows them strictly. I love it!”

With vivid characters performed by enthusiastic students, the story comes alive on stage. The music gets the audience moving to some wonderful songs and leaves them humming at the end of the show. Funny and romantic, ‘Guys and Dolls’ is great entertainment for the whole family.

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Show Times:
February 12 at 2:30 pm
February 13 & 14 at 10:30 am
February 16 & 18 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are $12 and available at Yale Secondary
$10 for February 13 & 14 Matinees
For more information, check www.yalesecondary.com

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Doreen Jung

Editor’s Note: Doreen Jung is a member of the Abbotsford Arts Council and former Arts Administrator. Her columns appear here regularly.