›› THEATER
Luck be a Sleeping Lady! Mountain Play rolls dice, wins big with ‘Guys and Dolls’ by Le e Brady
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ames Dunn, longtime Mountain Play di- fore.” Everything brings on a song: Nathan rector, pulls off another theatrical miracle and his crew sing “The Oldest Established on Mt. Tam as dames and dolls, macho Permanent Floating Crap Game in New men and missionary posturing fill the stage in York,” while Adelaide and Sarah join forces Guys and Dolls. A big hit in the ’50s, this rous- on “Marry the Man Today, and Change ing look at love as a gamble still works. Rick His Ways Tomorrow.” Dunn keeps the acWallace’s choreography is contagiously ener- tion fast and engaging as the four leads sing getic; Patricia Polen’s costumes are eclectically their way to a happy ending that had an colorful; Ken Rowland’s bold sets effectively enthusiastic opening-weekend audience on revolve; and a delightful and its feet. talented cast of singing and The sum is more than dancing actors does the rest. the parts, however, and NOW PLAYING They deliver Frank Loesser’s the aptly named chorus Guys and Dolls runs through appealing songs and bring to of gamblers shares June 20 at the Cushing joyful life Damon Runyon’s credit: Joshua Castro Memorial Amphitheatre, New Yawk low-lifes. as Nicely-Nicely, Benny 801 Panoramic Highway, Mill The plot, already thick Southstreet (Michael Valley; 415/383-1100, www. with love complaints from Cassidy), Rusty Charlie mountainplay.org. Nathan Detroit’s (Randy (Tim Ryan) and their Top Girl runs through June Nazarian) longtime girlrival from Chicago, Big 20 at the Barn Theatre, Marin friend Adelaide (Kimberly Jule (Chad Williams). Art & Garden Center, 30 Sir Jensen), takes off when Debra Chambliss and Francis Drake Blvd., Ross; Nathan, who is seeking a her tuneful backstage 415/456-9555, www.rossvalleyplayers.com. venue for a game, bets Sky orchestra, the Men’s Masterson (Tyler McKenna) Chorus, The Hot Box that he can’t take missionGirls and several small ary Sarah Brown (Susan but important roles Zelinsky) on a date to Cuba. Of course, the make the production feel like Broadway dangerously handsome Sky and the virtuously on the mountain. All contribute to making pure Sarah fall in love, which brings on the Guys and Dolls a fun afternoon that sends haunting duet, “I’ve Never Been in Love Be- audiences home smiling—and singing.
Street dice is known for its sharps, cheats and heartbreakingly lofty falsettos.
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udiences are warned that Top Girls is a challenging play that opens with five women telling their stories—at the same time. It’s a bold move that sets both style and theme in playwright Caryl Churchill’s 1982 look at the price women pay for success in the world. Marlene (Loring Williams), just promoted (over a man) to the top job at Top Girls employment agency, invites five historical women to share her success: Pope Joan (Carolyn Power), Isabella Bird (Michelle Darby), Lady Nijo (Lina Makdisi), Patient Griselda (Theresa Miller) and Dull Gret (Susan Donnelly). Wine flows as freely as the talk of sacrifices these women have made, mostly to do with lost children, makes it clear to Marlene that success in a patriarchal world has its costs. When this invigorating first scene ends and we move to the sleek, modern offices of Top Girls, we see that things haven’t improved much, as several women talk about their employment history. Louise (Power) has given her life to a company only to hit a glass ceiling; Jeanine (Melissa Claire) doesn’t want to be just a housewife, but has no idea where to go from there. Mrs. Kidd (Donnelly) is
there to protect her husband’s job. Employment counselors Nell (Melissa Claire) and Win (Makdisi) have their own workplace issues and clearly see Marlene as a Margaret Thatcher wannabe who has all the faults of a male boss with none of the attributes. When the action moves to a small town in England, we get the backstory on Marlene, one that doesn’t make her any more sympathetic. And when her niece (possibly her daughter) Angie (Miller) shows up at the office, Marlene’s two lives intersect. Cris Cassell directs the eight excellent women in this complex, multi-character play like a sensitive traffic officer. She nimbly keeps time and place clear on David Apple’s workable set (transparent, movable flats), and she uses Les Lizama’s distinctive light design (screens take on various emotive colors) to keep audiences in the here-and-now or the back-then. This is the second Caryl Churchill play to hit Marin this month (Owners is running at AlterTheater in San Rafael), and hit is a good word to describe the dramatic intensity of both. ✹ Tell Lee to break a leg at freshleebrady@gmail.com.
Break a leg with more theater reviews at ›› pacificsun.com
The Ross Valley Players give it their best da Vinci.
The Ross Valley Players Presents
Top Girls by Caryl Churchill Directed by Cris Cassell
May 21 to June 20
Buy Tickets Online: www.rossvalleyplayers.com Or call 415-456-9555 $15-$25
The Barn Theatre, Marin Art & Garden Center Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at Lagunitas, Ross MAY 28 - JUNE 3, 2010 PACIFIC SUN 25