Presenting...'Guys & Dolls' at Williamsville North
by JENNIFER SIKORA Assistant Copy Editor
This year, Williamsville North High School presents a classic musical that has everything: love, romance, laughter, criminals and even professional gambling.

Williamsville North High School students get in character to begin rehearsal of the musical "Guys and Dolls." From left are Rebecca Bradford, CJ Waggoner, Rob O' Leary, Meghan Vaugh, Geoff Hurley and Lauren Shuson

"Guys and Dolls" takes the stage with more than 100 students participating as dancers, actors or musicians in the pit orchestra.

A musical from the 1950s that was written by Frank Loesser, "Guys and Dolls" made its debut on Broadway on Nov. 24, 1950.

Between the years 1951 and 1992, "Guys and Dolls" won a total of 15 Tony awards.

Kristy Cavanagh, director of the Williamsville North production, has directed the school's musicals for the past three years. For five years and continuing, she has also choreographed North musicals, including "Bye Bye Birdie," "Copacabana" and "42nd Street," and this year she will be taking on the same challenge.

"It is a lot of time management, when working on acting and then dancing," said Cavanagh, who added that in the long run, it is easier for her because she doesn't have to work around someone else's schedule and she is on her own time.

Senior Megan Brown, who plays missionary worker Sarah Brown, and senior Wilfred Murrett, who plays professional gambler Sky Masterson, take the stage for rehearsal of the hit musical "Guys and Dolls."

Marnie Salvatore, vocal music director, also joins Cavanagh in the hard work of making "Guys and Dolls" a successful production.

The story line is based on two couples - Nathan Detroit and Adelaide and Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown.

Detroit, a gambler, is performed by Williamsville North senior C.J. Waggoner.

"I like that I get to be someone else this year. Normally, I am like the lover guy who gets the suave lines," said Waggoner.

"This time I get to change my voice and have an accent," he said. "I like being someone completely different on stage."

The hardest part about the Detroit role, he said, is that he must try to maintain the accent without forgetting his lines.

When Waggoner graduates from high school, he will be attending the Fredonia State College School of Music for voice performance. For the last four years, he has been participating in the North musicals and has performed other lead roles as well.

The beginning of the musical starts out with Detroit (Waggoner) trying to run a floating crap game, but he is having a hard time finding a place to have it because of the constant pressure from the police.

Detroit has also been engaged to Adelaide for 14 years, and their relationship is far from perfect. She works as a performer at the Hot Box Club and doesn't like Nathan's gambling.

Junior Rebecca Bradford, who plays Adelaide, loves the songs and the humor in the musical. She plans to attend the University of Michigan for music theater after graduation. Just like most actors in the musical, she said there are a lot of challenges she faces on stage.

"Memorizing the lines is hard, and I think reacting to everything that is going on .... you have to think about a lot," said Bradford.

The plot of the musical begins to unfold as Detroit finally finds a place to hold the game, but there is one catch. He needs $1,000 to secure Joey Biltmore's garage.

Unfortunately for Detroit, he doesn't have the money, so he makes a $1,000 bet with Masterson, another gambler, that Masterson can't get Sarah Brown, a missionary worker, to travel with him to Havana.

Senior Wilfred Murrett is the high-rolling gambler Masterson. He has been in all four musicals during his high school career and intends to pursue music in college at Eastman School of Music.

"I really like the music and songs in it; they're really upbeat," said Murrett of "Guys and Dolls."

Masterson presents himself to Sarah as a gambler in need of redemption. He tries to ask her out for dinner but gets turned down. He then promises her that if he fills the Save-A-Soul Mission with 12 sinners, she has to agree to have dinner with him. She doesn't know the dinner would be in Havana, but that doesn't matter, because the answer is still, no.

Senior Megan Brown is playing the part of Brown.

"It's a fun role to play because she is diverse. She is really reserved and proper one second and the next she is letting loose and having fun. So, I get to do a lot with her," said Brown, who is undecided about her future plans.

Brown thinks the people who attend the musical will enjoy its humor and the story line.

"There are great dance numbers and songs. It is a exciting play," she said.

The story doesn't end with Sarah Brown's refusal of Masterson because there is a threat of the mission shutting down as a result of its failure to attract sinners. Brown then makes a decision that changes the lives of both couples.

As the story moves along, love blooms and could be torn apart, a bet might be won or perhaps lost, but there is only one way to find out what happens in this classic, entertaining production.

"Guys and Dolls" will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 6-8, and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9 in the Williamsville North auditorium, 1595 Hopkins Road, Amherst. Tickets cost $10 and are available at the school box office. For more information or tickets, call the school at 626-8500.