This month I attended the third night of three shows of ADM’s production of Guys and Dolls. I wasn’t fully aware what the play was about, other than small descriptions from friends and peers, so I didn’t have much background knowledge on the story line going into the show. To be completely honest, I went in with somewhat low expectations. A 3 hour production put on by high school students, how amazing could it be? I’m very pleased to say that I was proven wrong that night.

Guys and Dolls is set in New York back during the times of gangs and hot box dancers. One of the leads, Nathan Detroit is the fiance of Miss Adelaide of 14 years. Battling a gambling problem, Detroit bets Sky Masterson that he cannot accomplish taking missionary Sarah Brown to Havana. Throughout the story, Sky and Sarah fall in love despite the hidden motive of betting.

Nathan Detroit, played by junior Mason Willms, absolutely shined on stage. The obvious confidence made his acting and singing all the more effective and his energy radiated throughout the audience. Miss Adelaide, played by senior Kylie Ozbun, provided so much more entertainment to the show than was already there. Her amazing singing character mannerisms kept me engaged the whole time. Sky Masterson, played by junior Balin Hysell, was a character I was not expecting. I’m not sure how he mastered the New York accent, but he nailed it along with his line deliverance and stage presence he brought to the production. Sarah Brown, played by senior Chloe Clarke, was so interesting to watch as her character development changed over the duration of the story. Her comedic timing brought laughter all over the room and singing left the audience in awe.

My biggest compliment to the ADM cast is the strong stage presence and confidence. I remember sitting in my seat wondering how they can keep such high professionalism when acting. I know that if I tried, I would be laughing nonstop whether I was nervous or was delivering a funny line. It’s obvious how much time and work went into this production based on the incredibly impressive performance put on.

My one and only complaint would be how long the play was. It might just be a personal problem, but I do not have the longest attention span, especially not when sitting still. Movies over 2 hours long are a stretch for me to sit down and watch, so I knew a 3 hour musical would be lengthy. However, the intermission about mid way through helped with the pins and needles.

Overall, I was immensely impressed with the actors and crew of the ADM theater department. I am excited to see what they have planned for spring!