Guys & Dolls
at Mater Dei

Reviewed on April 4, 2019

Rachel Golkin
Mission Viejo
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Unlikely love blooms Mater Dei's ‘Guys and Dolls'
written by Rachel Golkin, a senior at Mission Viejo High School

Embracing the hustle and bustle of late 1950s New York, Mater Dei High School's delightful production of "Guys and Dolls" tells a mirthful tale of luck and love, where anything can happen on the vibrant streets of Broadway.

Mayhem, misunderstandings, and unlikely romance ensue when lovable low-life Nathan Detroit makes a bet with big-shot gambler Sky Masterson in search of cash to host the city's oldest established craps game.

Cool and collected, Jonathan Lefebvre captures the charisma of world-class crapshooter Sky Masterson. His suave, booming voice and flirtatious smirk are wonderfully charming in "I'll Know," but a newfound vulnerability shines through as he falls for Sarah Brown.

Kalusha Brutlag flawlessly portrays the straight-laced missionary doll Sarah Brown. Brutlag starts out uptight and stern, but she loosens up when she falls for Lefebrve, bursting with unexpected passion as she dances with wild abandon in "Havana."

Nick Van Dalsem is delightfully charismatic as Nathan. He starts off the show with a cocky grin and carefree saunter, but that feigned confidence melts away at the slightest sign of trouble and he erupts with anxious energy, frantically flailing his arms and provoking thunderous laughter with exaggerated frustration.

Strutting across the stage with a silly grin and a skip in her step, Hayley Skonieczny bursts with boisterous energy as Nathan's eccentric fiance, Miss Adelaide. Skonieczny's resonant voice soars in "Adelaide's Lament," her hilarious whiny tone giving way to genuine sorrow as the song progresses, making for an unexpectedly emotional number.

Nathan's endearing fellow gamblers Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Anthony Barajas), Benny Southwest (Jaden Marquez), and Rusty Charlie (Rodrigo Gonzalez) are classic Broadway gangsters. The trio capture all the zest and charm of the show as they stroll across the stage with animated expressions in "Guys and Dolls," rolling their eyes and poking fun at every man in New York City who seems to be under the spell of some doll.

Sofia Moreno's hair and makeup design impeccably differentiates between the different ensembles. The Hot Box Girls' short curls bounce as they dance in "A Bushel and a Peck," while the missionaries keep their hair slicked back in tight low buns. The scarlet lips, rosy cheeks, and smoky shades of tawny eyeshadow are reminiscent of the late 1950s.

MDHS invites their audience to indulge in the chaos, commotion, and charm of this heartwarming classic, where love wins against all odds.

Krista Eliot
El Dorado
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

Mater Dei's "Guys and Dolls" works Nicely-Nicely
written by Krista Eliot, a senior at El Dorado High School

New York City provides the best crap game for any one looking for a little illegal activity- that is if you can find a place to run it. That's exactly the conundrum that fast talking gambler Nathan Detroit comes into. This simple problem leads to dozens more as a story of love, lies, and lots of dice rolling unfolds.

Mater Dei High School's production of Guys and Dolls is complete with stand out actors and tech elements that fabulously tell this timeless story.

Nick Van Dalsem portrays the cunning betting man Nathan Detroit. With impressive comedic timing and amazing vocal ability, Van Dalsem's character never falters even with the quick witted and fast paced dialogue the Nathan undertakes.

Playing Detroit's doll of over 12 years, Hayley Skonieczny shines as Miss Adelaide, a lead show girl who's madly in love with Nathan and waiting on pins and needles to get married. With songs like "Adelaide's Lament" and "Sue Me", Skonieczny showcases her impressive vocals as well as her characters hopeless romantic side.

Jonathan Lefebvre is the smooth talking, betting man, Sky Masterson who is challenged by Detroit to do the impossible. Lefebvre tackles this character with ease as he glides across the stage and uses his sultry vocals to woo even the primmest of women. His main objective is a young Miss Sarah Brown (Kalusha Brutlag) who he is bet by Detroit he can't whisk away to Havana for a night. In this, he might just find she's what he needed all along.

Kalusha Brutlag as Sarah Brown stands out at as an amazing vocalist with songs like "I'll Know" and "If I Were a Bell." Brutlag also does a fantastic job diving in to Browns ever changing character, one minute turning completely away from Sky's advances, the next, accompanying him to Havana and dancing her heart out, learning more about who she truly wants to be in the process.

Costumes designed by Caroline Kawabe effortlessly show the time period while bringing in the fun that this show possesses. With bright colorful suits and dresses, the costume crew makes sure every cast member is accounted for with a fabulous flair.

Combined with star power actors and stand out tech elements, Mater Deis production of Guys and Dolls does a fantastic job bringing everything together to tell this roaring story of love and gambling.

Bella Gordon
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

Fortune Favors Mater Dei's "Guys and Dolls"
written by Bella Gordon, a freshman at San Juan Hills High School

Abounding in energy and ebullience, Mater Dei contrives a lively rendition of "Guys and Dolls" with comical acting and admirable technical elements.

"Guys and Dolls" follows Nathan Detroit as he hunts for money to pay for a host for his floating Craps game, and in his desperate pursuit, he makes a bet against the visiting gambler Sky Masterson that Sky cannot take the pious Sarah Brown on a date in Havana. Sky then attempts to woo Sarah while Nathan struggles to keep his longtime fiancé Adelaide content and unaware of his gambling schemes.

Nathan Detroit, portrayed by Nick Van Dalsem, is a man chaotically juggling his two lives and spasmodically preventing them from colliding. Van Dalsem enthralls the audience with his superb comedic timing and melodramatic actions, like when he discovers that he lost a thousand dollar bet against Sky and immediately freezes while appearing discombobulated before abruptly collapsing into his friend's arms.

Despite Nathan's efforts to please her, Adelaide (Hayley Skonieczny) solemnly bemoans over his peculiar aversion to getting married in "Adelaide's Lament" with earnest expressions and defeated sighs.

Sarah Brown (Kalusha Brutlag), a headstrong Sister at the Save-A-Soul mission, is unceasingly endeavoring to gather sinners for a revival, and her life takes an unconventional detour after meeting Sky. Brutlag presents a comical juxtaposition as she skillfully shifts between being a highly stern, devout missionary with an operatic voice and a vivacious, carefree reveler while she jovially drinks and dances with Sky in Havana.

Throughout the show, the Crapshooters captivate the audience with their outrageous physical comedy and larger-than-life stage presence. When the police arrive unexpectedly at the Save-A-Soul mission to stop the Craps game, gamblers alarmedly sprint in a frenzied, fumbling mob out of the mission and haphazardly flee in every conceivable direction.

The show contains thirteen immense set transitions and twenty-nine fly rail cues, and the running crew, comprised of Benjamin Cruz, John Warburton, Kira Imhoff, and Lauren Howley, expertly completes each transition in an expeditious manner. The running crew meticulously weaves large set pieces through the cast of 115 on and off the stage in a timely and scrupulous manner.

With comical acting and commendable technical design, Mater Dei creates an effervescent production of "Guys and Dolls."