Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Guys and Dolls Imported to Broadway from London?

Will a fifth mounting of the penultimate Broadway classic Guys and Dolls be in our short-term future? And as an import from London, no less?

According to reports, the wagering is on for the yet another version of the musical that has cumulatively earned 17 Tony Award nominations through its four previous incarnations. In the 1950-51 season, the first production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The last glorious iteration in the 1991-92 season alone earned 8 Tony nominations and won four, including Best Musical Revival, Best Direction (Jerry Zaks) and Best Actress in a Musical for the fascinating Faith Prince. This production marked my first chance to catch an up-and-coming actor named Nathan Lane command the stage -- he played Nathan Detroit to Prince's Miss Adelaide.

With this outstanding revival still a fairly fresh memory, why -- you may ask -- would anyone consider a revival already? I'll tell you why: Because if you can re-imagine a classic while adding to its already tremendous heart and soul, even while making it sexier, than you have a winner.

Having had an opportunity to see the British production last November, I can vouch for this superior version and endorse it as deserving of an American audience. Directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford, I was simply blown away by their retelling of the Damon Runyon classic. I was also mesmerized by the cast, including Ewan McGregor as Sky Masterson and Jane Krakowski as Miss Adelaide. McGregor not only proved that his singing take in "Moulin Rouge" was no fluke, he successfully added "dancer" to his already impressive resume. For her part, Krakowski once again turned in a stylishly and deliciously campy performance while further demonstrating her incredible acting chops and singing voice.

While there's no guarantee that McGregor and Krakowski will reprise their West End roles, it's a safe bet that this production will once again attract some of musical theatre's biggest names. As one of the all-time best Broadway fables, how can they resist?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets to Guys and Dolls in London.

Related Stories:

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Swayze Lands London's Detroit Role (June 1, 2006)

London's Guys And Dolls 1st Anniversary Ticket Offer (May 27, 2006)

SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre, London, UK) (May 26, 2006)

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, May 15, 2006