There are some pleasures to be found in the Northern Kentucky University production of
Guys and Dolls. First among them is the terrifically-timed rendition of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," with a divergently energetic staging for the chorus of gamblers and missionaries provided by choreographer Jane Green. A satisfying second goes to the slick showstopper, "Luck Be a Lady," where Tripp Hampton, as Sky Masterson, offers a smooth Harry Connick Jr.-styled performance.
The other leads deliver unevenly. Rachel Elizabeth Perrin, as Adelaide, handles her comic dialogue with wit and pacing but loses steam in her musical numbers, especially those set in the Hot Box nightclub where she is supposed to be headlining. It doesn't help that costume designer Gretchen Vaughn dresses her identically to the chorines surrounding her, which occasionally allows some of the more able dancers to steal focus.
Matt Bonhert, as affable gambler Nathan Detroit, has a taut energy that doesn't quite translate into the kind of presence this show requires, but true to his character, he never gives up on the game.
Jessica Kaiser, who plays the missionary sergeant, Sarah Brown, has the strongest voice of the ensemble and displays an apt sense of when to sheath it during in her duets and when to release it for her solos. Other performances of note include Cary Davenport (Benny Southwest), who adds both punch and polish to his comic moments and a solid voice for the title number performed with Nick Vannoy (Nicely Johnson).
Lower marks go to the director, Mike King, who misses almost every opportunity to generate any heat between the two romantic couples. Incessantly driven downstage center, his leads seem to prefer the gazes of the audience to the eyes of their partners. Another disappointment is scenic designer Ronald Shaw, whose sets often resemble a western cow town instead of Runyon's bustling Manhattan of the early 20th century. Grade: B-
GUYS AND DOLLS, presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance at Northern Kentucky University, continues through Sunday.
