The Cappies is a writing and awards program that trains high school theatre and journalism students to be expert writers, critical thinkers, and leaders. Student critics vie to be published in local media outlets by attending productions at other schools and writing critical reviews.
By Audrey Graeber of Bishop Miege High School
Blue Springs High School Is Rockin’ The Boat!
Right as the stage lights come on for Blue Springs High School’s production of “Guys and Dolls,” book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, noticeable emotion is shown for each actor’s character. The audience was enthralled by the story of two gamblers, two women, and a floating craps game that these characters are intertwined in. It is obvious that Blue Springs High School put in a lot of effort for this production, and it shows.
The plot of “Guys and Dolls” is the story of two gamblers during the 1940’s in New York, Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson. Nathan is struggling to find a place to host his craps game while also internally struggling with his fiancée of 14 years, Miss Adelaide, who strongly wants to get married, which Nathan is opposed to. Sky makes a bet with Nathan, saying he could get a missionary, Sarah Brown, to come to Havana with him as a date. The show focuses on the internal and external conflicts of both Nathan and Sky, and how their relationships and struggles affect their feelings and others feelings as well.
The actors in this performance bring a huge amount of energy and emotion to the show. Each actor truly plays their character on stage and makes for a spectacular show. Even though some actors’ words are occasionally hard to hear when singing, there is so much power put into the vocals. Jared Romney (Nathan Detroit) is wonderful in conveying how his struggles and stresses are affecting him, and Noah Doss’s (Sky Masterson) vocals are very impressive. Another actor whose vocals are impressive is William Lynch (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), who performs outstandingly with “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat.” The whole crew put all their energy into said number with eye-catching choreography that harmonizes with Lynch.
One of the most impressive pieces in the production is the set. The set for “The Crapshooters’ Dance” and “Luck be a Lady” is magnificent, and while some set pieces lack detail, most are high quality and fit the scenes extremely well, adding the perfect touches to the setting. Occasionally the mics get loud or they cut out, but most of the time they work very well at a pleasant volume. There is a large amount of good work put into the costumes, the tear-away dresses in “Take Back Your Mink” have the audience gasping in impressed surprise. Other costumes in the performance also look good and fit the time period. The stage crew is also very successful in efficiently and quietly doing scene changes.
Overall, Blue Springs High School puts on a lovely performance of “Guys and Dolls,” encompassing emotion in every character. The charm and humor in the show invites the audience in, and there is lots to love. There is so much uniqueness in the production, from costumes to actors, and it really brings a special touch to the show. Each actor seems to be their character instead of just playing them, and that brings so much to a performance. They really do rock the boat!
