15 April 2025
Taylor Theatre is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Guys and Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway, often hailed as the greatest musical ever written. Based on the iconic fables of Damon Runyon, this high-energy show captures the grit and glamour of a bustling urban city. A timeless tale of love, luck, and the powerful lure of extremist positions, it shows beliefs polarized into black and white postures, each camp despising the other with little hope for reconciliation.
Directed by Tracy Manning, Guys and Dolls takes place in a divided world—a world where the line between good and bad, light and dark, and love and chance are sharply drawn.
The production features a talented leading cast of BFA Musical Theatre students, with Ris Bland (senior) as Sarah Brown, the principled mission worker, and Gavin Kastner (junior) as Sky Masterson, the charming gambler. These two leads anchor the story, exploring the clash between Sarah’s steadfast devotion and Sky’s suave schemes. Grace Bradshaw (sophomore) and TJ Fausnight (sophomore) portray Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit, a dynamic couple whose contrasting personalities and conflicting desires create a constant source of humor and depth.
Guys and Dolls is a celebration of Runyon’s world of gamblers, street-smart crooks, and their larger-than-life personalities. With songs like “Luck Be a Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” and “A Bushel and a Peck,” this iconic show brings Runyon’s fables to vibrant life. The show’s themes of love, luck, and division—between good and bad, reason and passion—are portrayed with sharp wit, humor, and unforgettable music.
Choreographed by Amanda Browning, the production features dynamic, high-energy dance numbers that capture the pulse of the city’s underworld. From glitzy nightclubs to gritty streets, the choreography brings spontaneity and undeniable energy to the stage, while the jazz-infused score fills the space with life.
Show Dates and Times:
The production will take place at Mitchell Theatre in Rupp Communication Arts Center, located at 1846 South Main Street, Upland, IN. Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the box office at 765-998-5289.
Guys and Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com.
For more information or press inquiries, please contact:
Gavin Kastner or Judy Kirkwood
Marketing and Publicity Team
765-998-5289 or gavin_kastner@taylor.edu