FHS presenting ?Guys and Dolls?

A special invitation is extended to all senior citizens to a free dress rehearsal of ?Guys and Dolls,? presented by the FHS Broadway Players and the Fairfield High School music department at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the FHS Auditorium.

The musical will be performed: at 7 p.m. April 23; 2 p.m. April 24; and 7 p.m. April 28 and 29 in the FHS Auditorium.

Set in Damon Runyon?s mythical New York City, ?Guys And Dolls? is a romantic comedy. Gambler Nathan Detroit tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the police breathe down his neck. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, nightclub performer Miss Adelaide, laments that they?ve been engaged for 14 years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler Sky Masterson for the money, but Sky ends up falling in love with the straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown.

?Guys And Dolls? takes the audience from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.

The nearly 50-member cast and chorus, crew and orchestra is directed by Scott Slechta, artistic director; Zach Reiter, music director; and Jim Edgeteon, orchestra director. Lydia Marsh serves as the student assistant. In addition John Grunwald leads the light and sound crew along with Ben Anderson, Brendan Pool, and Shaelyn Thompson. Betsie Wotherspoon and Noel Wotherspoon are assisting with costumes.

Brad Snowgren, physical education teacher, is making his stage debut in this show.

The charactors and the cast members playing them are:

Nicely-Nicely Johnson - Joseph Wilbur; Benny Southstreet - Brittan Bowman; Rusty Charlie - Andrew Alonso; Arvide Abernathy - Gunnar Mattson;

Harry the Horse - Alex Mellum; Angie the Ox - Lane Yates; Big Jule - Brad Snowgren; Lt. Brannigan - Alex Helmick; Gen. Matilda B. Cartwright - Nicole Williams;

Adelaide - Katherine Hull; Nathan Detroit - David Wallingford; Sarah Brown - Shea Malloy; Sky Masterson - Matthew McLain.

The Mission Band and chorus is made up of Taylor Blomme, Kristen Daugherty, Kelly Peterson, Mich Putnam, Sam Mattson and Mitchel Melvin.

The Gamblers? Chorus is made up of Andrew Alonso, Brittan Bowman, Dewayne Barns, Mikey Hunt, Alex Mellum, Joseph Wilbur, and Lane Yates.

The Hot Box dancers and singers are Julia Fritz, Rachel Funkhouser, Phoenix Haessler, Laurel Hilger, Gwen Kermott, Amber Manning, Calista Rowe, Shayla Spray, Monica Stoltz, Alex Vice and Olivia Wallerich.

The orchestra includes: Gary Roth, flute, clarinet, and alto saxophone; Lindsey Repp, clarinet and alto saxophone; Zach Reiter and Rodger Gillaspie, alto and tenor saxophone; Mark McCabe, baritone saxophone and bass clarinet; Dakota Anderson and Fred Hucke, trumpet; Jim Wotherspoon, trombone; Mary Anderson, piano; LeAnne Edgeton, string synthesizer; Gerry Runyon, bass; Marshall Fiske, drums; and Loreena Hucke, auxilarly percussion.

Last show for Slechta

This will be the last show staged and directed by Slechta. He will assume his role and duties for a year as 2016 Iowa Teacher of the Year on June 1. During that time, he will take a sabbatical leave from teaching and directing in order to fulfill his obligations.

Slechta said, ?This show has been and is one of my favorites. It was the first musical I directed here at FHS along with Linda Mitcheltree and the late Ron Prill. ... As a matter of fact, the fall show, ?The Hobbit,? was the first show I directed at FHS in 1984.?

Slechta was inducted in the Thespian Wall of Honor in November 2016 at the Iowa Thespian Festival for his contributions to his students at Fairfield and to theatre statewide.

Edgeton introduced him and made these comments: ?We have worked on plays and musicals together for the past 23 years at Fairfield High School, and I have seen the quality of work and expert direction that he has provided for the students at Fairfield High School.

?Slechta has taken students to the festival for over 30 years, has been a workshop presenter, and has directed four shows selected for main stage production. Slechta is the type of person who is outstanding at anything he does.?

Tickets

Reserved tickets go on sale next week. Reserved seating is for the first 12 rows in the center section of the auditorium. The cost of reserved seating is $10.

All general admission tickets will be on sale one hour prior to curtain for $5.

Passes will not be honored at this event; everyone must purchase a ticket.

A special performance viewing opportunity will be offered at the 2 p.m. April 24 show: Laurie Noll, school superintendent, will sign the show.

?This is one of my favorites,? said Noll. ?I have signed it before, and it is fun to sign musicals.?