The eccentric underworld characters of Damon Runyon fit comfortably in the realm of musical comedy. For while they are obsessed with gambling on everything from the ponies to craps to cheesecake consumption, they are also preoccupied with romance. At least they are in Guys and Dolls, a 1950 confection from Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows, considered one of a handful of perfect … [Read more...]
‘Guys and Dolls’ to bring fun, and Lady Luck, to the Wick
Composer-lyricist Frank Loesser has written more artistic shows (The Most Happy Fella) and more commercially successful shows (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), but his 1950 adaptation of Damon Runyon’s tales of the denizens of Times Square, Guys and Dolls, is widely considered to be a perfect musical. “It is the perfect example of a book and a score that go … [Read more...]