OPERA REVIEW OF CAPITOL OPERA'S PRODUCTION OF
GUYS & DOLLS
Sacramento Bee
By Patricia Beach Smith
Sacramento Bee Arts Critic
(Published Sept. 3, 2001)
Vicki Fortini and Tony Silva star in
"Guys and Dolls" at Capitol Opera Sacramento.
Friday's opening of this Frank Loesser slice of New York life musical at Capitol Opera Sacramento in Carmichael featured a plethora of lively, well-timed staging, choreography and acting.
Bob Eggert, as missionary Arvide Abernathy, stopped the show with his sensitive, expertly sung offering of "More I Cannot Wish You." In this, the show's most poignant all-too-short moment, Eggert showed he had the best voice and delivery on stage as he sweetly advised his naÔve fellow missionary Sarah Brown (Vicki Fortini) to marry gambler Sky Masterson (Tony Silva) despite his reputation.
The Capitol Opera Sacramento production runs through Sept. 30 at 6219 Ross Ave., Carmichael. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10; call (916) 944-2149 to reserve. Seating is limited.
Adelaide, a Betty Boopish "doll" played with eye-batting aplomb by Julie Bock, eventually gets her guy, Nathan, the purveyor of "The Oldest Established ... Crap Game in New York." Nathan (Jimmy Folla) played the perfect (make that "poy-fect") Times Square denizen and elusive bachelor.
Silva co-directed the show with Salina Donek. They also successfully shared the tasks of designing the terrific Toon Town-style sets and the cast's apropos costumes. The Hot Box girls wore the best threads, especially the clever "breakaway" duds for their "Take Back Your Mink" number. The men were done up in the best gangster-style haberdashery. Sky's rakish fedora won best prop, hands down.
For the most part, the production was amusing, easy to watch and well-paced.
The big musical numbers, deftly choreographed by Gino Platina, were remarkably appealing and done well by a cast whose dancing, acting and musical skills varied widely.
