Photo Flash: Burns, Grove & More in Engeman Theater's GUYS & DOLLS

GUYS AND DOLLS is based on a story by Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Set in Damon Runyon's mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy - considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy - soars with the spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to a cast of vivid characters. Adelaide, the chronically ill nightclub performer whose condition is brought on by the fact she's been engaged to the same man for 14 years; Nathan Detroit, her devoted fiancé, desperate as always to find a spot for his infamous floating crap game; Sarah Brown, the upright but uptight "mission doll," out to reform the evildoers of Time Square and Sky Masterson, the slick, high-rolling gambler who woos her on a bet and ends up falling in love. The score, made famous by many popular singers, features Luck Be A Lady, If I Were A Bell, Adelaide's Lament, A Bushel and a Peck, and Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat.

GUYS AND DOLLS is produced for the John W. Engeman Theater by Richard T. Dolce, the theater's Producing Artistic Director. Peter Flynn directs Kim Douglas Steiner musical directs, and Marcos Santana choreographs. 

The Design Team includes: Adam Koch (Scenic Designer) who returns to the John W. Engeman Theater after working on over 100 production designs for opera and theater across the country including the premiere of Million Dollar Quartet (Goodman Theatre, now running at Chicago's Apollo Theatre). Off-Broadway musical Rooms: A Rock Romance (New World Stages also My Fair Lady at the John W. Engeman Theater. Wade Laboissinniere (Costume Designer) whose Broadway credits include The Story of My Life. Other credits include the Touring Companies for Disney's High School Musical and HSM2, including companies in the US, Australia, Spain and London's West End. He also designed the US National Tour of White Christmas for Theatre of the Stars. Cory Pattak (Lighting Designer) whose Broadway credits include Associate LD for The Story of My Life, Irena's Vow, NYC: This Side of Paradise. This will be Cory's third production at the John W. Engeman Theater he also did lighting design for My Fair Lady and Rent. Katherine Miller (Sound Designer) recent credits at The John W. Engeman Theater include Jekyll & Hyde, Wonderful Life, Little Women, Crazy for You, Miracle on 34th Street, Damn Yankees and The Sound of Music. NYC: Nothing Like A Dame featuring Betty Buckley, Audra McDonald and Bebe Neuwirth (NWS), The Memory of Water (Cherry Lane). Mark Adam Rampmeyer (Hair and Wig Designer) returns for his fourth season at the John W. Engeman Theater. Currently his work can be seen in The Roundabout Theatre Production of The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore with Olympia Dukakis. Recent Broadway credits include West Side Story and The Farnsworth Invention with Hank Azaria. Mark joins the John W. Engeman Theater this season in a full time role as Artistic Administrator in addition to his design responsibilities.

The Cast of GUYS AND DOLLS features: ANDRÉA BURNS (Miss Adelaide) who recently delighted Broadway audiences as "Daniela", the saucy hairdresser from In The Heights (Drama Desk Award). Other Broadway credits include: Beauty and the Beast, The Full Monty and The Ritz. THOMAS M. HAMMOND (Nathan Detroit) is returning to the John W. Engeman after playing Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and Tony in Dial M for Murder. He was most recently seen on Broadway as Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino and also starred in the acclaimed Off-Broadway comedy Dr. Knock at the Mint Theater. JOSH DAVIS (Sky Masterson) appeared in Little Women, Les Miserables, Beauty & The Beast and The Last 5 Years. His TV and Film credits include "The Beautiful Life", "Gossip Girl", "Law & Order", "Guiding Light" and the feature film "The Graduates." JESSICA GROVÉ (Sarah Brown) was recently featured on Broadway in A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Miss Dorothy) and Les Misérables as Eponine. KEN JENNINGS (Arvide Abernathy) appeared on Broadway in the original production of Sweeney Todd as Tobias, Urinetown (Hot Blades Harry), Sideshow (The Boss), London Assurance (Mr. Spanker), Present Laughter (Roland Maule), All God?s Chillun? Got Wings (Shorty) and in Grand Hotel (Otto Kringelein). WAYNE W. PRETLOW (Nicely-Nicely Johnson) credits include 5 Guys Named Moe, Ain't Misbehavin, A Christmas Carol at Gateway Playhouse, and a Center Stage in Balitmore he play the Lion in The Wiz. PHILIP HOFFMAN (Benny Southstreet) has appeared in the original casts of nine Broadway productions, including Into The Woods, Falsettos, Fiddler On The Roof (2004), The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Catered Affair. JOE COOTS (Big Jule) credits include, The Full Monty (Dave), Crazy for You! (Moose), Ferdinand the Bull (Ferdinand), Annie Get Your Gun (Sitting Bull), Rebels (McIntoch) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Pilate). BARBARA TIRRELL (General Matilda B. Cartwright) returns to the John W. Engeman Theater after playing Yente in Fiddler On The Roof and Aunt March in Little Women. Currently she can be seen in HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" as Edith Mauer.

The cast of GUYS AND DOLLS also includes: LINDSEY CLAYTON as Mimi; DON KENNETH MASON as Rusty Charlie; MICHELLE O'BRYAN as Martha; ARIANA VALDES as Agatha and STEVE LUKER as Lt. Brannigan. The Hot Box Girls include: WILLOW GREY; JANELLE NEAL and ERIKA ODEGARD. The Gamblers include MICHAEL FATICA (Harry the Horse, Ensemble); PETER CARRIER; KEVIN KELLY; BRODY HESSIN and BRYAN CORTES.

For tickets and more information, visit www.engemantheater.com. 

Photo Credit: AnnMarie Snyder