by Michaela O’Donnell ’13

On December 15, 16, and 17, Sherwood performed “Guys and Dolls,” a musical about a group of gamblers in 1940s New York. The show centers around Nathan Detroit who bets fellow gambler Sky Masterson he can’t take saint-like missionary Sarah Brown on a date to Havana. The musical follows the messy relationship drama of Detroit and his overly attached fiancé of 14 years and Masterson and Brown’s new relationship.

Going into the play I expected junior Nick Cameron (Masterson) to blow me away based on his consistently impressive performances in previous shows. Although Cameron did meet my expectations, it was senior Connor Martin (Detroit) and junior Andi Hopkins (Adelaide) who pleasantly surprised me. Senior Alyssa Miller rounded out the cast as the missionary (Brown) secretly head over heels for Masterson. Martin led the show from the beginning with his entertaining sense of humor as well as presenting a solid vocal performance to top it off. His professional composition of acting surpassed all others and made the comedic character of Detroit more enjoyable. As soon as Hopkins entered the stage I forgot I was at a high-school play. Not only did her high pitched laughter, voice and accent complete the overbearing woman she portrayed, her booming alto voice could challenge any Broadway star.

The music was supplied by a live performing band in the pit under the direction of music teacher Alex Silverbook. The lighting and stage crew obviously worked hard because I didn’t notice one flaw in any part of the set or any knocking down of props. The speed and the discreetness of the tech crew was impressive.

I also applaud this mature choice of a musical. Compared to Blake’s desperate attempt to appeal to the teenage audience with their production of “Legally Blond,” “Guys and Dolls” is a musical I would like to go see again. If performers my own age inspired me to see this musical again, it was a success. The cast and crew set a bar for all high school plays to meet.