Posted By: Dr. Mark Dreisonstok on: May 17, 2026
Gangsters and Broadway, a natural combination for entertainment! Enter “Guys and Dolls,” the classic, Tony Award-winning show, captivating with every roll of the dice. Whether you are new to this famous staple of the American musical theatre or know it by heart, you are sure to come away from this infectious production at Riverside Theatre of the Performing Arts having had a stomping good time. Follow two gamblers and their sweethearts in this period musical filled with wit and humor as their stories unfold in Runyonland.
…infectious…The performances of the cast are nothing short of spectacular.
What exactly is Runyonland? It is the world of the short stories of Damon Runyon, early 20-century American author whose works such as “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown,” “Blood Pressure,” and “Pick the Winner” feature colorful characters and dialogue of vintage New York and provided the plot elements for “Guys and Dolls.”
The story revolves around a bet between gamblers Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson. As Runyan tells us in his “Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” short story, “the reason [Masterson] is called The Sky is because he goes so high when it comes to betting on any proposition whatever.” In this case, the proposition is whether he will be able to convince a Salvation Army “doll,” Sergeant Sarah Brown, to accompany him on a mad-cap trip to pre-Castro Havana and its pulsating nightclubs. The musical teases the audience as to whether or not a romance will develop between the “sinner” Masterson and the upright Miss Brown. They might not be so different as it seems on the surface when “Sky,” whose real name is Obediah after the Old Testament prophet, corrects her on a Bible verse. Then there is Nathan and his 14-year engagement to Miss Adelaide, the star of a local nightclub. Will they finally enter the hallowed halls of matrimony for which she longs and he resists? It is anyone’s bet!
Directed by Patrick A’Hearn, with excellent choreography by assistant director Stephanie Wood, the show is imbued with earnest vibrancy and the glitz and glamor of Broadway lights. The set is brilliantly designed by Christian Fleming. At times, it resembles a bar, a café, and an enormous, larger-than-life table for “craps shooting,” an omnipresent topic in the story. The set turns effortlessly—relying a bit on the imagination of the audience—into a Salvation Army mission.
Costumes by Caroline Tyson are wonderfully ambiguous as to whether the action takes place in the 1920s or 1940s, though occasionally a costume more in tune with the 1960s is a little jarring. Riverside’s seasoned music director, Carsin Eubank, leads a fabulous orchestra of musicians gifted at reproducing the score of this 1950 musical.
The performances of the cast are nothing short of spectacular. Particularly noteworthy is Ian Federgreen as Nathan Detroit. With the accent, mannerisms, and Runyonesque charisma, Federgreen seems to have walked straight out of Runyan’s New York City. Dan Klimko’s performance as Masterson “reaches the sky,” particularly in his rendition of the show-stopper, “Luck, Be a Lady Tonight.” Sarah Mae Andersen as Sarah Brown has operatic qualities in her voice in numbers such as “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” and “I’ll Know” (both duets with Mr. Klimko) which suggest operetta. Finally, the versatile Kiley Ernest (whom we last saw in the very different role of Mary Magdalene in Riverside’s “Jesus Christ Superstar),” channels the accent, patter, and comedy of a New York Runyan “doll.” Darius J. Manuel is superb as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, especially in the rousing “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
Running Time: Two hours and 50 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.
“Guys and Dolls” runs through June 28, 2026 at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, 95 Riverside Parkway Fredericksburg, VA 22406. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 540.370.4300, Sunday: 12 pm – 3 pm; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 10 am – 6 pm; Thursday and Friday: 10 am – 7:30 pm; and Saturday: 12 pm – 7:30 pm; or go online.
