‘Guys & Dolls’ Is A Show Of Firsts For Liddy & Smith
June 16, 2021 at 3:33 p.m.
‘Guys & Dolls’ Is A Show Of Firsts For Liddy & Smith
By David [email protected]
Liddy plays General Matilda B. Cartwright, while Smith plays Sarah Brown.
“My character Sarah Brown is in charge of gathering as many people as she can, rallying people to her mission. I think she’s trying to impress General Cartwright, as well. But then Sarah Brown kind of gets mixed up with Sky Masterson, who takes her to Havana and pretty much swoons her. It’s a complex story, but I would just say Sarah just kind of grows as a person, comes out of her shell. I would say she’s a bit uptight at first, but Sky kind of changes her for the better,” Smith explained.
Besides the romantic plotline of Brown and Masterson, Smith said there’s also the story of Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit.
Describing General Cartwright, Liddy said, “General Cartwright is the main sergeant general of the mission, and her role is to come in throughout the show and to check on Sarah’s progress with getting sinners to this chapter of the mission.”
In Act I, Cartwright isn’t very satisfied with Brown’s work. “Luckily, Sky is there and kind of helps her out in the situation. And then in Act II, before ‘Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat’ happens, she is there and at first very disappointed with the lack of sinners. And then, out of the blue, a dozen sinners come into the mission and she gives them a meeting about freeing yourself from sin and nicely, nicely takes over and gives us a little song about it,” Liddy said.
“Guys & Dolls,” with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, debuted on Broadway in 1950. Smith said what has helped the show to continue to be popular over the last 71 years is, in part, the music.
“But I think doing this show now, it’s fun to play with kind of the heightened nature of it, because we are men and women in 2021 where we’re not dolls as written in the show. But it’s fun to have this heightened, almost cartoonish, reality and I think that makes it enjoyable for the audience. It’s a very funny show,” Smith said.
Liddy agreed, saying, “I think (Wagon Wheel Artistic Director) Scott (Michaels) in the entire process has been playing with this idea, like Owen said, of being cartoons, like a caricature. And we spoke about how the language and the verbiage of this show is so different than how a twentysomething-year-old would speak in 2021. And I think it’s super fun to just see people play these really larger-than-life characters.”
She said it’s fun for the audience and she enjoys watching her peers play the larger-than-life characters.
“The music is super fun, and I think Golden Age shows just have the music and the stories that have lasted a lifetime,” Liddy said.
“It’s also a romance,” Smith said. “Which, I think, feels timeless.”
Smith said she had to study “Guys & Dolls” in her freshman year of college, so she’s analyzed the show backward and forward.
“It certainly helped me to prepare. I think, especially with working here, it’s important to prepare prior to arriving because we’re putting the show up so fast that when you’re here, you’re just kind of taking everything in and putting it on its feet. But I definitely think learning about the time period (helped) and I knew all the songs,” Smith said.
Liddy said, “I think it’s super important to know where the show comes from.” She said when she was learning music theatre literature, where a show came from was called “the seed.” “Guys & Dolls” comes from a series of 1940s short stories by Damon Runyon.
“It’s super interesting to see how it all came together,” Liddy said. “I’m from New York and I think this piece being based in New York, it’s just super special to do because when people refer to different places in New York, I’m like, ‘Ah! That’s my home!’”
While gangsters have a history of violence, those in “Guys & Dolls” are much less so.
“They’re definitely silly, again with the cartoonish nature. I think there’s a lot of slapstick humor. A lot of fast-paced comedy. They’re definitely not scary,” Smith said.
“They’re super fun and energetic and silly. It’s so fun, again, the physicality of being a cartoon or caricature. You really see it with the gangsters with the fake fighting and being choreography, the way that they walk and embody their characters. It’s just so cool to see,” Liddy said.
Later in the show, Smith said, Brown even gets into the fights.
Liddy and Smith were trying on their wigs with Wagon Wheel wigmaker and actress Jennifer Dow Monday. They’ve also had fittings for their costumes.
Smith said the costumes “definitely help” her to get into character. “I’ve always found that costumes really help. They’re kind of that final step to getting into character. Even like now, I’m wearing this wig and I’m feeling like a different person,” she said.
When Dow showed Liddy her wig, Liddy said, “I was like, ‘I have a whole new take on who this person is!’”
“I think it’s an important part,” Smith said. “And the costumes and wigs at Wagon Wheel are so beautiful.”
Smith is originally from Alpharetta, Ga. She just graduated from University of Michigan.
“Now, I’m doing this. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by a lot of friends that I already made in school. You know the theatre community is so small that I have recognized people from here and there. That’s the – sidenote – my favorite part of this whole process, the people,” Smith said.
After her time this season at the Wagon Wheel, she is planning to move to New York City.
Liddy is from West Chester, N.Y., and lives about 30 minutes outside New York City. She recently graduated from Elon University in Elon, N.C., where she studied music theatre.
“I’m here for the summer. I’m performing in this show, ‘Music Man’ and ‘Big,’ and then I head back to New York to hopefully pursue performing. I’m also very interested in the singing voice and would love to dabble in that as well. So, just very blessed to be performing right now,” she said.
Smith said it’s a crazy feeling to be performing live on stage after the last year or so of the pandemic.
“We got to watch ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and that was my first live show I’ve seen in a year. It’s definitely special,” Smith said.
“It’s super special to see. I can’t wait until I get back up on the stage because everything I’ve been doing in college for the past year and a half has been all taped, so it’s definitely exciting to do live theatre again,” Liddy said.
“There’s something special about it,” Smith stated.
On why anyone should come out and see “Guys & Dolls,” Liddy said, “It’s great music. A great story. And it’s just hysterical. I just find myself laughing every single night watching it at something different. I think the cast does a great job of keeping it fresh.”
Smith said, “I think after a hard year, comedy and joy is very much needed, and this show has a lot of comedy and a lot of joy.”
The musical is at the Wagon Wheel through June 26. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at wagonwheelcenter.org.
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Liddy plays General Matilda B. Cartwright, while Smith plays Sarah Brown.
“My character Sarah Brown is in charge of gathering as many people as she can, rallying people to her mission. I think she’s trying to impress General Cartwright, as well. But then Sarah Brown kind of gets mixed up with Sky Masterson, who takes her to Havana and pretty much swoons her. It’s a complex story, but I would just say Sarah just kind of grows as a person, comes out of her shell. I would say she’s a bit uptight at first, but Sky kind of changes her for the better,” Smith explained.
Besides the romantic plotline of Brown and Masterson, Smith said there’s also the story of Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit.
Describing General Cartwright, Liddy said, “General Cartwright is the main sergeant general of the mission, and her role is to come in throughout the show and to check on Sarah’s progress with getting sinners to this chapter of the mission.”
In Act I, Cartwright isn’t very satisfied with Brown’s work. “Luckily, Sky is there and kind of helps her out in the situation. And then in Act II, before ‘Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat’ happens, she is there and at first very disappointed with the lack of sinners. And then, out of the blue, a dozen sinners come into the mission and she gives them a meeting about freeing yourself from sin and nicely, nicely takes over and gives us a little song about it,” Liddy said.
“Guys & Dolls,” with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, debuted on Broadway in 1950. Smith said what has helped the show to continue to be popular over the last 71 years is, in part, the music.
“But I think doing this show now, it’s fun to play with kind of the heightened nature of it, because we are men and women in 2021 where we’re not dolls as written in the show. But it’s fun to have this heightened, almost cartoonish, reality and I think that makes it enjoyable for the audience. It’s a very funny show,” Smith said.
Liddy agreed, saying, “I think (Wagon Wheel Artistic Director) Scott (Michaels) in the entire process has been playing with this idea, like Owen said, of being cartoons, like a caricature. And we spoke about how the language and the verbiage of this show is so different than how a twentysomething-year-old would speak in 2021. And I think it’s super fun to just see people play these really larger-than-life characters.”
She said it’s fun for the audience and she enjoys watching her peers play the larger-than-life characters.
“The music is super fun, and I think Golden Age shows just have the music and the stories that have lasted a lifetime,” Liddy said.
“It’s also a romance,” Smith said. “Which, I think, feels timeless.”
Smith said she had to study “Guys & Dolls” in her freshman year of college, so she’s analyzed the show backward and forward.
“It certainly helped me to prepare. I think, especially with working here, it’s important to prepare prior to arriving because we’re putting the show up so fast that when you’re here, you’re just kind of taking everything in and putting it on its feet. But I definitely think learning about the time period (helped) and I knew all the songs,” Smith said.
Liddy said, “I think it’s super important to know where the show comes from.” She said when she was learning music theatre literature, where a show came from was called “the seed.” “Guys & Dolls” comes from a series of 1940s short stories by Damon Runyon.
“It’s super interesting to see how it all came together,” Liddy said. “I’m from New York and I think this piece being based in New York, it’s just super special to do because when people refer to different places in New York, I’m like, ‘Ah! That’s my home!’”
While gangsters have a history of violence, those in “Guys & Dolls” are much less so.
“They’re definitely silly, again with the cartoonish nature. I think there’s a lot of slapstick humor. A lot of fast-paced comedy. They’re definitely not scary,” Smith said.
“They’re super fun and energetic and silly. It’s so fun, again, the physicality of being a cartoon or caricature. You really see it with the gangsters with the fake fighting and being choreography, the way that they walk and embody their characters. It’s just so cool to see,” Liddy said.
Later in the show, Smith said, Brown even gets into the fights.
Liddy and Smith were trying on their wigs with Wagon Wheel wigmaker and actress Jennifer Dow Monday. They’ve also had fittings for their costumes.
Smith said the costumes “definitely help” her to get into character. “I’ve always found that costumes really help. They’re kind of that final step to getting into character. Even like now, I’m wearing this wig and I’m feeling like a different person,” she said.
When Dow showed Liddy her wig, Liddy said, “I was like, ‘I have a whole new take on who this person is!’”
“I think it’s an important part,” Smith said. “And the costumes and wigs at Wagon Wheel are so beautiful.”
Smith is originally from Alpharetta, Ga. She just graduated from University of Michigan.
“Now, I’m doing this. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by a lot of friends that I already made in school. You know the theatre community is so small that I have recognized people from here and there. That’s the – sidenote – my favorite part of this whole process, the people,” Smith said.
After her time this season at the Wagon Wheel, she is planning to move to New York City.
Liddy is from West Chester, N.Y., and lives about 30 minutes outside New York City. She recently graduated from Elon University in Elon, N.C., where she studied music theatre.
“I’m here for the summer. I’m performing in this show, ‘Music Man’ and ‘Big,’ and then I head back to New York to hopefully pursue performing. I’m also very interested in the singing voice and would love to dabble in that as well. So, just very blessed to be performing right now,” she said.
Smith said it’s a crazy feeling to be performing live on stage after the last year or so of the pandemic.
“We got to watch ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and that was my first live show I’ve seen in a year. It’s definitely special,” Smith said.
“It’s super special to see. I can’t wait until I get back up on the stage because everything I’ve been doing in college for the past year and a half has been all taped, so it’s definitely exciting to do live theatre again,” Liddy said.
“There’s something special about it,” Smith stated.
On why anyone should come out and see “Guys & Dolls,” Liddy said, “It’s great music. A great story. And it’s just hysterical. I just find myself laughing every single night watching it at something different. I think the cast does a great job of keeping it fresh.”
Smith said, “I think after a hard year, comedy and joy is very much needed, and this show has a lot of comedy and a lot of joy.”
The musical is at the Wagon Wheel through June 26. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at wagonwheelcenter.org.
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