Broadway classic back on Rugby stage
Returning to Guys and Dolls ‘feels like a full-circle moment’ for company
A Rugby theatre company will return to one of its most memorable musicals next month – exactly ten years after first bringing Guys and Dolls to the town.
Five Star Theatre will stage the Broadway classic at the Benn Hall from Thursday October 1 to Saturday October 3, bringing together leading musical theatre talent from across Rugby and Warwickshire.
Although some local audiences may remember Five Star as a youth theatre group, the company moved beyond its youth theatre roots around seven years ago. Today, it is an award-winning production company known for delivering ambitious, big-budget musicals and pantomimes in Rugby.
Director and producer Ethan J Smith said: “I can’t quite believe it’s exactly ten years since we last staged Guys and Dolls. Back then, Five Star was solely a youth theatre group – things are a little different now!
“Those who remember our production from 2016 are going to see just how much the company has grown. Returning to Guys and Dolls feels like a real full-circle moment, but this will be an entirely new production created on a completely different scale.”
Set amid the bright lights, bustling streets and underground gambling dens of New York City, Guys and Dolls follows gamblers Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson as they take increasingly risky chances – both at the craps table and in love.
The musical features an instantly recognisable score including Luck Be a Lady, Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat, A Bushel and a Peck and Guys and Dolls.
Ethan added: “It’s everything you could want from a night at the theatre – brilliant comedy, larger-than-life characters, two very unlikely love stories and a score packed with classics.
“Our audiences deserve the opportunity to see musical theatre of this scale right here in Rugby. You shouldn’t have to travel to Birmingham, Coventry or London – or pay big-city ticket prices – to enjoy a spectacular production.”
Despite the scale of the show, Five Star Theatre has kept tickets between £17.50 and £19.50.
Ethan added: “We take the quality of our productions incredibly seriously, but keeping them affordable and accessible matters just as much.”
Visit bennhall.co.uk or call (01788) 533719 to book.