Guys and Dolls Brings Back the Golden Age of Stage
Lyric Stage's classic 2025 spring show opens this weekend.
Mississippi College’s flagship musical theater program, Lyric Stage, will present Guys and Dolls from February 27 to March 2 in the Jean Pittman Williams Recital Hall. Following performances of Godspell, Little Women, and Closer Than Ever, Guys and Dolls brings a classic to the stage after three years of contemporary productions.
The musical, set in New York City, follows two couples: Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown, a gambler played by Zachary Templeton and a missionary played by Cez Anne Cariño; and Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide, a crap-game manager and a showgirl, played by David Gaines and Carsen Flowers. The audience watches the love story between Sky and Sarah unfold while Nathan and Adelaide navigate their 14-year romance.
“Guys and Dolls is sort of like the ultimate musical comedy” said Jamie Ertle, director of Guys and Dolls and musical theater program director for Lyric Stage. “It kind of wrote the blueprint for these types of characters.”
As it originally premiered in 1950, the show is not from the modern era of theatre. As a result, the music and acting is stylized differently from many modern musicals.
“People know Dear Evan Hansen, they know Waitress — this is not that,” Flowers, who plays Miss Adelaide, said. “This is very different … but it’s fun.”
Guys and Dolls also includes a religious element, as some of the characters are missionaries in New York sharing the gospel.
“A part of this show has a mission,” Gaines, who plays Detroit, said. “These people are in New York trying to share the gospel and get people to come to Christ. I think that’s a good message to have in a show, especially in the theatre world where a lot of shows don’t show that aspect.”
Ertle is excited to bring a classic musical to Clinton. The iconic music and storyline will appeal especially to some Clinton locals in the audience, as many of the city’s older residents may be familiar with the 1955 movie starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.
The cast of Guys and Dolls has pitched in behind the scenes and beyond their performances to bring the show together. Student cast members, several of which are art majors, designed and created the sets and decorations. Other student volunteers have helped with costuming and other areas of the production.
“There is a whole little world that goes on in Aven of these amazing, talented, beautiful individuals that just work together,” Flowers said. “No one gets to see that unless you go in there and see the show.”
One of the excitements of live theatre is knowing that each show is unique. Every performance is slightly different. That, says Ertle, is what gives theatre its charm.
“There is something in the show for everyone to enjoy,” Ertle said. “There’s comedic moments. There’s a really nice romantic line, too. There’s more than just the two couples… It’s about friendship, love, all those things.”
The show will open on Thursday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m. Performances will run until Sunday in Aven Hall’s recital room. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit music.mc.edu/events.
 | A guest post by
|