Dramaturgy Packet

Prepared by Emily Wilson

emily.wilson@temple.edu
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Creation
Guys and Dolls has music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser, and a book written by Jo
Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on multiple short stories written by Damon Runyon.
After its tryout run in Philadelphia in the fall, it premiered on Broadway at the 46th Street
Theatre in 1950, and has since been revived multiple times, made into a film, and performed all
over the world. Producer Cy Feuer, with co-producer Ernie Martin, first came up with the idea
to create a musical based on the world of Runyon, wanting to create something that focused on
the bad guys instead. It struck a chord with the audiences, and swept the 1951 Tonys. Many
famous actors have been in the show over the course of its Broadway and West End runs,
including but not limited to Sam Levene, Vivian Blaine, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando,
Laurence Olivier, Imelda Staunton, Ewan McGregor, and
Jane Krakowski.

Producers: Cy Feuer and Ernie Martin

Feuer and Martin were a famous Broadway and
film producing duo active from the early 1940s until the
late 1980s. Some of their most famous works other than
Guys & dolls include Silk Stockings, How to Succeed in
Business Without Really Trying, and the film versions of
Cabaret and A Chorus Line. The pair have won multiple
Tonys and Oscars.

Music and lyrics: Frank Loesser

Loesser was a frequent collaborator with Feuer and Martin, also
working with them on How to Succeed and Wheres Charley?. He was
awarded a Tony for Guys & Dolls, and another Tony and the Pulitzer Prize for
Drama for How to Succeed His most famous work by far would be the
holiday hit Baby, Its Cold Outside.

Book: Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows

Jo Swerling was a refugee who sold newspapers to provide for his
family. He worked his way up and began writing for newspapers and
magazines, eventually turning to playwriting. He left Broadway for a time
to write screenplays such as The Pride of the Yankees (nominated for an

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Academy Award) and Its a Wonderful Life. He returned to Broadway to

write Guys and Dolls, which earned him a Tony.

Abe Burrows career began in radio,

writing for Duffys Tavern, before he began his
own show The Abe Burrows Show. He began
writing for Broadway, working under his mentor
George Kaufman, creating works such as Breakfast at Tiffanys,
along with How to Succeed and Guys and Dolls. He too won a
Pulitzer for How to Succeed along with Frank Loesser. He was
also a famous script doctor and often appeared as a television
panelist.

Runyonland

Damon Runyon

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Biography
Damon Runyon, originally known as Alfred Damon Runyan, was born on October 4,
1880 in Manhattan, Kansas into a family of newspaperman. His grandfather was a printer, and
his father an editor of his own newspaper. Forced to sell in 1882, the family moved west to
Pueblo, Colorado, where Damon would spend his adolescence. He allegedly left school by the
fourth grade to follow in his familys footsteps of working in the newspaper business, although
he still managed to have a poem published by age eleven.
As a teenager, Runyon enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in the Spanish-American War.
While enlisted, he wrote for military publications including Manila Freedom and Soldiers
Letter. Returning to Colorado after the war, Runyon continued writing for newspapers, often
working as a sports editor.
In 1910, he made the move to New York City. Upon moving to New York, he dropped
the name Alfred and began working for William Randolph Hearst as a baseball columnist, later
being inducted into the writers wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967 and the International
Boxing Hall of Fame. He also went to France to cover World War I, and covered the Lindbergh
kidnapping case.
It was not until the 1920s that he began writing short stories, but they took off quickly.
Originally published in the paper, two paperback collections of his short stories sold over a
million copies each. These stories of bad guys, Broadway, and betting were largely based on his
own life. He was a heavy gambler, mostly betting on horses and playing craps. His best friend
Otto Berman was an accountant for many mobsters, and appears in a lot of Runyons stories as
Regret, the horse player.
He was married to Ellen Egan, and together they had a daughter and a son. They
divorced in 1928, due to an affair Runyon had with a woman he met in Mexico while looking for
Mexican general Pancho Villa. He died in New York City in 1946 at the age of sixty-six due to
throat cancer.

Literary Style
Damon Runyon is most famous for his unique use of the English language, known as
Runyonese. Some of this language is real, based on slang overheard from gangster friends,
and some of it was created by Runyon, like a twentieth century Shakespeare. Certain elements
are included in all of Runyons writings: an all-knowing Narrator based on Runyon himself,
constant present-tense, no conditional moods, instead preferring to use the future indicative, for
example, Now most any doll on Broadway will be very glad indeed to have Handsome Jack
Madigan give her a tumble" (Guys and Dolls, "Social error"). Although known for his use of
slang, Runyons writing is particularly formal, rarely using contractions, juxtaposing high class
language with low class characters.

The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown

Summary

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Sky Masterson, a gambler, falls in love with Sarah Brown, a missionary. Sarah rejects
Skys affections and contributions to the mission since they are from immoral means. In order to
win Sarahs affection, Sky bets one grand against the soul of each gangster participating in
Nathan Detroits floating crap game above the Biltmore Garage. Sky loses all his money to Big
Nig, who is playing with rigged dice. Just as Sky is about to take his gun out on Big Nig, Sarah
enters the Biltmore Garage and bets two dollars against Skys soul. She believes she has won
outright as God in on her side, but Sky knows she won using the rigged dice. Sky and Sarah fall
in love, get married, and live happily ever after back at the Save-A-Soul Mission.

Connections to Guys & Dolls

The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown is the short story that had the biggest influence on the
book of Guys and Dolls. The love story between Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown is the focus of
the musical, and both endings are exactly the same. The biggest difference is the lack of trip to
Havana, and Sarah Brown going to the craps game to win the souls for herself. Also, the musical
cut out Big Nig and his cheating ways, and it is never mentioned that Sky carries a gun or hinted
at that he could be violent. Nathan Detroit and the craps game above the garage are also taken
from this story. The advice Sky was given from his father, Some day, somewhere, a guy is
going to come to you and show you a nice brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is never
broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out of this deck
and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not bet him, for as sure as you do you are going to get
an ear full of cider, was taken directly from this story.

Blood Pressure
Summary
The Narrator has just been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and has been told to
avoid excitement by his doctor. Just as he is going about avoiding excitement, he runs into
Rusty Charley, who intimidates the narrator into coming with him to Nathan Detroits crap game
over the Biltmore Garage. Charley forces himself into the game even though he has no money to
bet, and rolls inside a derby hat, claiming he wins every roll even though no one can see his dice,
but everyone's too afraid of Charley to doubt him. Charley gets bored of winning, so he and
the Narrator leave the garage and take a taxi downtown to go play stuss (a card game similar to
faro) at Ikey the Pigs. The jockey is driving the taxi too fast, raising the Narrators blood
pressure, so the Narrator asks him to slow down. When the driver does not slow down, Rusty
Charley steps out of the cab and punches the driver in the face, knocking him into the street.
Charley jumps into the front street of the cab and starts driving, raising the Narrators blood
pressure even more. As they pull up in front of Ikey the Pigs, a copper comes by and tells them
to park elsewhere. Charley proceeds to punch the officer in the face. The pair leave Ikeys at six
in the morning and go to the Bohemian club, where Charley proceeds to fight four off-duty
coppers. The Narrator is then pressured into going back to Charleys place for ham and eggs, but
is instead hit in the back of the head with a brick by one of Charleys neighbors after witnessing

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Charlies girlfriend hit him in the head with a baseball bat for coming home late. At the doctors
the next day, the Narrator learns that his blood pressure has lowered considerably.

Connections to Guys & Dolls

Guys and Dolls connects to Blood Pressure through the ever-present floating craps
game hosted by Nathan Detroit above the Biltmore Garage, and through the character of Rusty
Charley. The doesnt give too much of a background on Charley, but through this story we learn
that he is a very tough guy that is not afraid to throw a punch at anyone, especially cops.

The Hottest Guy in the World

Summary
Big Jule, known as the hottest guy in the world for being wanted by the police
internationally, is in New York City to visit his sick mother, and meets with the Narrator on his
way. Big Jules mother happens to live on the same block as Johnny Brannigan, a cop looking to
arrest Big Jule. Big Jule also wishes to see his girlfriend while in town, Miss Kitty Clancy. Big
Jule has been living in an empty warehouse to avoid arrest, and has taken shooting stray rats as a
hobby. As the Narrator and Jule are making their way over to his Maws place, they notice a
crowd around Madison Square Garden, as a gorilla has escaped the circus and gotten on to the
roof with a baby. The pair find Miss Kitty Clancy in the crowd, and she begs Jule to do
something. The Narrator begs Jule not to do anything, fearing Jule will be arrested if he pulls a
gun. Big Jule believes himself to be the best rat shooter in the world, and decides to shoot the
gorrilla. His plan works, and the baby is saved. Just as he is about to be arrested, Lt. Brannigan
comes up and informs Big Jule that the baby he saved is his and Miss Kitty Clancys,

Connections to Guys & Dolls

This short story connects to Guys & Dolls through the characters of Big Jule and
Lt.Brannigan. We get to see a softer side of Big Jule, saving a baby for his girlfriend and risking
arrest to visit his sick mother. We are also given more background on Lt. Brannigan, learning
that he has a past connection to Big Jule.

Background
Time Period
Takes Place: 1920s
Although Guys and Dolls was not written or performed in the 1920s, Damon Runyons
short stories were based on the gangster and flapper lifestyle of Prohibition New York. Drinking
and gambling were illegal, which is the reason Nathan Detroits craps game had to change

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locations nightly. America was in a time of economic prosperity after World War I, and the
middle class began to emerge at this time.
President: Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover
Mayor of NYC: John F. Hylan, Jimmy Walker
Important Events: Prohibition, Amelia Earhart Lindbergh fly across the Atlantic (separately),
the 18th Amendment is passed
Pop Culture: Steamboat Willie is created, radio stations were starting to play music, Louis
Armstrong becomes a star as jazz rises in popularity, Charlie Chaplin was the biggest star in
movies,
movies
transition
from silent
to talkies in
1927.

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Written: 1930s
Damon Runyon wrote the bulk of his short stories like The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown
and Blood Pressure during the 1930s, being inspired by the past decade. This is the time
known as the Great Depression in America, but the economic crash was worldwide, and the
world was on the cusp of World War II. Prohibition had ended and drinking was now legal
across the country, but gambling was still illegal.

President: Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt

Mayor of NYC: Joseph V. McKee, John P. OBrien, Fiorello La Guardia
Important Events: World War II; Great Depression; Twinkies, Snickers, and Wonder Bread
are introduced
Pop Culture: Swing music, jazz, and big bands were popular; rhumba was the new dance craze;
golden age of film with movies like Gone With the Wind and It Happened One Night

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First Performed: 1950

Although written in the 1930s and inspired by the 1920s, Guys and Dolls was not turned
into a musical and produced until 1950.
President: Harry Truman
Mayor of NYC: William ODwyer, Vincent R. Impellitteri
Important Events: Cold War, baby boom, McCarthyism, Korean War begins, baseball is
officially integrated
Pop Culture: Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse, Elvis, Chubby Checker, TVs were becoming
more common in households

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Setting
Broadway
Times Square became a gathering place after crowds of people gathered there to celebrate
the end of World War I. In the 1920s, Broadway and Times Square reached their prime. Old
buildings were now being used to advertise everything from cigarettes, to Coca-Cola, to night
clubs. At this time, Broadway had a reputation for being seedy and garish, but was still the
centerpiece for theater that we know today. There were approximately eighty theaters in the area
we consider the theater district, which was in its prime. As we know through Guys and Dolls, it
was also a popular hangout for those looking to be below the law.

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Havana
In the 1920s Havana, Cuba was a tourist hotspot
for
Americans. Havana was a quick flight away for great
weather, casinos, golfing, and night clubs. Socialites like
Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra, and gangsters like Sky
Masterson, frequented Cuba for quick getaways. In the
1920s, Havana was the closest place to gamble legally.
From 1910 to 1930, Havana was the top vacation spot for
Americans.

Craps
Street craps according to mademan.com

The Rules:
1. Dice: Street craps rules call for two regular game dice be used. Some sneaky organizers use
loaded or trick dice to assure the bet placers lose.

2. Betting: All bets must be placed when the dice are in the hand of the shooter. Street craps
rules are mostly enforced when it comes to betting as it is the key to money changing hands.

3. Pass: In street craps rules, a bet is placed as a pass when the shooter believes the sum
total of the dice will be seven or eleven. If the dice hit these numbers, the bettor wins.

4. Dont pass: Street craps rules include a dont pass betting option just like in a casino.
This is when the bet placer thinks a two, three or twelve will be the total of the dice.

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5. Points: In street craps, if the sum of the two dice is four, five, six, eight, nine or ten, it
makes a point. These points act as carry over bets for the next round.

6. Shooter: There is only one shooter at any given time. In street craps, the shooter is the
person throwing the dice. The shooter can bet or pass.

7. Fingers: According to the rules of street craps, all fingers must be kept clear of the
shooting area. This goes for feet and other body parts as well.

8. Player additions: There is no limit on the number of players in street craps. Players
may be added between any throw that does not include previous points.

9. Bounce: Street craps rules require that the dice bounce off a wall or other backstop. If the
dice do not bounce, the throw is no good and must be redone.

10. Run: Possibly the most important street craps rule is to run if the police show up. Illegal
gambling is not smiled on by local authorities.

How to Play:
1. The shooter: The street craps game begins with the shooter placing a bet on whether or
not hell be able to roll one number, then roll that number again without rolling a seven or
eleven. Because this is street craps, there are slang terms related to this action. Calling pass I
do or any number of slang phrases means the shooter is betting that they will be able to land the
number twice. If they call dont pass or dont or other negative terms, it means theyre
betting that they wont be able to hit the same number twice without rolling a seven or an eleven.
2. The other betters: Before the shooter rolls, the other betters will also place wagers
based on the whether or not they think the shooter will roll a single number twice without hitting
a seven or eleven. The rotation goes to the left.

3. Matching bets: The shooter will place his wager down. Its up to the rest of the players
involved to cover his bet. The people involved with the roll usually split the covering wager
equally among them. Although, it isnt out of the ordinary for one person to big up a bigger
portion of the matching bet in a game of street craps. This also means that the player with the
bigger portion gets a bigger portion of the winnings, that is, if the shooter doesnt win it all.

4. Rolling: If the shooter rolls a two, three, or twelve, then all the players that made negative
bets (dont pass) get paid. If the shooter rolls a seven or eleven, then the positive betters are

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winners. If any other number is rolled, its up to the shooter to roll that number again. The
shooter keeps rolling as long as the two, three, and twelve arent rolled (in which case the
shooters turn is over). The amount of money continues to raise until the shooter hits a seven or
eleven in which case the positive betters (pass) are paid out. If seven or eleven is rolled again the
shooters turn is over and the positive betters lose. The dice is then passed to the left and the
cycle begins again.

5. Alternate betting: In a game of street craps, its not uncommon for side bets to be made
on nearly anything that can be wagered for. People bet on specific numbers being landed and a
host of other things. Theres a lot of money to be made because of the flexibility of the game.

Religion

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Save-A-Soul Mission
Religion is a prominent theme in Guys and Dolls. One of the main characters, Sarah
Brown, runs the Save-A-Soul Mission on Broadway. Christian missions like Save-A-Soul were
a common sight in Manhattan in the 1920s and 30s, mostly through the Salvation Army. During
the 1920s, missionaries were some of the biggest supporters of Prohibition. During the 1930s,
missionaries opened soup kitchens to feed the poor, helped shelter the homeless, and trying to
save the souls of the drunks and gamblers. Some missionaries offered their services free of
charge, others exchanged food and shelter for promises of repentance, some even gambled for
the souls of sinners.

Bible Verses
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. (page 6)
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall
be opened unto you. (page 25)
Isaiah 57:22 - There is no Isaiah 57:22. Sky misquotes the verse here. (page 28)
Isaiah 57:21 [was labeled as Proverbs 23:9] There is no peace, saith my God, to the
wicked. (pages 23 and 28)
Isaiah 48:22 [was labeled as Proverbs 23:9] There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the
wicked. (page 28)
28 Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy
words. (pages 23 and 27)
27 Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (page 34)

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Glossary/Runyonese

Page 1
Bobbie soxers- a young girl
Gardenias- a type of tropical flower

Page 2
Cigarette holder- a slender metal tube placed on the end of a cigarette before the invention of
filters, was also used as a fashion statement

Baby buggy- a stroller for a baby or young child

Racing scratch sheet- a racing publication giving information on horses and the outcomes of
horse races

Page 3
Prizefighter- a boxer
Paul Revere- Patriot in the American Revolution best known for the midnight ride to alert the
colonies of the approach of British soldiers, from the poem Paul Reveres Ride

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Epitaph- a phrase or statement written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an
inscription on a tombstone
Telegram- a message sent by telegraph and then delivered in written or printed form
Page 4
Jockeys- a person who rides in horse races, especially as a profession
Bum steer- a piece of false information or guidance
A handicapper- the individual who sets betting lines and odds for races and sporting events.
They analyze past performance, previous results, and other sources in order to set a proper line.
Cornet- a brass instrument similar to a trumpet
Page 8
Potatoes- slang for currency
Bucks- slang for currency
Page 10
Marker- credit given in order to make a bet, an IOU
Page 12
A good scout- an honest, trustworthy, reliable person
Page 13
Floating crap game- illegal operation of craps using portable tables and equipment, popular
during Prohibition
Lettuce- slang for currency
Page 17
Mink- a dark-colored, semiaquatic mammal prized for its fur.

Page 19
Doll- slang for a female significant other

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Page 31
Scarsdale- wealthy town in Westchester County, New York
Galahad- a knight of King Arthurs round table
Brooks Brothers- an upscale department store focusing on mens business clothes
Page 34
Belts him one across the chops/Take a crack at the other cheek- to slap someone across
their face
Page 37
Studebaker- an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana
Master of ceremonies- the official host of a ceremony, staged event, or similar performance
Page 38
Bushel- a US customary unit of weight or mass based upon an earlier measure of dry capacity,
used mostly for agricultural products such as wheat
Peck- in Great Britain, used for either liquid or dry measure and is equal to two imperial gallons,
it was used primarily to measure flour
Barrel- equal to 42 US gallons, used to measure oil
Heap- a system of units for measuring dry commodities such as grains, fruits, and vegetables
Page 39
Going to the Dickens- slang for going to Hell
Page 41
Pie face- slang for a round, flat, face resembling a pie; a stupid person
Page 47
Psychosomatic symptoms- bodily symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance
Streptococci- a strain of bacteria
Page 48
Bromo fizz- a brand of antacid used to relieve pain, heartburn, upset stomach, or acid indigestion
La Grippe- a name for the Spanish flu
Niagara- a town in upstate New York
Saratoga- a county in upstate New York
Page 49
New Rochelle- a town in Westchester County, New York
Page 50
The Roxy- a popular nightclub in the Chelsea section of Manhattan
Biloxi- a city in Harrison County, Mississippi
Page 51
As only a John can be for a Jane- as only a man can do for a woman
Taj Mahal- a mausoleum built by the Emperor for his favorite wife in the Indian city of Agra.

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Dough- slang for currency

Under the thumb- under the control of
Page 52
A mug- an ugly person
Lately out of the jug- released from prison
Folderol- a variant of falderal, foolish talk or ideas
Tails- slang for tuxedo, taken from the term tailcoat

Tickling Pink- greatly pleased

Vitalis- a line of hair care products for men, made a precursor to hair gel that would have been
used to keep the hair shiny and in place.
Barbasol- a brand of mens shaving cream
Give odds- to offer a bet with odds favorable to the other better
Page 57
Ingratiating- intended to gain approval or favor
Perfunctorily- performed mainly as a routine duty, hasty and superficial
Page 58
Blow- to leave a place
Page 59
Blossom Time- a Broadway show with book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly and music by
Sigmund Romberg, it opened in 1921 and ran for 516 performances. Based on a Viennese
operetta, it is hardly the kind of show one would expect to find any Runyonesque gamblers in. It
was also made into a film in 1934.
Page 61
Pimlico- Pimlico Race Course, a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland
Elkton- a town in Maryland that is closest to New York, a popular place to elope after a 48 hour
waiting period was put in place in New York.
Buick- an upscale automobile brand
Page 64

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Incredulous- unwilling or unable to believe something

El Santo Cristo- Church of the Good Village, a Catholic cathedral built in 1640, very little of the
original building remains standing today
Page 65
Dulce de leche- Dulce de leche is a confection prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to
create a substance that derives its flavour from the Maillard reaction, also changing colour, it
originated in Argentina
Bacardi- a Cuban liquor company famous for its white rum
Page 75
Canasta- a card game similar to rummy
Page 77
Debutantes- a girl or young woman of an aristocratic or upper-class family who has reached
maturity and, as a new adult, comes out into society at a formal "debut".
Indignant- feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment
Page 79
Pelts- the skin of an animal with the fur, wool, or hair still on it.
Page 80
Wryly- in a way that expresses dry, especially mocking, humor
Highball- a drink consisting of whiskey and a mixer such as soda or ginger ale, served with ice
in a tall glass
Page 83
Woolies
Manhole Rail- a fence to block off open manholes

Edison blinker wagon- a wagon used by the electric company to signal a working zone
Page 85
Calling cards- a card bearing a person's name and address, sent or left in lieu of a formal social
or business visit.

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Bloom of youth- the best time of young adulthood

Sheeps eye- shy, loving glances from afar
Lickerish tooth- a longing or desire
Page 91
Emily Post- an American author famous for writing about etiquette
Page 96
Sears Roebuck- a department store now known as Sears
Paint cards- in Poker, a pain card is any King, Queen, or Jack, also known as :face cards
Lady Luck- the personification of luck as a lady bringing good or bad fortune
Page 100
Lush- very rich and providing great sensory pleasure, a sexually attractive woman
Give me the Brush- to reject or ignore someone
Blow on some other guys dice- blowing on dice was believed to make them lucky
Page 101
Snake eyes- the throw of two ones with a pair of dice
Page 103
Lady Windermere- to act suspicious of something that turns out innocent, taken from the Oscar
Wilde play Lady Windermeres Fan
Elopement- a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried
flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of
getting married
Page 104
Whitney colors- the Whitney family was a family socialite family that bred and raced horses,
their horse racing colors were green and white
Page 107
Serve a paper- to be given legal papers ordering someone to court
Page 108
Second fiddle- to play a minor role in comparison to someone else
Page 110
Roseland- a multipurpose ballroom, popular for dancing, in New York Citys theater district
According to Hoyle- Edmund Hoyle was a writer best known for his works on the rules and
play of card games
Page 111
Stool pigeon- a police informer, someone acting as a decoy
Page 114
Someone fade me- to wage against an unsuccessful bettor

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Page 117
Holy Rollers- a member of an evangelical Christian group that expresses religious fervor by
frenzied excitement or trances.
Page 119
Vicks- a menthol-based ointment rubbed on the chest and back that is used to treat the common
cold
Page 122
Wanamakers and Saks and Kleins- popular department stores from the 20th century, Saks is the
only one still in operation
Borneo to Nome- Borneo is an island in Southeast Asia, Nome is a city in Alaska, together it
means to travel all over the world
Page 124
Readers Digest- an American general-interest family magazine
Guy Lombardo- bandleader and violinist of the Royal Canadians
Rogers Peet- a men's clothing company based in a five-story Manhattan building
Galoshes- a waterproof overshoe, typically made of rubber.
Page 125
Ovaltine- a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract sugar, whey, and sometimes
cocoa
Page 126
All the mugs- all the faces
Page 127
Mesentheorum- Harry the Horses butchered pronunciation of Chrysanthemum

Performance History

Premiere

Opening: November 24, 1950

Theater: 46th Street Theatre
Director: George Kaufman
Total Performances: 1,200
Original Cast: Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley,
Pat Rooney Sr., B.S. Pully, Stubby Kaye, Tom Pedi, Jonny Silver

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Awards: Tonys- Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (Robert Alda), Best Featured Actress in
a Musical (Isabel Bigley), Best Choreography, Best Director
Theatre World Award (Isabel Bigley)

Film

Premiere Date: January 16, 1956

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Cast: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, Robert Keith, Stubby Kaye,
B.S. Pully, Johnny Silver, Sheldon Leonard

New York City Center 1955 Revival

Opening: April 20, 1955
Theater: City Center
Director: Philip Matthias
Total Performances: 16
Original Cast: Tom Ahearne, Joe Bernard, Helen Gallagher, Leila Martin, Walter Matthau, Paul
Migan, Al Nesor, Lou Nova, Tom Pedi, Ray Shaw, Oggie Small, Elaine Spaulding, Kate
Tomlinson, Martin Wolfson
Awards: None

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New York City Center 1965 Revival

Opening: April 28, 1965
Theater: City Center
Director: Gus Schirmer
Total Performances: 15
Original Cast: Anita Gillette, Alan King, Sheila MacRae, Jerry Orbach, Ed Becker, Frank
Campanella, Ginna Carr, Jack De Lon, Joey Faye, Jake LaMotta, Clarence Nordstrom, Tom
Pedi, Vern Shinnal, Claire Waring
Awards: 1965 Tonys- Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Jerry Orbach)

1976 Broadway Revival

Opening: July 21, 1976
Theater: Broadway Theatre
Director: Billy Wilson
Total Performances: 239
Original Cast: Norma Donaldson, Robert Guillaume, Ernestine
Jackson, James Randolph, Edye Byrde, Clark Morgan, Ken Page,
Christophe Pierre, Emett "Babe" Wallace, Derrick Bell, Jymie
Charles, Bardell Conner, Prudence Darby, Irene Datcher, Sterling
McQueen, Marion Moore, John Russell, Walter White
Awards: 1977 Theatre World Award (Ken Page)

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1982 London Revival

Opening: March 9, 1982
Theater: National Theatre and Prince of Wales Theatre
Director: Richard Eyre
Total Run: Four years
Original Cast: Bob Hoskins, Julia McKenzie, Ian Charleson, Julie Covington
Awards: Critics Circle Theatre Award- Best Actor (Bob Hoskins), Best Designer (John Gunter)
Evening Standard Award- Best Director (Richard Eyre)
Laurence Olivier Award- Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Julia McKenzie),
Best Performance in a Supporting Role (David Healy), Best Director, Best Set Design
(John Gunter)

1992 Broadway Revival

Opening: April 14, 1992

Theater: Martin Beck Theatre
Director: Jerry Zaks
Total Performances: 1,143
Original Cast: Josie de Guzman, Peter Gallagher, Nathan Lane,
Faith Prince, Walter Bobbie, John Carpenter, Victoria Clark,
Denise Faye, Leslie Feagan, Eleanor Glockner, Michael Goz,
Stan Page, Steve Ryan, Ernie Sabella, Timothy Shew, J. K.
Simmons, Herschel Sparber, Ruth Williamson
Awards: Tonys- Best Direction of a Musical, Best Revival, Best
Actress in a Musical (Faith Prince), Best Scenic Design

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Drama Desk- Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Nathan Lane), Outstanding Actress in a

Musical (Faith Prince), Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Costumes,
Outstanding Lighting Design, Outstanding Set Design, Outstanding Revival, Outstanding
Featured Actor in a Musical (Walter Bobbie)
Grammy- Best Musical Show Album

1996 London Revival

Opening: December 17, 1996

Theater: National Theatre
Director: Richard Eyre
Total Run: December 17, 1996-March 29, 1997 and July 2, 1997-November 22, 1997
Original Cast: Henry goodman, Imelda Staunton, Clarke Peters, Joanna Riding, Clive Rowe
Awards: Critics Circle Theatre Award- Best Director
Laurence Olivier Award- Best Performance
in a Supporting Role (Clive Rowe)

2005 West End Revival

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Opening: June 2, 2005

Theater: Piccadilly Theatre
Director: Michael Grandage
Total Run: June 2005-April2007
Original Cast: Ewan McGregor, Jane Krakowski, Jenna Russell, Douglas Hodge,
Awards: Laurence Olivier Award- Outstanding Musical Production, Best Actress in a Musical
(Jane Krakowski)

2009 Broadway Revival

Opening: March 1, 2009

Theater: Nederlander Theater
Director: Gus McAnuff
Total Performances: 121
Original Cast: Craig Bierko,
Lauren Graham, Kate Jennings
Grant, Oliver Platt, Tituss
Burgess, Glenn Fleshler, Adam
LeFevre, Jim Ortlieb, Steve
Rosen, Mary Testa
Awards: None

2015 West End Revival

Opening: January 6, 2016

Theater: Savoy Theatre
Director: Gordon Greenberg
Total Run: January 6, 2016-March
12, 2016
Original Cast: Sophie Thompson,
Rebel Wilson, Jamie Parker, Richard
Kind, David Haig
Awards: None

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Character Descriptions
Taken directly from Damon Runyons short stories.

Sky Masterson
Real name is Obadiah Masterson. From a small town in southern Colorado where he
learned to shoot craps and play cards. His father was a very well-known citizen. Sky has never
lived anywhere else but in hotel rooms, and frequently reads the Gideon Bibles left in the rooms.
He is maybe thirty years old, and is a tall guy with a round kisser, and big blue eyes, and he
always looks as innocent as a little baby [he] is smarter than three Philadelphia lawyers he is
well established as a high player in New Orleans, and Chicago, and Los Angeles. Cards and
craps are his preferred method of gambling. Time means nothing to him, and he never wants to
settle down.

Sarah Brown
She is tall, and thin, and has a first-class shape, and her hair is a light brown, going on
blond, and her eyes are like I do not know what, except that they are one-hundred percent eyes in
every respect. She is a good cornet player, and her grandfather, Arvide Abernathy, also works
at the Save-A-Soul Mission.

Rusty Charlie
He is a big, wide guy with two large hard hands and a great deal of very bad disposition,
and he thinks nothing of knocking people down and stepping on their kissers if he feels like it.
In fact, this Rusty Charley is what is called a gorill, because he is known to often carry a gun in
his pants pocket, and sometimes to shoot people down as dead as doornails with it if he does not
like the way they wear their hats- and Rusty Charley is very critical of hats. The chances are
Rusty Charley shoots many a guy in this mans town, and those he does not shoot he sticks with
his shiv- which is a knife- and the only reason he is not in jail is because he just gets out of it,
and the law does not have time to think up of something to put him back in again for.

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Bibliography
Cross, Lucy E. Abe Burrows. The Official Masterworks Broadway Site, Masterworks
Broadway.

Feuer & Martin. IBDB: Internet Broadway Database, The Broadway League.

Gopnik, Adam. Talk It Up. The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017.

Hewitt, Gordon. The Problems of Success: A History of the Church Missionary. London: SCM,
1971. Print.

Jo Swerling. Internet Movie Database, IMDb.com.

Rigsbee, Valerie. Guys and Dolls. Guys and Dolls, Broadway Musical Home.

Runyon, Damon. Blood Pressure. Guys and Dolls: The Stories of Damon Runyon, Penguin
Books, 1992, pp. 154166.

Runyon, Damon. The Hottest Guy in the World. Guys and Dolls: The Stories of Damon
Runyon, Penguin Books, 1992, pp. 208217.

Runyon, Damon. The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown. Guys and Dolls: The Stories of Damon
Runyon, Penguin Books, 1992, pp. 1426.

Shout, John D. Frank Loesser. PBS, Public Broadcasting Service.

Simon, Scott. Guys and Dolls. NPR, NPR, 25 Nov. 2000.

The 1920s: The Roaring Twenties. RetroWaste.com, RetroWaste.

The 1930s: The Not-So-Great Depression. RetroWaste.com, RetroWaste.

The 1950s: American Pop Culture History. RetroWaste.com, RetroWaste.

B, Walter. How To Play Street Craps. MadeMan.com, Made Man, 2 Aug. 2010,
www.mademan.com/mm/how-play-street-craps.html.

Wild, Chris. 1920s-1950s: Living the Havana High Life. Mashable.com, Mashable.

Prepared by Emily Wilson Last updated 8/27/17