Delightful “Guys & Dolls” is a Timeless Hit at Stages

Guys & Dolls
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed by James Monroe Iglehart
Choreographed by Lindsay Joy Lancaster
Stages St. Louis
July 29, 2026

Guys & Dolls is a seamless show, when I think about it. It’s a Broadway classic, certainly, but it’s also almost impossible to get wrong, considering how well it’s put together. I’ve seen a few productions of this show over the years, and I’ve also been struck with how open it is to interpretation by the actors and crew, but it still holds together with the Damon Runyon flair that’s intended. At Stages St. Louis, their current production is a fine example of creativity and faithfulness to the source material blending together into a colorful, delightful package, with a great cast directed by James Monroe Iglehart and fantastic dancing choreographed by Lindsay Joy Lancaster. 

The story is well known if you’ve seen it. It’s one of the rare shows I’ve seen that has four equal leads, and they are all “types” without being caricatures–gamblers Nathan Detroit (Matthew Schatz) and Sky Masterson (Sam Harvey) and their “dolls”, nightclub dancer Miss Aidelaide (Katerina Papacostas) and “mission doll” Sarah Brown (Lindsay Roberts Green). Their stories drive the majority of the plot, but the cast is also peppered with memorable characters such as Benny Southstreet (Wesley J. Barnes), Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Tamar Greene), and visiting gambler Big Jule (Zoe Vonder Haar), among others. The trick is that these are colorful characters, but they’re also recognizably human. It’s a broad comedy, but with some real emotion there as well.

The show is so well constructed that it’s difficult to do wrong, but it’s versatile enough that doing it right can look different from production to production. This one is bright, colorful, and vibrantly energetic, with excellent dance sequences choreographed by Lancaster that liven up the story and contribute to the overall atmosphere. In addition to the colorful set by Ann Beyersdorfer, there are also vividly designed costumes by Tim Kent, eye-catching lighting by Sean M. Savoie, and sound by Breanna Fais. The wigs and hair design by Paige Stewart also contribute to the overall evocation of the time and place. There’s also an excellent orchestra bringing these classic tunes to life, led by music director Dolores Duran-Cefalu. 

As for the cast, they’re uniformly excellent, led by the four leads who are all marvelous. Schatz is hilariously in a state of bewilderment as Nathan, who’s looking for a place for his crap game and trying to hold on to Aidelaide at the same time. Papacostas, for her part, is sensational, giving us an Aidelaide with real pathos as well as humor. Harvey is smooth and slick as Sky, leading the “Luck Be a Lady” number with style and energy, and he’s well-matched by Lindsay Roberts Greene as the determined, golden-voiced Sarah. These four form the heart of the show, but they’re back up by a stellar ensemble, with standouts including Tamar Greene as the personable Nicely-Nicely Johnson, who leads a rollicking “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat”, and a memorable title song along with the also excellent Barnes. Vonder Haar also standouts as commanding Chicago gangster Big Jule, getting some great comic moments, and John Flack is endearing as Sarah’s protective grandfather, Arvide Abernathy. The whole cast is well-defined and energetic, making for a thoroughly well-defined and entertaining production. 

Guys & Dolls is a classic for a reason, and Stages is proving that with its well put-together, thoroughly vibrant production currently running onstage at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. It fits into that space especially well, and entertains with song, dance, laughs, and a good deal of heart. It’s a “Musical Fable” for the ages, and well worth checking out. 

Stages St. Louis is presenting Guys & Dolls at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until August 23, 2026