“Guys and Dolls” is Here at UCO

Students involved in the musical theatre program at The University of Central Oklahoma have been preparing for “Guys and Dolls”, which started Sept. 25 and runs through Sept. 29 at the Mitchell Hall theatre on campus, and provides free admission to students with a UCO ID.

A cast of gamblers, showgirls, missionaries, and stage crew help the performance run smoothly. “Guys and Dolls” takes place, primarily, in 1940s New York City, where a high-rolling gambler is challenged to take a missionary on a date to Havana. Some main themes in the musical are romance, temptation, and faith.

Grace Norbury, one of the three members on the wardrobe crew, shared her experience as she helped prepare for the show, saying, “Even though it’s just the three of us on wardrobe, we are absolutely killing it…it’s like a well-oiled machine.”

From labeling the costumes to preventing wigs from flying off, Norbury explained how the effort that goes into making each detail of the costumes means a lot for the performance. “We have 10 satin dresses that have to be steamed every single night so that they look nice on stage.” 

Norbury shared that the team’s costume designer, Leslie Hensley, would be versatile in choosing the costumes, whether it was using outfits that they already had, buying new pieces online, or creating something from scratch.

Another section of the crew is the ensemble that accompanies the main cast. Marli Stodden, a Hot Box Girl, Havana patron, and Bobby-soxer in the show, expressed excitement for the performance.

Said Stodden, “I’m very excited to have an audience watch all the hard work we have put together.”