Zach Fortune’s grandmother used to always sing the lyrics “I love you a bushel and a peck” from Guys and Dolls to him when he was young. He loved hearing her repeat the tune.
Now, Fortune is honoring that legacy when he steps onto the stage with Jewish Family Theatre as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls playing December 4th through 14th at the Sara Belle November Theater at Weinstein JCC.
“My grandmother passed away four years ago after 10 years with cancer. December 4th will be the anniversary of her passing. It feels like perfect timing; like this was meant to be,” says the Powhatan native. “She loved the show and loved that song. We always thought it encapsulated her love for us.”
Director Deb Clinton finds that many of the show’s cast members have family stories related to Guys and Dolls.
“We are bringing people together. It’s important to create a conversation and feel joy,” she says. “If it makes them think of their mom and grandma, then that’s ok too.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the musical’s premiere on Broadway. “It was hugely successful,” Clinton says. “It’s known in the history of musical theater to be the perfect blend of song, dance and story. It captures a time and place. It’s part of our national history.”
Based on the short stories of Damon Runyon, the musical is set in Runyon’s mythical New York City. Guys and Dolls then takes you from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba and even into the sewers of New York City.
The show revolves around Sky Masterson, a very lucky gambler who will take a bet on anything, and Nathan Detroit, who is running an illegal floating craps game. When Sky Masterson accepts a bet to win the affections of strait-laced mission worker Sarah Brown, and marriage-averse Nathan Detroit aims to win back showgirl Miss Adelaide, the adventure unfolds.
Adding a Modern Take to the Show
Clinton will present a slimmed down version of the musical with a cast of 19.
“That was intentional,” she says. “I wanted to capture the energy of the show in a slapstick, vaudeville style that I really wanted to lean into.”
She is also reframing the relationships in the show through a modern lens, empowering the women through the changes the men go through.
“I wanted the women to come from elements of strength. I wanted to take out any manipulation and assumptions based on gender and play it in a more honest way,” Clinton says.
She wanted to make the story about characters who are searching for connection. “I wanted to keep the story and reframe the characters so they share each other’s best qualities,” she says. “The question is ‘how do you add to the story without compromising the integrity of the plot.’”
Clinton considers herself lucky in cast selections. “Sometimes if you pick the right show that is on the right people’s bucket list, you luck out,” she says.
Some of the actors are ones she has worked with in the past and some are new to the JCC stage. “I didn’t have to search for actors,” she says. “People were interested in this show.”
A Kindred Spirit with Sky Masterson
Fortune admits he didn’t know a lot about the show’s plot when he started the process of auditioning.
“I like finding a new show and diving into the story,” says Fortune, who started acting in fifth grade. “With each show, I learn how to be a better performer. Each director finds things to bring out in me. It’s all about continuing to grow and find and discover new things in this craft.”
He likes the fact that Sky has an inside layer that he doesn’t readily share with people.
“The fact that he is mysterious and doesn’t put it all out there is lovely. I think I hold things close to myself and don’t always show my true self until I find things I can trust and then I open up for sure,” he says. “We are alike in that way.”
Each day is a new discovery for Fortune when it comes to his character on stage. “I think I am finding out more about myself related to how I carry myself and share myself with other people,” he says.
The musical and its sentiment are timeless, Clinton feels.
“At its heart, it’s a story about love and how people achieve love and be successful at it,” she says. “It brings people together.”
Guys and Dolls runs December 4 through December 14 at the Jewish Family Theatre at the Sara Belle November Theater at the Weinstein JCC. For tickets, visit their website.
