Jaques says to Duke Senior in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, a very well known theatre saying “All the world’s a stage.” I say all the stage is a world. This year’s drama department performed so phenomenally that each and every character was believable so that it was possible to feel like you yourself were walking the streets of New York at night, or sneaking underground in the sewers to play that notorious game of craps along with all of the characters.

Guys and Dolls is an incredible and humorous show in which there are two stories occurring simultaneously. The nervous and determined Nathan Detroit, played by sophomore Jackson Rigglesford, is trying to find a place to host his crap game. But there are a few problems. One, gambling is illegal in New York. And two, the owner of the only place he can seem to find to host the game in won’t allow him to until he pays him $1,000, money that he does not have. So Nathan decides to improvise. Sky Masterson, played by the suave River Shipley (10), is an intelligent and reserved man who is well known for winning bets. After figuring out how much cheesecake and how much stroodle a popular local cafe sold the day prior, Nathan decides to make a bet with Sky. But Sky declines. Frustrated, Nathan attempts to insult Sky and his love life that is nonexistent. Sky tries to deny it, and when Nathan asks why he plans on traveling to Havana, Cuba alone, he says he likes to “travel light.”  As a mission group led by Sarah Brown (Julie Ronning, 12) passes by, Nathan tries one more time and bets that Sky can’t get a girl to go with him to Havana. “That one,” Nathan says. Sarah Brown, the mission girl. “Cider!”

Meanwhile, Nathan is having troubles in his own relationship with Miss Adelaide, played by the stunning senior, Jordan Greene who was the star of the show with her perfectly executed performance. Nathan and Adelaide have been engaged for fourteen years, and given that Nathan still hasn’t gotten his priorities straight and continues to lie to Adelaide about his crap games, there is no end in sight. Greene proved exceptional theatrical talent with her ability to change moods according to Miss Adelaide’s indecisiveness. She is tired of waiting for her fiance to commit, but she no matter how hard she tries, she can’t unlove him. Jordan Greene gave stunning performances in all of her vocal pieces, “Adelaide’s Lament,” “Bushel and a Peck” and “Take Back Your Mink,” with her sassy and fabulous “Hot Box Chicks,” “Marry the Man Today,” and “Sue Me.”

Back at the mission, Sky is determined to win Miss Brown’s heart. He puts on a performance by breaking down in tears in attempts to get Sarah’s sympathy for being a sinner. As reluctant as Sarah is, she finally gives in after Sky serenades her with “I’ll Know,” which ended with a surprising passionate kiss. Yep. There was definite lip locking…more than once. Ooh. La. La.

So off to Havana they go.

There is more drama along the way. (What? Drama from the Drama Club? Who knew?) The group of gamblers meet in the mission to play craps while Sarah and Sky are off in Cuba eating dinner, and the rest of the mission is out marching down Broadway looking for sinners. So when they get back to find all those gamblers making a mad dash for the door, you can imagine what Miss Sarah Brown must have been thinking. Wow Sky, you used me to get a meeting place for a crap game? Lame. He actually had nothing to do with it but she makes it very clear to Sky that she shouldn’t have run off with him. “What kinda doll are you anyway?” Sky replies. “I’m a mission doll.” Lights. End of Act one.

Arthur Keast gave a spectacular performance of “More I cannot Wish You” in act two that received one of the loudest applauses of the night. His professional sounding and powerful pipes left the audience in awe.

In the end, everyone gets their happy ending. Adelaide finally gets to marry the love of her life, Nathan, and Sarah marries Sky who fully commits to the mission. Yes. You read it right. Sky, the famous gambler, joins the mission. And they all lived happily ever after.

The students in the drama club proved superb talent in this year’s musical. There was not a dull moment, making it incredibly enjoyable to watch. If you missed the musical, you really missed out. But there is still one more opportunity to see the Drama Department’s talent for yourself this year at the One Acts which are on May 17th and 18th. Don’t miss it! A person who misses out on that much fun could even “develop a cold.”