Luck Be a Lady: OCHS Drama Guild Brings “Guys & Dolls” to Ocean City

The streets of Manhattan are coming to the Jersey Shore this week as the Ocean City High School Drama Guild prepares to roll the dice on their spring musical production of the Broadway classic, Guys & Dolls. Opening this Thursday, April 23, and running on 24 and 25 at 6:30 PM, the production will take over the Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center. This “Musical Fable of Broadway,” based on the stories of Damon Runyon, features iconic hits like “Luck Be a Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

Leading the charge is Director Brian Schkeeper, now in his tenth year at OCHS. A fixture in the music department who teaches film, music theory, and piano, Schkeeper views the choice of Guys & Dolls as a vital educational opportunity. “Our students deserve to be exposed to a wide repertoire of musical theatre,” Schkeeper said. “Looking back at previous musicals, going to an all-time classic that provides features for our talented students was a clear choice.” Assisting Schkeeper is Ellen Byrne, who serves as both assistant director and the production’s costumer, ensuring the cast looks every bit the part of 1940s New York gamblers and Save-A-Soul mission workers.

Meet the High Rollers

The production features a powerhouse quartet of student leads:

• Sky Masterson: Played by senior Noah Baker.

• Sarah Brown: Played by sophomore Sydney Koz Chin.

• Nathan Detroit: Played by sophomore Andrew Pelaez.

• Miss Adelaide: Played by senior Khushbu Pandya.

The cast has been hard at work since the new year. Following auditions in December, rehearsals kicked off immediately after winter break, pushing the performers to master the complex vocal arrangements of Frank Loesser and the high-energy choreography the show demands.

The spectacle isn’t limited to the acting. Under the direction of art teacher and set designer Paul Matusz, the stage crew has been busy constructing a world that bridges the gap between reality and the “suggestive” style of the golden age of theatre. Audiences can expect to travel from a bustling New York city block to a lush Cuban cantina, and even down into the gritty underground of a New York City sewer for the famous “Crap Game” scene.

“The show is about what happens when the roles we decide for ourselves and the expectations we put on others collide,” Schkeeper noted. “The audience will see love, anger, heartbreak, and a good fight or two.”

• What: OCHS Drama Guild presents Guys & Dolls

• When: April Thrusday 23, Friday 24, and Saturday 25 | 6:30 PM

• Where: Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center, Ocean City High School

• Tickets: Available through the OCHS Performing Arts department and at the door.