A peek behind the curtain: 28 students join cast of ‘Guys and Dolls’

Theater is sometimes just a way to be diverted, to escape from the real world. This is a good escape.
— Mr. Krupa, director

Housatonic’s Musical Theatre program is bringing “Guys and Dolls” to life this year, and the process is well underway. Auditions took place at the end of November, marking the beginning of the journey from casting to performing the musical this spring.

But with 28 students auditioning, the casting environment was competitive.

“It’s trying to fit different types of people that we have into the spot where the students are going to learn the most,” said music director Thomas Krupa. “I think that’s the fundamental thing. When you think about professional theater, it’s always who is absolutely the best possible puzzle piece.”

The process encouraged actors to lean into not only their dramatic skills, but comedic ones as well. Students had to showcase dance abilities, musical talents and chemistry with their costars.

Senior Richie Crane has participated in Housatonic musicals since his freshman year. He recalled the difficulty of auditioning. “I’ve been in over twenty five productions, and every time I audition I’m just as nervous,” Crane said. “In your initial audition, you are auditioning not only for the role you want, but the one that showcases the best of your skill sets and abilities. The nerves don’t go away, but they can help you succeed.”

Of the five leading roles being cast, eight students were offered callbacks. “Guys and Dolls” will be a predominantly senior leading cast, as well as an opportunity for those seniors to take one final bow on the Housatonic stage.

“It’s been wonderful to see the seniors grow,” said director Christiane Olson. “They all have a lot of experience now, so it’s wonderful to see them go from a little bit more timid and unsure to much more confident performers.”

Experience is usually crucial to the success of the production, but it’s the overall number of participants that sets Housatonic apart. For a small school, Housatonic didn’t have trouble attracting the right number of students to bring the show to life.

“If you have a show with just leads, you don’t have a world. The world of ‘Guys and Dolls’ is the hustle and bustle of New York City,” Krupa said. “If we have one actor in the show, we’re not going to have that hustle and bustle. So we need every single one of the 28 kids that auditioned.”

This year’s production is filled with comedic and dramatic talent. For the next few months, the cast will be preparing to bring the vibrant musical to the stage in the spring. And just a few weeks into rehearsals, it’s clear this is a show you wouldn’t want to miss.

“It’s a really fun, timeless show. It’s very funny, and there’s great music,” Krupa said. “Theater issometimes just a way to be diverted, to escape from the real world. This is a good escape.”