The Double Nickel Players

As that famous Yankee catcher and philosopher Yogi Beri once said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” Here I am, 32 years after 1994’s Clarksville Community Players’ production of Guys and Dolls writing about it again.  Many of the original cast members have moved from the area, but Eileen Barbieri, Tammy Tillotson, Ken Vaiden, Donna Tollerson, Irene Chapman, Nada Hundley, Charles Ramsey, and Saree O’Brien will remember what fun they had playing roles based on some of Damon Runyon’s quirky New Yorkers. However, this time around, Music Theatre International (MTI) has reimagined the show and published it for licensing as Guys and Dolls Sr.  Memorable songs like “Sit Down, Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” and “Luck, Be a Lady Tonight” remain; beloved characters Nathan, Adelaide, Sky, Sarah, show girls, gamblers and missionaries have not changed except they’re older!    

One can imagine someone at MTI suddenly exclaiming, “Hey, why don’t we market a senior version of Guys & Dolls? “ And why not? Clarksville is already familiar with the junior versions of Broadway shows performed by the children and youth during their summer workshops: Beauty and the Beast, Shrek the Musical, Frozen, etc. 

When Director Monica Walter and Music Director Mike Doan, both members of the Double Nickel Players, learned about the show being offered to over-55 performers, they brought it to the attention of the Players’ Board of Directors as a fundraiser for the Fine Arts Center’s last phase of renovation. Now into the last month of rehearsals, the elements of story, music, dance, crap shooting, and Salvation Army bass drum beating are coming together for two matinee performances at the Clarksville Fine Arts Center, Saturday and Sunday, February 14th and 15th at 2 p.m. With the amazing generosity of the Clarksville community well established, this fundraiser is being offered free of charge; no reservations; no pre-paid tickets, just asking whatever you can afford to enjoy a fabulous show and give to finish the Fine Arts Center’s renovations. In the words of Nathan Detroit, organizer of the oldest floating crap game in New York, “we bet you’re going to like this!”

Guys and Dolls Sr. is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.  wwwMTIShows.com.